Undergraduate & honours qualifications

Bachelor of Science in Life Sciences

Qualification stream: Biomedical Sciences
Qualification code: 98053 - BMI
NQF level: 7
Total credits: 360
SAQA ID: 101234
APS/AS: 20
Rules:
Students who have passed BOT2605 will be exempted for NUT2601.
Purpose statement:
The purpose of this qualification is: 1) To produce science graduates who have the following attributes - a systematic and coherent body of knowledge and an understanding of underlying concepts and principles; the ability to access and evaluate scientific information including knowing how scientific knowledge is created; a high level of cognitive and other generic skills including problem-solving, written and spoken communication and computer literacy and competence in applying knowledge through basic research methods and practice; 2) To provide every graduate with a sufficient depth of knowledge and skills that give opportunities for continued personal intellectual growth - including postgraduate study - for gainful economic activity in a range of careers and for rewarding and constructive contributions to society. 3) To provide society with science graduates who demonstrate initiative and responsibility, who are professional and ethical in their roles within the economy and society and who are able to be intellectual leaders within their society and 4) To produce graduates in all scientific fields in order to increase, widen and transform the leadership base in South Africa, both for innovation and science-based economic and research development and for the education of future generations of scientists, technologists, engineers and other professional people.
This qualification will be presented using both online and distance learning modes.

Who can register?

  • Applicants (new applicants & Unisa students who applied for admission to a new qualification) may only register if they have received an offer of placement from Unisa and have accepted the offer online. Unisa reserves the right to not process and / or to cancel your registration if it is found that you were incorrectly admitted to a qualification. 
  • Re-registering students may register for the 2024 academic year once the registration period opens.

Please note: Should you wish to start a new qualification, please apply online for the alternative qualification during the prescribed application period.


How to choose your modules

Each Unisa qualification is structured in such a way that you need to pass a certain number of NQF level credits within a certain amount of time in order to graduate.

  • Co-requisite: Module A is a co-requisite for Module B. You want to register for Module B, but have not yet passed Module A. You must then register for both Modules A and B simultaneously. You may NOT cancel your registration for Module A unless Module B is also cancelled.

  • Pre-requisite: If Module A is a pre-requisite for Module B, you must pass Module A before you may register for Module B.

You may not register for more than the allowed maximum number of credits / modules per academic year and / or semester: 60 credits per semester or 120 credits per academic year.

The maximum number of credits do not include supplementary and / or aegrotat examinations from a previous semester. Modules taken for non-degree / non-diploma purposes also count towards the maximum number of credits allowed.

You must take your available time into consideration when choosing your modules, as this will impact your academic performance. You need approximately

  • 6 to 8 hours per week for semester modules.
  • 4 to 6 hours per week for year modules.

Click here for more information on managing your studies.

Curriculum for this qualification

While you are deciding on the modules for which you will be registering, write down the module names and codes so that you have something to refer to when completing your registration.

Please click on the modules below to see further information (eg semester/year module, NQF level)

First level

Module (Please click on the module to see further information) Pre-requisite/Co-requisite/Recommendation
Group A. Compulsory
BLG1501 - Basic Biology
BLG1502 - Animal and Plant Diversity
CHE1501 - General Chemistry IA
CHE1502 - General Chemistry IB Co-requisite:CHE1501
CHE1503 - General Chemistry I (Practical) Co-requisite:CHE1501 & CHE1502
EUP1501 - Ethical Information and Communication Technologies for Development Solutions
FIS1601 - Human anatomy and Physiology
NUT1501 - Introduction to Nutrition and Energy Yielding Nutrients
NUT1602 - Nutrition and Nutrient Deficiency Diseases
STA1510 - Basic Statistics

Second level

Students who have passed BOT2605 are not required to register for NUT2601.
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Module (Please click on the module to see further information) Pre-requisite/Co-requisite/Recommendation
Group A. Compulsory
BMI2601 - Clinical Biochemistry II Co-requisite:CHE1501 or CHE1502
BMI2602 - Medical Epidemiology Co-requisite:STA1510
BMI2603 - Medical Microbiology Co-requisite:CHE1501 or CHE1502
BMI2604 - Molecular Biology Co-requisite:CHE150 or CHE1502
BMI2605 - Pharmacology Co-requisite:CHE1501 or CHE1502
BMI2606 - Clinical Pathology II Co-requisite:FIS1601
BMI2607 - Immunology Co-requisite:CHE1501 or CHE1502
MIB2601 - Introductory Microbiology
MIB2602 - Microbial Ecology
NUT2601 - Nutritional Care Pre-requisite:NUT1501
Co-requisite:NUT1602

Third level

Module (Please click on the module to see further information) Pre-requisite/Co-requisite/Recommendation
Group A. Compulsory
BIT3702 - Molecular Cell Biology Pre-requisite:BMI2604
BMI3702 - Biomedical Techniques
BMI3704 - Haematology
BMI3705 - Virology
BMI3706 - Zoonoses
BMI3707 - Clinical Pathology III Co-requisite:BMI2603
GGH3708 - Environmental Awareness and Responsibility
MIB3702 - Advanced Microbial Genetics, Recombinant DNA Technology and Industrial Microbiology
MIB3703 - Microbial Diversity
NUT3703 - Nutrition and the Immune System Co-requisite:NUT2601