PATH20001 Exploring Human Disease
University of Melbourne · Level 2 · 12.5 points · Runs in 2026: Semester 1.
- Final exam 60%: exam-heavy
- About 3 class hours a week
Is PATH20001 hard?
PATH20001: Harder. Makes it harder: Reviewers say it takes a lot of time, Final exam 60%.
What you learn
Where disease comes from: injury, inflammation, infection, immunity, blood vessel disease and cancer.
After it you can
- Describe how a disease starts, develops and resolves
- Explain how damaged cells lead to disease
- Use the right scientific terms to talk about disease
What you need first
BIOL10010
Take in the same semester or earlier
BIOL10008
What it leads to
Careers
Helps toward: Dietitian, Laboratory scientist, Biochemist, Microbiologist, Zoologist, Psychologist, Veterinarian, Biomedical Engineer, Biotechnologist
How it’s assessed
Quizzes 10%, Tests 30%, Final exam 60%
Student reviews and ratings
Summarised from 10 students on StudentVIP (2023–2026)
- Content heavy but very interesting. Several said it made them love pathology.
- Organisation is a common complaint, especially in 2024. Some noted it improved, but the genetics and cancer section was still seen as confusing.
- Assessments are seen as fair: weekly quizzes, MCQ-plus-short-answer MSTs and an exam with a choice of long answer.
- You must tie the ideas together yourself. Taking it with MIIM20001 or biochemistry helps a lot.
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 PATH20001
Quick answers
- When is PATH20001 offered?
- Runs in 2026: Semester 1.
- What do I need before taking PATH20001?
- Needs BIOL10010. Must be taken before or alongside it: BIOL10008.
- Does PATH20001 have a final exam?
- Yes, the final exam is 60% of the mark. Assessment: Quizzes 10%, Tests 30%, Final exam 60%.
- Is PATH20001 hard?
- From 10 student reviews on StudentVIP: Content heavy but very interesting. Several said it made them love pathology.
- What do students say about PATH20001?
- Content heavy but very interesting. Several said it made them love pathology. Organisation is a common complaint, especially in 2024. Some noted it improved, but the genetics and cancer section was still seen as confusing. Assessments are seen as fair: weekly quizzes, MCQ-plus-short-answer MSTs and an exam with a choice of long answer.
- How many class hours a week does PATH20001 have?
- 3 h a week in class
- Can I take PATH20001 as breadth?
- No, it isn’t listed as breadth for any course.
- What can I take after PATH20001?
- 2 subjects need it first, for example BMEN30011, PATH30001.
- Can I rate PATH20001?
- 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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