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Students studying the rocky shoreline for biological life
Students studying the rocky shoreline for biological life
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Academic school or department

School of Biological Sciences

Te Kura P贖taiao Koiora

29 July 2025

Kia ora, Ml e lelei, Talofa lava, Taloha ni, Kia orana, Fakaalofa lahi atu, Namaste, Ni sa bula and warm Pacific greetings, welcome to Biology at UC.

泭

Biological Sciences is a large and dynamic school offering a diverse range of courses across undergraduate and postgraduate levels and has the flexibility to adapt to your current needs and interests and support you on your journey.泭

HOW TO APPLY

Biology spans all types of organisms and all scales of biological systems, from molecules and ecosystems to energetics and evolution, and we teach and research across these disciplines.

Our modern facilities allow you to study and get hands on experience in both laboratory and field settings teaching you the skills to jump start your career or get ahead in your current position.泭

The Biological Sciences major of the Bachelor of Science degree is accredited by the (RSB), giving you the confidence of an internationally-recognised degree.

At the undergraduate level we offer a diverse range of courses from which students can follow our suggested pathways or mix and match to suit their needs and interests within our Biological Sciences and Biochemistry majors. 泭

The diversity continues at postgraduate level, where students choose from specialist subjects for a MSc or PhD. There are research opportunities that involve field work, use gene technologies, confocal microscopes, NMR, or data mining, to name a few.泭

Studying biology with UC can take you to field sites throughout New 厙ぴ勛圖or even across the world. Our field stations such as at Cass enable immersive learning in real world settings.泭

Our researchers provide expertise to local and international communities and as scientists we aim to always push out the frontiers of knowledge as well as acting as a critic and conscience of society.

We are also strongly aligned with the UNs sustainable development goals, from supporting access to quality education to researching climate change and sustainable ways to support the wide range of life on land and below water.泭泭

Biological Sciences graduates are in high demand in industries such as agritech, food-tech and brewing, meditech, ecological monitoring and restoration.泭

Science graduates can also be found in upper levels of management utilising their superior analytical and innovative thinking.泭

Students electric fishing in an alpine river
Students at a laboratory bench

Study in the School of Biological Sciences

We are research leaders

Our teaching staff are all active researchers and passionate about sharing their knowledge.

Dynamic teams are leading research in and across a wide range of biology disciplines, from understanding nutrient flows and food webs across terrestrial-freshwater-marine ecosystems to investigating the amazingly good eyesight of jumping spiders.

Our modern research buildings are packed full of equipment to help us measure, manipulate, visualise and quantify the living world.泭

For example, our analytical ultra-centrifuge allows us to study biomolecules and their interactions, with the team aiming to develop treatments for chronic inflammatory diseases such as Crohn's disease and rheumatoid arthritis, while our confocal laser scanning microscope uses fluorescent markers, bound to chemicals in live cells, to understand how cells grow and communicate.泭

Biology students field research
Bird perched on a rock in the mountains

Our researchers

We have some of the brightest minds in biology including泭.

Our cutting-edge泭research泭covers a broad range of biological fields and many of our teachers have泭University teaching awards泭and research medals.泭

Biology student doing close up lab work
Our research in Biological Sciences

Our research is broad, but we have significant depth and skill in three key areas the biological and ecological landscape, species diversity and conservation, biological structure and activity. These areas do not have solid boundaries and there is a considerable overlap, with our collaborative researchers aligned to multiple areas.

Biological Sciences Research
Student examining petri dishes
Our facilities

We have a full range of modern facilities and equipment. UC also has field stations across the country and offers a range of services to external clients.

Facilities and equipment
Field Stations

Engagement and careers

  1. To provide high quality education for undergraduate and postgraduate students from Aotearoa New 厙ぴ勛圖and overseas. We strive to offer a nationally and internationally recognised integrative undergraduate curriculum that is taught by educators dedicated to using research to inform our teaching. We also work to provide a vibrant research environment led by researchers with international reputations and strong supervisory skills.
  2. To provide excellent research and professional expertise to the Aotearoa New 厙ぴ勛圖and international communities, through relevant research, consulting and community engagement activities.
  3. To expand the frontiers of knowledge, serve as a repository for knowledge, and act as critic and conscience of society.
  4. To deliver on our mission objectives with a strong commitment to environmental sustainability and a diverse and inclusive community.
  5. To be a values-led School.

Our culture is expressed through a strong sense of whanaungatanga, the behaviour of our staff and students, and the quality of our interactions with our community. Defining expected behaviour based on a set of core, shared values is important for the School. We challenge ourselves to become more collaborative, inclusive and culturally competent, as well as showing respect for our different areas of expertise (Tohungatanga).

The Schools profile and international recognition, and hence ability to attract high quality staff and postgraduate students, will be enhanced by a strong sense of belonging to a cohesive and inclusive whanau. A shared value in a purposeful, planned and sustainable future is an important feature of the School.

The School and its members follow the values of the 厙ぴ勛圖.

泭

泭is a student-led group for all people with a fascination for biology. Members do not have to be studying Biological Sciences.泭

Events include barbecues,泭quiz nights and an annual ball. 泭We also offer tutorials and facilitate closer links between staff and students.

The School of Biological Sciences and the泭泭work closely together. Staff learn from each other, call on each others expertise, co-supervise students and take part in joint seminars.

泭

Summer scholarships

As part of our partnership, joint summer scholarships are offered most years.

A UC Summer Research Scholarship泭involves working on a specific research project under the supervision of an academic staff member for approximately 10 weeks over the summer period. In addition summer scholarship students will complete a short research skills programme and will give a short presentation on their research project.

