Academic Guide
Some first hand tips and tricks on core units and potential electives from our very own students.
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Core BMS Units
BMS1011: Biomedical chemistry
In this unit it essentially builds upon Year 12 chemistry knowledge but incorporates a medical aspect. The online lectures cover the content while the weekly workshops apply the concepts to clinical scenarios which is enough, the textbook is not needed. The assessments are open notes, which means that rather than just rote learnt content, they are challenging you with being able to apply the content. As such, attending the workshops is important.
BMS1021: Cells, tissues, and organisms
It’s back to the basics of biology with this unit. Don’t stress if you didn’t study biology in VCE—there are extra resources made available and your unit coordinator is very aware of this situation. The unit is generally considered easy compared to the other two units. It doesn’t have an exam, rather it is fully assessment based where each assessment focuses on a different topic like developmental biology or immunology. The only in person class is a weekly lab which introduces lab technique, the BLTB and core biomed etiquette. The major assessment is a final video presentation with a group which encourages creativity and is 30% of the grade.
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BMS1031: Medical biophysics
This unit is very daunting for those who didn’t study physics in VCE. While it can be challenging, it is still very manageable to do well. This content involves applying physics principles to the human body. Fluid flow in blood vessels, mechanics of muscles and bones, electrical activity in the nervous system, and even optics for vision. Attending the weekly workshops and labs are essential to assist with your learning and make the unit manageable. Moreover, PASS sessions are available for extra practice and a different perspective on content. The textbook is not required, however, if you want extra practice it can be useful.
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BMS1042: Public health and preventative medicine
This unit contains two distinct yet complementary components, the public health and statistics aspect. The statistics isn’t quite like methods, it's more similar to the concepts explored in VCE further maths. The e-book (essentially the lecture videos in text form) is generally easier to work through. All assessments are open book, which reduces the pressure. There are also two workshops per week, one for public health and another for statistics. Both are helpful in accompanying the lecture content.
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BMS1052: Human neurobiology
It is a well-run, and well-taught unit that explores a remarkably interesting area of human biology, our brains. This unit is quite content heavy, but is considered very interesting and engaging if you put in the effort. Out of all the first year units, this would be the one to get a textbook for as it provides in depth explanations on concepts. As such, about 5 hours per week for work is recommended.
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BMS1062: Molecular biology
1062 builds off of the central dogma of molecular biology, exploring how our genes become proteins and all of the steps in between. You learn a lot about DNA and RNA, right from the very basics, and learn about how they duplicate and are translated and transcribed into the proteins found in the body. This biomed unit has the most amount of labs and they are generally well run and are a good opportunity to build up some strength in semester marks through the reports. The rest of the major marks come from the mid semester and exam which are generally found to be challenging. However, completing the practice questions can help.
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BMS2011: Human anatomy
Anatomy is most people’s favourite unit and people tend to perform very well on it. The labs are a must-go and are so good to visualise concepts and engage with resources. As part of the labs there is a practice viva which can feel daunting but is amazing practice and worthwhile for the final viva. Revise in groups, draw lots of diagrams, and think about how muscles work in your own body! The Lab Manual contains the most important content for the exam so make sure to annotate it when revising. The lectures are fairly straight forward but lengthy, it takes about three hours to do them with notes.​
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BMS2021: Human molecular cell biology​
This unit builds upon BMS1011 and is generally considered the most difficult unit of the three this semester. The lectures are quite complex and long. Appreciate the early weeks of content! The workshops are very worth going to as they are a similar format to the case study assessments. You will have to be doing lots of memorising of enzymes and pathways but they pop back up later so it’s worth it. Some of the concepts explored in the lectures may be challenging so prepare to set aside more time for the lectures.
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BMS2031: Human physiology
Another very enjoyable unit. The TAs are super kind and helpful. The lectures are quite interesting and they tie into anatomy pretty well. Most weeks of the workshops are worth going to and the content was fairly simple. There are a couple of group projects and small assessment quizzes. The lectures were fairly short, taking not as much time (roughly 2 hours). A small life hack - all of the themes are assessed on with quizzes except for the reproductive system so you can get away with not watching those lectures if the assessments stay the same.
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BMS2042: Human genetics
The first couple of weeks build upon high school genetics, but then it builds upon this and gets quite complex. The labs were fairly disconnected from the content so I would advise doing the pre-lab to refamiliarise yourself with that week’s content. The workshops outside of the lab are very useful and a good consolidation of those calculation-heavy topics later in the unit. I would very highly recommend doing the lab summary quizzes during the labs and submitting those for feedback as consolidation.
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BMS2052: Microbes in health and disease
This unit is very hands on. The labs are very long and you can’t bring in your phone or laptop so it takes some adjusting to. The lectures are compiled into one part and are very comprehensive but the concepts themselves aren’t too hard to understand. It is definitely worth going to the labs as you need to build on your skills for the lab skills assessments. The tests are open book so it is recommended to make very detailed and organised notes to prepare. There is a big group project that I would suggest starting sooner rather than later as it takes longer than you would expect.
