Study Medical Biotechnology at a Leading Private Medical University in Malaysia

ABOUT THE MEDICAL BIOTECHNOLOGY DEGREE

Science has seen mankind’s quality of life improve by leaps and bounds since the bubonic plague plunged Europe into the Dark Ages. As much as scientific progress in vaccines has resolved historically deadly diseases such as polio and others, the continual emergence of new and old diseases emphasizes the importance of medical biotechnology to improve healthcare delivery.

Throughout history, we have benefitted from these amazing discoveries; from Edward Jenner who created the world’s first vaccination for small pox, to the use of contact lenses to non-invasively monitor blood glucose in diabetic patients, and up to today where scientists have created biotechnology software to identify human faces with DNA left behind at crime scenes as well as wearable tattoos to monitor our important body functions by sending the information directly to the smart phones of our doctors.

Medical biotechnology students at IMU will learn how to contribute towards developing beneficial products to prevent and treat human diseases, learn how to communicate your findings to the general public and eventually to market your own biotechnology products and set up your own companies.

Amongst the teaching methodologies conducted in the programme include: face-to-face lectures, laboratory practicals, small group teaching (problem based learning and tutorials), workshops, computer-aided learning (CAL), seminars, presentations, industrial visits, video reviews, internships, guided reading and portfolio as well as original and independent research work.

CAREER PATHWAYS

To know about the career pathways for medical biotechnologist, see this infographic.

KEY FACTS

Degree

Bachelor of Science (Hons) Medical Biotechnology (IMU)

Degree from Partner University

Commencement

July and September

Total Duration

3 – 4 years

Download Brochure

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ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

EXAMINATIONS	REQUIREMENTS
A-Levels	CCD (including 2 Science subjects / Mathematics)
STPM	CC (including 2 Science subjects / Mathematics)
Australian Matriculation	65% aggregate or TER / UAI / ENTER / ATAR 75 (including 2 Science subjects / Mathematics)
NCEA Level 3	60% (including 2 Science subjects / Mathematics)
Canadian Grade 12/13	70% aggregate (including 2 Science subjects / Mathematics)
Unified Examination Certificate (UEC)	B in 5 subjects (including 2 Science subjects / Mathematics)
Australian University Foundation Programmes	70% aggregate or TER / UAI / ENTER / ATAR 75 or GPA 2.00 (including 2 Science subjects / Mathematics)
Indian Pre-University	Average of 70% (including 2 Science subjects/ Mathematics)
Ministry of Education Matriculation#	cGPA 2.50 (including 2 Science subjects/ Mathematics)
International Baccalaureate (IB)	26 points (including 2 Science subjects/ Mathematics)
American High School Diploma with Advanced Placement (AP)	cGPA 2.70 (2 Science subjects must be AP courses)
Foundation * #	cGPA 2.00 or 50% (including 2 Science subjects / Mathematics) (Foundation in Biosciences / Foundation in Engineering / Foundation in Science)
Degree	BSc in related field : cGPA 2.00
Diploma	Diploma in Science (UiTM), Diploma in Microbiology (UiTM) – cGPA 2.50 Diploma in related field – cGPA 2.00

All qualifications should include a pass in SPM or equivalent level.

Foundation in Science

Foundation in Science qualifications from other higher education institutions will be considered on a case by case basis for admission into the local IMU programmes.
Students with IMU Foundation in Science can apply into IMU programmes and programmes with selected credit transfer options, upon meeting the entry requirement eligibility. ** (Please refer to IMU Foundation in Science brochure for more details)

FOR ADMISSIONS INTO THE IMU FOUNDATION IN SCIENCE PROGRAMME, STUDENTS WILL NEED TO HAVE:

Pass SPM / O-Levels with minimum 5 credits in Mathematics, 2 Science subjects and 2 other subjects.
Note: Specific SPM / O-Levels requirements may be needed for admissions into IMU programmes.

English Language Requirement

MUET	Band score of 3
IELTS	Overall band score of 5.5* Those who opt for overseas option must achieve an overall band score of 7.0.
TOEFL	Overall score of 183 (CBT)/ 65 (iBT)
Cambridge English : Advanced (CAE)	Overall score of 160* (for International students only)
Cambridge English : Proficiency (CPE)	Overall score of 180* (for International students only)
Pearson Test of English (PTE)	Overall score of 42* (for International students only)

* ONLY applicable for those who are completing the entire degree at IMU, Malaysia.

Password English Test

Students without IELTS / MUET at the point of admission can opt to sit for the Password English Test which is available only at IMU and must obtain the equivalent score required for IELTS / MUET.
Students who have successfully enrolled using the Password English Test are still required to sit for the IELTS / MUET exam (where applicable) within the first 6 months of their studies at IMU.
This is ONLY applicable to Malaysians who are completing the entire degree at IMU, Malaysia.
Please contact Admissions Department for further information or to register for the test.

