As the only Bachelor of Science in Anatomy offered in the country, you will have a unique opportunity to explore the relationship between the structure of the body and the functions it performs, from microscopic to macroscopic and even community levels. Whether it’s single cells or multi-organ systems, the modules will leverage the latest techniques, exposure to world-leading research, and state-of-the-art equipment. These include techniques such as immunohistochemistry, cell culture, and gene sequencing including ancient DNA, as well as access to equipment like electron and confocal microscopes and next-generation sequencing technology.

To learn biochemistry is to understand life itself. This programme empowers you with knowledge about how living things work, where they get their energy from, how they make the components they need or what it is that your genes do. You’ll learn how to apply molecular approaches to understand life and death, how cells can be turned into bio-factories, how to make improved crops, how trillions of cells assemble to form you, why you get old, and what causes diseases like cancer.

Another University of Otago exclusive, the only bachelor’s degree in microbiology in New Zealand offers courses filled with insights into all aspects of microbiology, immunology, and virology. You will explore general biology and chemistry subjects as you dive deep into topics like the diversity of microorganisms, microbial virulence and diseases, and explore the basics of the immune system and how it functions.

Pharmacology and toxicology go hand-in-hand as they focus on developing and repurposing drugs to treat chronic diseases such as cardiorenal syndromes, asthma, cancer, diabetes, neurological disorders, and other acute medical conditions. Here, pharmacology encompasses different areas of biological sciences, while toxicology examines the dangerous effects of drugs and chemicals on the human body as well as in animals. Together, they make for an exciting subject – and one that has effectively prepared graduates for versatile research careers in academic institutes, the pharmaceutical industry, the private sector, and government.

Understanding human physiology means exploring how the body works at the molecular, cellular, and organ systems levels. This knowledge enables you to identify abnormalities that lead to disease, and to develop effective treatments. This interdisciplinary program integrates biochemistry, biology, and/or biological physics to provide a comprehensive foundation. You’ll learn about the brain and nervous system, the heart and circulation, lung function and breathing, as well as how substances move in and out of our bodies and cells through the digestive system and kidneys.

Another programme exclusive to the University of Otago, this undergraduate degree is as interdisciplinary as it is impactful. Expect to learn from world-class professors across multiple departments, including Anatomy, Biochemistry, Computer Science, Pharmacology, Physiology, Psychology, and Zoology. When you graduate, the number of opportunities that await are just as numerous. You could have an exciting research career in a university, research institute, or in the pharmaceutical industry, or progress to a master’s degree.

If you’re deeply curious about the molecular basis of life, this fast-growing branch of science is for you. In this programme, you’ll study whole organisms, populations, and evolution. There won’t ever be a dull day – this subject is fun, interesting, challenging and relevant to everyday life. You would be learning about genetic engineering, cloning and your own health from some of the country’s best minds in not just in one field, but several, including Anatomy, Biochemistry, Botany, Mathematics and Statistics, Microbiology and Immunology, Pathology, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Women's and Children's Health, and Zoology. The University of Otago is a leader in genetic and genomic research nationally and internationally.