Physiology

Major/Minor/Specialisation !R01-AA-MAJ+1035 (2010)

Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2010.

Year and Campus: 2010

Coordinator

Professor David Williams

Department of Physiology

Contact

d.williams@unimelb.edu.au
Overview: The Physiology major will teach you how the body works. You will learn about the ways in which cells, organs and the whole body function in an integrated way. By understanding normal function, you will investigate disturbances in whole body systems such as those relating to the endocrine, cardiovascular, musculoskeletal, developmental and neural control systems. The experimental bases of physiology are emphasized and you will use contemporary techniques to examine questions in physiology. Discoveries in physiology have a broad impact upon health and medicine, environmental science, industry, nutrition, exercise and reproductive biology. Many of the discoveries from the human genome project rely on physiology to understand their impact on the human body.
Objectives:

Students completing this major should have:

  • understood how the functional properties of cells and tissues determine the integrated responses of human organ systems including musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, nervous and reproductive systems;
  • developed an understanding of the process of designing and conducting biomedical research, including the generation of experimental hypotheses, and analysis and interpretation of data derived from experiments;
  • gained experience in the critical evaluation and appreciation of the scientific literature; and
  • learned how physiology is able to provide functional and "real life" significance to on-going discoveries of genetic and molecular biological research.
Structure & Available Subjects: Completion of 50 points of study at third year level
Subject Options: Core subject
Subject
Study Period Commencement:
Credit Points:
Plus at least one of
Subject
Study Period Commencement:
Credit Points:
Plus (if required to make up 50 points) electives selected from
Subject
Study Period Commencement:
Credit Points:
Semester 2
12.50
An elective may also be selected from the range of biomedical science subjects (requires approval of the major coordinator)
Related Course(s): Bachelor of Science

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