Useful links
Skip to main content
Search the University of Sydney website
Current students
Unit of study_
BIOL2930: Botany (Advanced)
2025 unit information
The existence of life on Earth relies on plants and other photosynthetic organisms making botanical knowledge crucial in a range of key professional contexts. For example, ecologists apply botanical knowledge to manage marine and terrestrial ecosystems, and public health and land management professionals depend on their understanding of plant science to solve environmental problems to ensure maintenance of biodiversity, biosecurity, food security. In this unit, you will explore the origins, diversity, and global significance of plants. You will gain insights into the micro- and macro-evolutionary processes and patterns behind how plants moved from aquatic ecosystems to terrestrial ecosystems with particular emphasis on Australian flora. Integrated lectures, practical classes, and access to extensive online resources support development and consolidation of theoretical concepts with practical skills in plant identification, physiology, anatomy and development. This unit of study is foundational for those intending to contribute to nature-positive approaches for the sustainable future of our planet. Successful completion of Botany will allow you to contribute to a range of disciplines including ecology, bioinformatics, molecular and cell biology, genetics and biotechnology, environmental law, agriculture, education and the arts. The Advanced Botany unit of study requires engagement at a high standard of academic rigour and affords opportunities to engage with core aspect of Botany at depth, to create new knowledge and develop skills in research and communication.
Unit details and rules
Managing faculty or University school:
Science
| Study level | Undergraduate |
|---|---|
| Academic unit | Life and Environmental Sciences Academic Operations |
| Credit points | 6 |
|
Prerequisites:
?
|
Annual average mark of at least 70 in previous year |
|---|---|
|
Corequisites:
?
|
None |
| Prohibitions:
?
|
BIOL2023 or BIOL2923 or AGEN2001 or PLNT2001 or PLNT2901 or PLNT2002 or PLNT2902 or PLNT2003 or PLNT2903 or AGEN2005 or BIOL2030 |
| Assumed knowledge:
?
|
Knowledge of concepts and skills in BIOL1XX6 |
At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:
- LO1. explain the evolution of land plants and how plants are able to respond to their environment
- LO2. demonstrate a thorough understanding of phylogenic approaches and associated inferences about relatedness of photosynthetic taxa
- LO3. identify the major plant families of the Sydney region and the tissue systems of plants
- LO4. demonstrate a thorough understanding of plant anatomy by describing features of the primary plant body and the secondary plant body of Angiosperms
- LO5. carry out an independent research project and communicate findings
- LO6. adopt a mindful disposition and a scholarly approach towards your studies in Botany.
Unit availability
This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.
The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.
Find your current year census dates
Modes of attendance (MoA)
This refers to the Mode of attendance (MoA) for the unit as it appears when you’re selecting your units in Sydney Student. Find more information about modes of attendance on our website.
