All students enrolled in the science courses and units are encouraged to see their tutors or lecturers about any academic issues they may have. Academic staff may be approached at any time, including in relation to unit selection and sequence requirements in their area of study. For inquiries about course requirements, students should initially contact the student services staff in the Faculty of Science office on their campus.
The contact details for the schools and faculty offices are listed at the start of this section of the handbook.
Science courses are structured as either:
(a) generic courses, such as the Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of
Environmental Science, that include a small number of compulsory units, a
specified number of major and minor sequences in a range of science areas of
study, and some additional units available as electives, or
(b) designated courses in a specialist area, such as the Bachelor of Science (Biotechnology) or Bachelor of Science (Environmental Management), for which most units are compulsory but where a limited number of elective units may be taken.
Many double-degree courses, which combine studies for a science degree with
the requirements for another degree, are also available. In most cases,
students in double-degree courses are limited in the number of electives that
they have available to them and can only take units that are offered for the
two-component degrees. Students who wish to graduate with a Bachelor of
Science, or undertake honours in science, prior to the completion of a science
double-degree course must have completed at least 144 points of studies
including all of the science requirements for that double-degree course.
The course requirements in this handbook apply to students who are admitted to
a course in 2004. Students whose first year of study in their course was prior
to 2004 should refer to the handbook for their commencing year, or consult with
student services staff in the Faculty of Science office, to determine the
requirements that apply to their course.
The normal full-time load for undergraduate science courses is 24 points per semester, or four six-point units. Units for most undergraduate courses are available at levels one, two and three, as indicated by the first number in the unit code. Students in science courses may not undertake any level-two science units until they have completed successfully at least 12 points of science units at level one. Students in their second or subsequent years of enrolment may enrol in up to 30 points per semester without permission, but it is strongly recommended that they seek academic advice beforehand; students enrolled in the Bachelor of Science (Science Scholar Program) may enrol in more than 30 points per semester with the permission of the course coordinator.
The unit entries in this handbook often include lists of prerequisites,
corequisites and prohibitions. `Prerequisite' units must have been completed
successfully prior to undertaking the unit for which they are listed.
`Corequisite' units either must have been completed previously or may be taken
concurrently in the same semester. Units listed as `prohibitions' to a unit
cannot also be counted towards the relevant course requirements.
It is important that students are familiar with the requirements for the course
in which they are enrolled and choose the units taken with some care. When
choosing level-one units, students should aim to keep options open for the
choice of level-two and level-three units at a later stage of their course.
Students should peruse the units available in later years and check on the
corequisites and prerequisites listed in the unit entries, but should also be
aware that not all units are offered every year. Most areas of study have
certain prerequisite units for progression to the next level.
Timetable constraints may influence unit choice. The faculty aims to minimise
timetable clashes between popular unit combinations, however students are
encouraged to consult the timetable prior to finalising unit selection.
Faculty approval may be required for some alterations to the course of study
during the semester. Student services staff in the Faculty of Science office
can advise students on the course requirements, including the requirements for
major or minor sequences, at any stage of their course.
Science studies are offered in a broad range of `areas of study', or `disciplines', for which a selection of units are offered as part of coordinated sequences; the terms `area of study' and `discipline' can be used interchangeably in this context. Details of the `areas of study' offered for the Bachelor of Science and associated courses are outlined in the `Science areas of study and sequences' section for the relevant campus.
All science undergraduate courses are based on units worth six points at levels one to three. A `science unit' is a unit that is listed under `units offered' in one of the entries in the section `Science areas of study and sequences' in this handbook. This includes some psychology, geography and computer science units, which count as `science units' for the purposes of meeting the science course requirements. Note that the designation SCI on the top right of the unit handbook entry does not necessarily identify the units that are `science units'.
A sequence in a science `area of study' can be of three types:
(a) units in the same area of study, usually with the same prefix (eg BIO, MTH,
PSY), in an approved combination at levels one, two and three to satisfy a
major or minor sequence requirement, or
(b) specific combinations of units at levels one, two and three that are
defined as a minor or major sequence in that area of study, as listed in the
relevant entry in the section `Science areas of study and sequences offered' in
this handbook, or
(c) deemed sequences, where units in the minor or major sequences for an area
of study do not begin until levels two or three. Deemed sequences can include
unspecified science units at the preceding level(s), which may or may not be
prerequisite units from another area of study. Examples include cell biology
and immunology.
A major sequence in science comprises a minimum of 48 points of studies in an area of study over three levels, including a total of at least 36 points of studies at levels two and three, with at least 18 points of those studies at level three. Examples of three ways in which major sequences can be constructed are listed below:
| Example 1 | Example 2 | Example 3 | |
Level one units |
12 points |
12 points |
12 points |
Level two units |
12 points |
18 points |
18 points |
Level three units |
24 points |
18 points |
24 points |
Total units |
48 points |
48 points |
54 points |
Studies towards a major sequence can be in a single area of study or they may
be in related areas of study, for example first-level biology followed by
second and third-level studies in physiology. A major sequence may also contain
units from a number of disciplines (referred to as `multidisciplinary'). An
example of a multidisciplinary major sequence is biotechnology.
Note that a unit at level two or three cannot be used to contribute towards two separate major sequences in different areas of study.
A minor sequence in science comprises 24 points of studies in an area of study with no more than 12 points of those studies at level one. An example of a minor sequence in an area of study is 12 points of studies at level one and 12 points in the same area at level two.
To complete a double major sequence in the same area of study, students need to complete at least 72 points of studies in the same or a deemed area of study, including a total of at least 60 points of studies at levels two and three, with at least 36 points of those studies at level three. Examples of double major sequences are:
| Example 1 | Example 2 | Example 3 | |
Level one units |
12 points |
12 points |
12 points |
Level two units |
12 points |
18 points |
24 points |
Level three units |
48 points |
42 points |
36 points |
Total units |
72 points |
72 points |
72 points |
Note that a unit at level two or three cannot be used to contribute towards two
major sequences, except as part of a double major sequence in the same area of
study.
To complete a major and a minor sequence in the same area of study, students will need to complete at least 60 points of studies in the same or a deemed area of study, including a total of at least 48 points of studies at levels two and three, with at least 18 points of those studies at level three. Examples of a major and minor sequence in the same area of study are:
| Example 1 | Example 2 | Example 3 | |
Level one units |
12 points |
12 points |
12 points |
Level two units |
12 points |
18 points |
24 points |
Level three units |
36 points |
30 points |
24 points |
Total units |
60 points |
60 points |
60 points |
Note that a unit at level two or three cannot be used to contribute towards
both a minor and a major sequence except as part of a 60-point major and minor
sequence in the same area of study.
For further information on Faculty of Science academic policies, refer to the Faculty of Science section of the Student Resource Guide. In particular, important information on laboratory requirements, academic progress, near pass (NP) grades, repeating units and exclusion is provided.
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