PARTNER UNIVERSITY

As an assurance of a total commitment towards quality education in medical biotechnology, the IMU maintains its relationship with partner university in Australia.

Australia

APPLICATION & REGISTRATION FEES

	Malaysian Student (RM)	International Student (RM)
Application Fees	150	500
Registration Fee	850	2,000
Refundable Caution Deposit	1,000	1,000
Tuition Fees	111,000	117,300

Application fee is payable upon submission of application.
Registration fee and refundable caution deposit is payable upon acceptance of the offer letter issued by the IMU Admissions Office.
As stipulated by Malaysian Ministry of Higher Education, international students will have to pay Student Visa Application fee of RM1,000 and Medical Health Check fee of RM250 and Visa endorsement fee (depending on nationality) upon registration.
International students will also be required to pay Student Visa Renewal Administrative fee of RM140/year and Medical Health. Check fee of RM250/year.
Students must adhere to the “Policy on Payment of Fees”.
All students are required to pay Student Association Fees of RM40 per semester.

FEE STRUCTURE

MALAYSIAN STUDENT

HEALTH SCIENCES PROGRAMME	TOTAL DURATION (YEARS)	AT INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL UNIVERSITY (IMU)				AT PARTNER UNIVERSITY (PU)				GRAND TOTAL (RM)*
		YEARS	TOTAL SEMESTERS	TUITION FEE		ESTIMATED TUITION FEES AT PARTNER UNIVERSITY
		YEARS	TOTAL SEMESTERS	PER SEMESTER	TOTAL	YEARS	SEMESTERS	TUITION FEE PER YEAR*	TOTAL ($)*
Bachelor of Science (Hons) Medical Biotechnology	3	3	6	18,500	111,000	-	-	-	-	-
Credit Transfer to University of Newcastle Bachelor in Biotechnology	3	1½	3	18,500	55,500	1½	3	A$33,625	A$50,438	215,387

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT

HEALTH SCIENCES PROGRAMME	TOTAL DURATION (YEARS)	AT INTERNATIONAL MEDICAL UNIVERSITY (IMU)				AT PARTNER UNIVERSITY (PU)				GRAND TOTAL (RM) *
		YEARS	TOTAL SEMESTERS	TUITION FEE		ESTIMATED TUITION FEES AT PARTNER UNIVERSITY
		YEARS	TOTAL SEMESTERS	PER SEMESTER	TOTAL	YEARS	SEMESTERS	TUITION FEE PER YEAR*	TOTAL ($)*
Bachelor of Science (Hons) Medical Biotechnology	3	3	6	19,550	117,300	-	-	-	-	-
Credit Transfer to University of Newcastle Bachelor in Biotechnology	3	1½	3	19,550	58,650	1½	3	A$33,625	A$50,438	218,537

* Current estimates only.
Based on exchange rates: A$1 ≈ RM3.17
Tuition and ancillary fees at Partner Universities overseas are subject to annual increases.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Why choose this programme?

Biotechnology applies scientific and engineering principles and practices to utilise biological resources for development of mankind. Medical Biotechnology applies the wealth of knowledge in biotechnology for the advancement of health sciences.

What is the structure of the programme?

Semester contents are available in the programme brochure [Download Brochure]

What are the key features of the programme?

Solid foundation in knowledge for biotechnology today and tomorrow
Progressive development of technical skills from Year 1 to Year 3
Opportunity to work in industry during internship
Experience in original research work in an active environment
Exposed to entrepreneurial skills and business communications
Emphasis on diagnosis and drug discovery for diseases

What are the teaching-learning approaches used?

Methods of curriculum delivery include plenaries, laboratory practicals, small group teaching (Problem based-learning and Tutorials), workshops, computer-aided learning (CAL), seminars, presentations, industrial visits, video reviews, internships, guided reading and portfolio as well as original and independent research work.

Who are the teaching staff?

The University has PhD qualified academic staff with teaching and research experience in the field of medical and pharmaceutical biotechnology.

How will I be assessed?

Students will be assessed through their class tests, practical reports, workshops, portfolios, projects, logbooks, written reports, presentations, dissertations and end-of-semester examinations.

Are there any industrial placements?

This programme has a biotechnology internship module whereby the University facilitates placement in industries related to medical biotechnology. The programme works closely with the Malaysian Biotechnology Corporation (BiotechCorp) under the purview of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation (MOSTI) in the fulfillment of the National Biotechnology Policy. BiotechCorp helps to identify the niche areas and channel our students to the appropriate industries for internship.

What is the medium of instruction?

The medium of instruction is English. Students who come from a system of education in which the medium of instruction is not English are strongly recommended to improve their proficiency in English by making their own arrangements to attend additional English Language classes before entering the IMU.

What are the semester contents?

Semester contents are available in the programme brochure [Download Brochure]

Who will award the degree?

The Bachelor of Science (Hons) Medical Biotechnology degree is awarded by IMU. Those who transfer to the partner university will be awarded with a degree from the partner university.