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BMS2062: Introduction to bioinformatics
The applied sessions are a must go as they are great to consolidate lecture content as well as teaching the use of the bioinformatic tools. The lectures are quite concise and don’t take too much time, taking roughly 2 hours.. Annoyingly the tests are closed book with limited hand written notes. There are theme tests as well as case studies which are much more application based. These are also graded with the writing considered, as such, the practice case studies are a way to get marked feedback.
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BMS3031: Molecular mechanisms of sisease
This unit explores the molecular and biochemical basis of disease. On average, you’ll spend about 20 - 24 hours a week, especially as assessments and exams approach. The News & Views assignment and research-style writing tasks demand critical thinking and clear communication, and the team podcast on one of the themes can be time-consuming but is generally enjoyable and helps consolidate content in a more creative way. The exam is content-heavy but fair if you keep up consistently. Students who like research-style learning and applying molecular knowledge to disease find it rewarding, while those who prefer more structured, fact-based content might find it overwhelming. The best advice is to keep up with each theme as you go, start the News & Views early, practice figure interpretation from journal articles, and use the workshops to your advantage as they directly prepare you for assessments.
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BMS3052: Biomedical basis and epidemiology of human disease
This unit explores both the biomedical and epidemiological aspects of common human diseases.A textbook isn’t essential, as lectures, recommended readings, and case studies provide most of the material. Students typically spend around 20–24 hours a week outside of class, largely on group work and preparing the systematic review. The assessments are challenging, with the systematic review and group-based work requiring careful planning, collaboration, and critical appraisal skills, while the exam draws heavily on lecture content of the last four weeks. The unit content is moderately difficult, combining molecular detail with epidemiological and clinical reasoning, but it’s generally easier than highly molecular units like BMS3031. Advice is to start major assessments early, stay organised in group work, practise critical appraisal skills, and use workshops to clarify expectations and tackle challenging material.
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Electives
ATS1264: Ethics, health and justice
This elective is a nice break from STEM content! The topics are interesting, covering health policies, hospital laws, and assisted reproduction technologies. All the assessments were essays, so if you enjoy writing and discussing health topics, you’ll love this unit! Don’t be put off by people saying arts units are hard - people find that they enjoy the content, find the essays manageable, and score really well. The lectures take about an hour each week and a couple of hours if there were assessments that week.
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MTH1020: Analysis of change
If you did VCE Spesh, this is the elective to do. Can use a calculator to do the weekly tutorial sheets and check with your friends in the class and get 100% on 60% of the assessments so you just need to perform in the exam and they give you practice exams. So this is definitely recommended if you have just finished up with spesh. The workload for the unit is very manageable.
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PSY1011: Foundations in psycology
This is a popular unit amongst Biomed first years as it is the basics of psychology. It is basically a crash course on many different branches of psychology as we spent about one week on each topic. There is an exam worth 30%. The other assessments are a group presentation and a 2500 essay on a topic of your choosing. The workload is definitely manageable and there is the option to do this unit fully online. Those interested in psychology should take this as it gives you a nice overview and you are able to explore your interests in the essay, but do expect to put in some effort if you want to do well.
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MGC1010: Introduction to management
Probably a bit of a niche unit run under the Business and Economics faculty. The content is generally quite straightforward and you can definitely get away with not spending too long on lectures. Attending the workshops are super helpful to find and connect with your team as there is a group project, and it will also help you consolidate the concepts for the 2500 word case study. The content isn’t hard to understand, but 70% of the assessments are written (a case study and reflection), so taking comprehensive notes/memorising the content isn’t necessary. Overall, a good, chill unit that can give you a bit of a break from biomed!
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NUT1011: Human nutrition: An introduction to nutrients
This unit is a great introduction to health, nutrition and scientific communication. You not only need to understand the basics of health, but also explain complex information in a simpler, more digestible way. This unit explores what makes a lifestyle balanced and looks into the chemical and nutrient components in the food we eat. It also shows how our daily choices, like staying active and having a positive mindset, can work together to improve our overall health. You will learn how different foods can affect not just our physical wellbeing, but also our mood, our energy levels and how we feel throughout the day. Many people consider this unit to be quite easy.
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CMH1011/1051: Chemistry 1
A super common elective that first years decide to choose. It is essentially VCE chem but in more detail and with more quantum chemistry. There is heaps of content but it is still pretty manageable when you have prior knowledge and understanding of the concepts. However, because this is an elective, I don’t see why choosing this unit is necessarily a good idea. The content doesn’t really help with any biomed units (only the GAMSAT and even then it's not necessarily worth it), and it honestly was more work and time than some of my biomed units. There is an exam worth 50%, workshops every week and every two weeks there is a compulsory 3 or 4 hour lab (4 hours if you’re doing advanced). If you enjoy chem this unit may be for you, otherwise avoid it.
