Bachelor of Biomedical Science

Biomedical science is the study of how the human body works, what goes wrong in disease, and how we diagnose and treat it. At Griffith, the Bachelor of Biomedical Science is a three-year degree built around that idea. You start with the core sciences, human anatomy and physiology, cell biology, biochemistry, genetics, microbiology and immunology, then move into subjects like pathology, pharmacology and molecular biology. The later years are where you can shape the degree around what interests you, whether that is medical research, clinical laboratory work, or the science behind new treatments.

How the degree is structured

Australian bachelor degrees are made up of units of study, each worth a set number of credit points. You need to complete a certain total, usually 240 credit points for a three-year degree, to graduate. Griffith runs its academic year in trimesters, so you will typically take a few units at a time across three study periods each year. That pace suits some students and not others, so it is worth checking the trimester calendar before you apply. The degree includes a mix of lectures, laboratory practicals and tutorials. In your final year you may have the option of a research project or a professional placement, depending on the pathway you choose. Either way, you finish with a capstone experience that pulls together what you have learned.

What you actually learn

By the end of the degree you should be comfortable in a lab: running experiments, recording data, interpreting results and writing them up properly. You will understand how the body systems fit together and how disease disrupts them. You will know how to read scientific literature, design a basic experiment and communicate findings to both scientific and non-scientific audiences. Those skills are what employers and research supervisors look for, whether you go into a diagnostic lab, a research institute or further study.

Who it suits

This degree suits students who are curious about how the body works and want a science career that connects to health. It is a common pathway into postgraduate study, medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, physiotherapy, research honours and master's degrees. If you are thinking about a research career, the honours year (a fourth year) is the usual next step, followed by a master's or doctorate if you want to go further. The degree is also a good fit if you want to work in a hospital laboratory, a public health unit or a biotech company without necessarily becoming a clinician.

Practical matters for international students

Griffith is based in South East Queensland, with campuses at Nathan, Gold Coast and Logan. The university has research strengths in areas like infectious disease, cancer biology and drug discovery, and biomedical science students can sometimes get involved in those projects in later years. For international applicants, English proficiency is required, IELTS Academic 6.0–6.5 overall is the usual undergraduate standard, though some programs ask for higher. TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic and Cambridge C1 Advanced are accepted as equivalents. The Student visa has its own English requirement set by the Department of Home Affairs, separate from the university's. While you study, your visa allows you to work up to 48 hours per fortnight during the trimester and unlimited hours during scheduled breaks. After you graduate, the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream lets you stay and work in Australia for a period that depends on your qualification level. Tuition fees are published on the CRICOS register, check the official Griffith page and the CRICOS entry for the current figures and intake dates. The CRICOS course code for this degree is 002535G.

• Medical laboratory scientist, working in hospital and private pathology labs, running diagnostic tests in haematology, microbiology, clinical chemistry and histology.
• Research assistant, supporting projects at universities, medical research institutes and hospitals, often in cancer, infectious disease or neuroscience labs.
• Pharmaceutical or biotech industry roles, in drug development, clinical trials, quality control and regulatory affairs.
• Public health officer, in government health departments or agencies, working on disease surveillance, health promotion and policy.
• Science communicator or educator, writing, teaching or working in museums, science centres and media.
• Further study pathways, many graduates go on to medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, physiotherapy or a research honours year, then a master's or doctorate.

Australian employers in these fields include state and territory health departments, private pathology providers like Sullivan Nicolaides and Australian Clinical Labs, CSIRO, the Garvan Institute, QIMR Berghofer, and a growing biotech sector in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. Some roles, particularly in diagnostic pathology, may require additional accreditation or registration, check with the relevant professional body.