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Postgraduate Study in Infection and Immunity

Infection and Immunity provides a broad, interdisciplinary approach to understanding the science of health and disease.

You will have the opportunity to pursue this fascinating topic at undergraduate (Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences), postgraduate (Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences with Honours), and research level (Master of Biomedical Sciences).

The BBiomedSc degree allows you to pursue a flexible programme of study that equips you with a comprehensive grounding in the principles and ideas that underpin current biomedical science.

Why study Infection and Immunity?

The key answer is because you are interested in, and motivated by, the science that will allow us to improve human health. Our Infection and Immunity students have a reputation for excellence and are sought-after by a wide range of employers both here in New Zealand and overseas.

The human immune system defends the body from disease-causing microbial invaders like viruses and bacteria. This major provides in-depth knowledge of the immune system: how it develops, how it functions, its role in health and disease, and what happens when it fails to function.

It covers the microbes responsible for infectious diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis and meningococcal disease, how these infectious diseases are controlled, and how antibiotic resistance arises.

The major also includes how the immune system can be used to treat diseases such as cancer.


Are you just starting uni?

Learn about studying Infection and Immunity as an undergraduate at Otago.

Choose a study option

Whether you are advancing your career with our specialised graduate qualifications or pursuing in-depth research and expertise through our postgraduate programmes, Otago is here to support your aspirations.

Postgraduate qualifications

Honours, Master’s, PhDs, and other advanced degrees for graduates. Just one additional year of study will earn you a valuable postgraduate degree. Or perhaps you want the depth of a full year of research-only time during a Master’s or to step up to a PhD.

Graduate Qualifications

Our graduate qualifications are crafted to transition students from foundational studies to advanced, specialised knowledge.

Ready to apply?

Take your expertise to the next level with advanced study.

Papers

View a list of all related papers below.


Contacts

Email biomedsc@otago.ac.nz
Web otago.ac.nz/bms (School of Biomedical Sciences, Dunedin campus)
Web otago.ac.nz/christchurch (University of Otago, Christchurch)
Web otago.ac.nz/wellington (University of Otago, Wellington)


This information must be read subject to the statement on our Copyright & Disclaimer page.

Regulations on this page are taken from the 2025 Calendar and supplementary material.

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