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CHM1022/1052: Chemistry 2
This unit is the sequel to CHM1011/1051, but you do not have to study CHM1011/1051 before it. It has the exact same structure; online content, optional 2 hour workshop, fortnightly lab. Assessment is 20% quizzes (very easy), 30% lab report (honestly a pain but easy enough) and 50% closed book exam (this is where it could take down your WAM). It covers organic chem (VCE level + a bit more) and metallic chem. Interesting if you’re into chem! Like CHM1011/1051, this unit has reasonable content but if you’re chemistry focussed, 1022 is necessary to study more advanced chemistry & physics units.
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ATS2992: Global immersion guarantee program
Worth double credit points - meaning you can underload your electives down the line. You get to preference countries based on a list of 7-8 (including Fiji, Italy, India and Indonesia). Almost guaranteed to get in if you apply and preference a number of countries. You spend 2 weeks in your selected country with ~60 other first years learning about sustainability in the context of your nation. A really valuable experience and definitely worth broadening your horizons and meeting new people in a new environment. Assignments are in the form of written reports (2 of which are completed after the trip) and group presentations. This is a multi-disciplinary unit, meaning students from any degree can partake in it. Marking in this unit can be dependent on the groups of teachers which is something to consider too.​
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MON2000: Volunteering in practise
This is a pass grade only unit and is a lot of fun. You have to complete at least 24 hours of volunteering and there is reflective writing. You have to source an organisation to volunteer before the start of semester. For example, volunteering can be done at Our Village and it was very easy to start (one mandatory induction). This unit is recommended if you don’t want your elective to affect your grades but want the credits.
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MON2750/3750: Monash innovation guarantee
You spend 3x 4 day weeks in the CBD learning about innovation, ideation, basic business principles, teamwork and presentation. In the mornings you will sit through seminars learning about the content above, followed by an afternoon of applying these skills in your team. Your team will be assigned a business question for you to consult them on. These are real-world problems that they want help on. You can be assigned to lots of different companies, including KPMG, CBA, Bunnings, Bridgeford Group and InflaMed. Projects include group presentations, LinkedIn posts and reflections.
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PHY3990: Action in psychology research project
A really great unit if you have even the slightest interest in research! This is particularly great if you have a particular interest in biomed. For example, sports-related concussion, if you enjoy sports and medicine. Assignments can be high-scoring if you are passionate about your area, but the workload is a fair bit, especially around the time of assessments. You conduct a literature review, present two seminars of your findings and complete a mini thesis. This is an incredibly unique opportunity to produce a body of work as an undergraduate student.
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PHY3171: Cardiovascular physiology and disease
A well run unit, with clear assessments, good marking and interesting lectures. Only one small, two person group project. This is definitely a recommended unit as you can perform well.
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PHY3012: Integrative neuroscience
This unit is built upon the foundations of what was learnt in BMS1052. The best thing about the unit is that it's a choose your own adventure. There were four different topics you could choose from to base your assessments on. For example, you can choose a novel drug development for treating brain disorders. There are other topics like cognitive flexibility, performance in trained vs untrained limbs, and novel therapy for neuropathic pain. Assessments involve a literature review and presentation and tests on the weekly content.
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FOR3001: Principles of forensic medicine and science
Really great unit coordination and interesting topics/subjects. A great crossover of legal and medical subject matter. The workload is very manageable alongside 3rd year biomed units even with a full course load. It does however require relatively constant work as there’s many small assignments or quizzes, but it’s still very manageable and the content is very understandable.
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SCI3990: Science in action research project
SCI3930 teaches crucial skills that prepare you for the workforce - mainly, job applications, CV writing, cover letter writing, LinkedIn profile management. You will learn a lot about how the job application process works, so you know how to cater your own application to each job. This unit involves many small assignments and submissions which can be frustrating as they start as soon as semester begins. Tutorial attendance is mandatory but otherwise the weekly load of work is very manageable. Whilst it can feel discouraging at times, you will likely do much better at this subject than you predicted during the semester (due to the weighting of certain assignments).
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SCI3920: Science internship
This unit gives you the opportunity to work for a company that is related to what you study. For example, an internship at the dolphin research institute in Hastings, or food companies or with companies like Lifespace (probiotic makers). It was a really good opportunity to get some real life experience and network with some people that might be related to the field you end up working in. Assignments were relatively easy, lots of opportunities to be creative and learn skills like using linkedin, career development and oral presentations. You interview someone from the company you are interning with, a reflection on what you have learnt and an oral presentation. It's a really fun unit, just make sure you check the prerequisite before enrolling.
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BME3032: Introduction to the health system
Introduction to the health system. The unit sounds great for those who want to learn more about our health system (would be great for interviews if you have no experience interacting with this space). The unit is designed to show the different parts of our healthcare system (the good and bad). Classes are small - about 60 people in the whole cohort. Good for those interested in public health.
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For advice on more electives, come and check out the annual Electives night!
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For further information on units offered, click here to visit the Handbook, and here for more information on the course.
*** Please note that these are written at the discretion of committee members and represent their own opinions only. We definitely recommend consulting the official unit guides published in the Monash Handbook for more detailed descriptions. This guide is written for anecdotal advice and should be used in conjunction with picking the brains of your peers and checking out the MSA’s Counter Faculty Handbook when deciding which units to select.