BCMB30001 Protein Structure and Function
University of Melbourne · Level 3 · 12.5 points · Runs in 2026: Semester 2.
- Final exam 45%
- About 2 class hours a week
Is BCMB30001 hard?
BCMB30001: Harder. Makes it easier: Only 2 class hours a week. Makes it harder: Reviewers say it’s hard (6 reviews).
What you learn
How a protein's 3D shape relates to what it does, and how this helps with drug design.
After it you can
- Analyse protein sequence and structure with software
- Plan experiments to study protein function
- Critically read protein research papers
What you need first
BCMB20002 or BIOM20001
Careers
Helps toward: Biochemist, Microbiologist, Chemical engineer, Laboratory scientist, Zoologist, Veterinarian, Biotechnologist
How it’s assessed
Assignments 35%, Tests 20%, Final exam 45%
Student reviews and ratings
Summarised from 6 students on StudentVIP (2015–2024)
- Content is conceptually difficult and broad, and the exam tests applying knowledge (e.g. experimental design) rather than rote learning.
- Assessments were described as fair; one 2024 reviewer noted the assignments, MST and exam were open book.
- Several reviewers found some lecture videos hard to follow and organisation patchy at times.
- Tutorials are hands-on and collaborative (e.g. building protein models); one noted using PyMOL can be frustrating.
A summary of public reviews, not scored here.
Taken this subject? Rate it anonymously (difficulty, workload, marking, would you recommend it) and leave a tip for next year's students. Rate BCMB30001
Quick answers
- When is BCMB30001 offered?
- Runs in 2026: Semester 2.
- What do I need before taking BCMB30001?
- Needs BCMB20002 or BIOM20001.
- Does BCMB30001 have a final exam?
- Yes, the final exam is 45% of the mark. Assessment: Assignments 35%, Tests 20%, Final exam 45%.
- Is BCMB30001 hard?
- From 6 student reviews on StudentVIP: Content is conceptually difficult and broad, and the exam tests applying knowledge (e.g. experimental design) rather than rote learning.
- What do students say about BCMB30001?
- Content is conceptually difficult and broad, and the exam tests applying knowledge (e.g. experimental design) rather than rote learning. Assessments were described as fair; one 2024 reviewer noted the assignments, MST and exam were open book. Several reviewers found some lecture videos hard to follow and organisation patchy at times.
- How many class hours a week does BCMB30001 have?
- 2 h a week in class
- Can I take BCMB30001 as breadth?
- No, it isn’t listed as breadth for any course.
- Can I rate BCMB30001?
- Yes. If you've taken it, rate it anonymously on this page (difficulty, workload, marking, would you recommend it) and leave a tip for next year's students. Averages show once 3 students have rated it; tips are checked before they appear.
Source: University of Melbourne Handbook 2026
Always confirm in the official Handbook.
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