What sort of jobs/careers can be undertaken with this degree?

Medical biotechnologists can be employed in R&D departments/ quality control divisions/commercial divisions of pharmaceutical, fermentation and food science industries. This area of expertise can also be utilised in agricultural, supplementary diets, healthcare technology and environmental industries, hospitals, universities/ colleges and writing/journalism. In Malaysia, employment opportunities can be found in both public and private hospitals and universities, research organisations like PORIM, SIRIM, CARIF, INFORMM, IMR amongst others or multinationals like GSK, Pfizer, Astra-Zeneca and a plethora of public-listed companies in the agrobio industry. Employment opportunities are also available abroad, for example in neighbouring Singapore, Australia, Europe and United States of America where the biotechnology industry is critically in need of a skilled work force.

INDUSTRY	AREAS OF WORK
Healthcare	Innovative drugs – development of various medicines, vaccines and diagnostics Diagnostics – diagnostic and detection kits for AIDS, hepatitis, Nipah virus, SARS etc Gene therapy and stem cell research
Forensics	DNA fingerprinting for crime solving Paternity identification
Bioinformatics	Human Genome Project Rice Genome Project
Industrial & environment	Production of industrial enzymes, biopesticides, bioherbicides and biofertilisers. Treatment of hazardous wastes (e.g. heavy metals) in the environment Development of waste bioremediation process Developing new products and processes for the manufacture of food
Agriculture	Molecular marker-assisted breeding Using genetic engineering and genome mapping (trying to locate genes to improve crop production or crop resistance to pests and diseases) Plants producing pharmaceuticals & plants with value added traits – high sugar tomato, vitamins enriched rice, canola with improved oils etc

When do I apply for a place at IMU?

You can apply as soon as you have your forecast or actual results.

READ STORIES OF THE PROGRAMME

Medical Biotechnology – IMU News

Deserving Students Receive IMU Scholarship 21 Sep 2018
In 2018, eight high achieving FiS students won IMU scholarships to pursue their undergraduate degree. The Scholarships in the form of full or partial tuition fee waivers are for students […]
FiS Students Bags Scholarship for Various IMU Degree Programmes 18 Sep 2018
In 2018, eight high achieving FiS students won IMU scholarships to pursue their undergraduate degree. Find out how they got these scholarships.
17 IMU Students Visit to HUKM 18 Aug 2018
17 IMU students undergoing the fourth semester of their Medical Biotechnology programme had an educational visit to the tissue engineering lab at Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (HUKM).

ENQUIRIES? CONTACT US

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APPLY NOW

Interested in applying for one of our programmes?

You will need to prepare the following documents for your application:

Verified copies of your academic qualifications
Evidence of English language proficiency
A copy of your MyKad or the identification page of your passport

These supporting documents needs to be attached electronically to your application. Please note that all of our programmes require payment of a non-refundable application fee after the application has been submitted. Application will only be processed once the payment for application fee has been made.

We wish you all the best with your application, and hope we will be welcoming you into one of our programmes soon!

Start the application process!

WHY STUDY MEDICAL BIOTECHNOLOGY AT IMU

An Established Private Healthcare University

IMU is Malaysia’s first and most established private medical and healthcare university with over 26 years of dedicated focus in healthcare education. IMU achieved the SETARA-2017 Tier 6 status (Outstanding) under the Mature University category.

Build Your Future Healthcare Professional Network

As IMU offers the widest range of healthcare programmes, our students are fully immersed in a vibrant community of students and practitioners from all healthcare fields. This allows for the development of strong friendship amongst peers that will be the foundation of an extensive healthcare professional network upon graduation.

Curriculum Benchmarked to International Standards

IMU’s Medical Biotechnology curriculum is aligned with the Malaysian biotechnology priorities and it has been developed to meet high international standards and is accepted by University of Newcastle, Australia for credit transfer into their programme.

Exposure to Entrepreneurship

With enterprise management as part of the curriculum, students will be able to have a better understanding of biotechnology-related business matters which can transform their future careers.

Well-Established Rapport with BiotechnologyBased Industries and the Bioeconomy Corporation

IMU works closely with biotechnology-based industries and the bioeconomy corporation for industrial attachments locally or abroad and latest information on the industry.

Dr Wong Chiew Yen

“The robust curriculum of Medical Biotechnology in IMU teaches and prepares the students to apply current biotechnology techniques in real-world settings, in particular, during industrial training in biotechnology companies, government agencies and international institutions. They will also learn how to use their communication, problem-solving and team-working skills in modules which incorporate presentations, mock interviews, entrepreneurship and final year research projects. Our dedicated and passionate faculty with vast experience in biotechnology are ready to provide students a rigorous training in biotechnology and prepare students for successful careers within the healthcare and biotechnology industry.”

DR WONG CHIEW YEN
Lecturer & Programme Director
School of Health Sciences
Bsc (Hon) Biochem (UM); Phd (UM)

Read about School of Health Sciences and the Academic Members