泭

Past scholarship research projects
  • Understanding and enhancing mistletoe biodiversity around urban Christchurch (Juanita Miln, supervised by Dave Kelly)
  • Descent into the understorey: orchid pollination in the shadows
  • Pollination effectiveness and pollinator substitution in urban landscapes (Della Bennet supervised by Dave Kelly)
  • Urban pollinators: rare, distracted or redundant? (Christie Webber and Amanda Peterson supervised by Dave Kelly)
  • Botanic sentinels guard against biological invasions (supervised by Paula Jameson)
  • Botanic Gardens not all exotic (Matt Wallace)
  • Canterburys natural plant communities (Bronwyn Slack)
  • Earthquakes and freshwater wildlife (Matt Kippenberger)
  • Native or exotic? Which would you prefer if you were a pollinator?泭(Christie Webber and Amanda Peterson supervised by Dave Kelly)

Gain practical skills and degree points with our popular summer courses.

  • 泭is an intensive, field-based course at the Cass alpine field station. It is designed to meet the need for training in the collection, preparation, and identification of botanical specimens. The course is targeted at participants with various entry levels, from students with a limited plant knowledge to experienced career professionals.
  • 泭This five-day course will be based primarily at UC but involve learning practical freshwater field sampling including hydrological, water chemistry, aquatic plant, invertebrate, fish and bird identification.

Our alumni can be found in a wide range of industries, reflecting the broad skill base a degree in science offers.

The School of Biological Sciences also offers an Inspirational Alumni award,泭bestowed on former students who have made a significant contribution in their fields.

Biological Sciences news and events

$3million boost to NZSingapore collaboration transforming hybrid meat industry

24 July 2025

New co-led UC research aims to make hybrid meat more affordable, flavoursome, and sustainable.泭
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$3million boost to NZSingapore collaboration transforming hybrid meat industry

New co-led UC research aims to make hybrid meat more affordable, flavoursome, and sustainable.泭
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$3million boost to NZSingapore collaboration transforming hybrid meat industry

$3million boost to NZSingapore collaboration transforming hybrid meat industry

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Study hooks into efforts to save critically endangered fish

26 June 2025

A freshwater fish species found only in New 厙ぴ勛圖are having the spotlight shone on them through new UC research.泭
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Study hooks into efforts to save critically endangered fish

A freshwater fish species found only in New 厙ぴ勛圖are having the spotlight shone on them through new UC research.泭
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Study hooks into efforts to save critically endangered fish

Study hooks into efforts to save critically endangered fish

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NZ alpine springs under threat from fast-spreading weeds

23 June 2025

Fast-spreading lowland weeds are invading NZs high-country springs, but UC researchers are working to protect these once-pristine biodiversity hotspots.
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NZ alpine springs under threat from fast-spreading weeds

Fast-spreading lowland weeds are invading NZs high-country springs, but UC researchers are working to protect these once-pristine biodiversity hotspots.
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NZ alpine springs under threat from fast-spreading weeds

NZ alpine springs under threat from fast-spreading weeds

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Hands-on Red Zone research for UC students

09 June 2025

The Red Zone in Christchurchonce a thriving residential neighbourhoodis offering UC students a rare opportunity to study climate impacts in real time.
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Hands-on Red Zone research for UC students

The Red Zone in Christchurchonce a thriving residential neighbourhoodis offering UC students a rare opportunity to study climate impacts in real time.
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Hands-on Red Zone research for UC students

Hands-on Red Zone research for UC students

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Study shows smart limpets keep their cool in warming climate

04 June 2025

Humble limpets clinging to rocky shores around Aotearoa are surprisingly savvy when it comes to climate change adaptation, a new 厙ぴ勛圖 study shows.
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Study shows smart limpets keep their cool in warming climate

Humble limpets clinging to rocky shores around Aotearoa are surprisingly savvy when it comes to climate change adaptation, a new 厙ぴ勛圖 study shows.
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Study shows smart limpets keep their cool in warming climate

Study shows smart limpets keep their cool in warming climate

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Seasonal shake-ups upsetting natural processes, study shows

30 May 2025

If you think autumn and spring seem different now compared to how they used to be, youd be right.泭
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Seasonal shake-ups upsetting natural processes, study shows

If you think autumn and spring seem different now compared to how they used to be, youd be right.泭
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Seasonal shake-ups upsetting natural processes, study shows

Seasonal shake-ups upsetting natural processes, study shows

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New diagnostic platform could detect Alzheimers

22 May 2025

A team of researchers from the 厙ぴ勛圖 are developing a new diagnostic platform that could make early disease detection faster, cheaper, and more accessible.
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New diagnostic platform could detect Alzheimers

A team of researchers from the 厙ぴ勛圖 are developing a new diagnostic platform that could make early disease detection faster, cheaper, and more accessible.
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New diagnostic platform could detect Alzheimers

New diagnostic platform could detect Alzheimers

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Study maps antibiotic-resistant hotspots

19 May 2025

A 厙ぴ勛圖-led project will map antimicrobial resistance across Aotearoa New 厙ぴ勛圖to identify environmental hotspots.
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Study maps antibiotic-resistant hotspots

A 厙ぴ勛圖-led project will map antimicrobial resistance across Aotearoa New 厙ぴ勛圖to identify environmental hotspots.
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Study maps antibiotic-resistant hotspots

Study maps antibiotic-resistant hotspots

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Influential UC researchers elected as Royal Society Fellows

27 March 2025

Five UC academics who have built international careers have been recognised for their contributions and elected as Royal Society Te Aprangi Fellows today.泭
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Influential UC researchers elected as Royal Society Fellows

Five UC academics who have built international careers have been recognised for their contributions and elected as Royal Society Te Aprangi Fellows today.泭
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Influential UC researchers elected as Royal Society Fellows

Influential UC researchers elected as Royal Society Fellows

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