Monash University: University handbooks: Undergraduate handbook: Units indexed by faculty
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Course planning information for students in undergraduate science degrees

Seeking advice and help

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.

The structure of science courses

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 2006. Students whose first year of study in their course was prior to 2006 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.

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.

Course progression

The normal full-time load for undergraduate science courses is 24 points per semester, or four 6-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 must seek course advice and faculty approval to enrol in more than the normal full-time load in any semester, ie more than 24 points in first and second semester and 18 points in summer semester. Approval to exceed a normal full-time load by up to 6 points would not normally be granted unless the student had achieved an average mark of at least a credit over their previous 48 points of study. Students enrolled in the Science Scholar Program, or those in double-degree programs that require more than 24 points in particular semesters, will also be permitted to enrol in up to 6 points over a normal full-time load. Students must apply to the faculty for approval to exceed the normal full-time load by more than 6 points.

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 appropriate unit combinations, however students are encouraged to consult the timetable prior to finalising unit selection.

Science units and sequences

Sequences in an area of study

The course requirements for most science courses are expressed in terms of three different types of sequences:

• A ‘level-one sequence’ comprises approved combinations of two 6-point science units at level one in the same, or a closely related, area of study.
• A ‘minor sequence’ comprises approved combinations of four 6-point science units at levels one, two and three in the same, or a closely related, area of study.
• A ‘major sequence’ comprises approved combinations of eight 6-point science units at levels one, two and three in the same, or a closely related, area of study.
• A ‘double major sequence’ comprises approved combinations of 12 six-point science units at levels one, two and three in the same, or a closely related, area of study.

In addition, two additional types of sequences can be derived from these basic types of approved sequences:

• A ‘major and minor sequence’ in a science area of study comprises 10 six-point science units, which includes separate approved major and minor sequences in that area of study but with two 6-point level-one science units in common.
• A ‘double major sequence’ in a science area of study can also comprise 12 six-point science units, which includes two approved major sequences in that area of study but with a minor sequence in common and no more than two 6-point level-one science units overall.

Instances of these last two types of sequences do not need to be approved separately but are based upon existing approved minor and major sequences.

Further details of each of these types of sequences are outlined below, and all approved sequences of each type are listed in the relevant entry in the section ‘Science areas of study and sequences' in this handbook. It is not permissible for students to create their own sequences based on the properties of each type of sequence that are outlined below.

Level-one sequence

A ‘level-one sequence’ in science comprises any approved pair of 6-point level-one science units in the same, or a closely-related, area of study. Normally, this combination of units is among those required for the completion of a minor sequence in that area of study, but other appropriate combinations may be approved and published in this handbook.

Major sequence

A ‘major sequence’ in science comprises an approved combination of eight 6-point science units in the same, or closely-related, area of study over three years. These must include a total of at least six 6-point units at levels two and three, with at least three 6-point units at level three. Examples of major sequences are:

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.

Minor sequence

A ‘minor sequence’ in science comprises an approved combination of four 6-point science units in the same, or a closely-related, area of study with no more that two of those units at level one. An example of a minor sequence in an area of study is two 6-point units at level one and two 6-point units in the same area at level two.

Double major sequence in same area of study

To complete a ‘double major sequence’ in the same area of study, students need to complete at least 12 six-point units in the same, or closely-related, area of study. These must include a total of at least 10 six-point units at levels two and three, with at least six 6-point units at level three. Examples of double major sequences are:

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.

Major and minor 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 10 six-point units in the same, or a closely-related, area of study. These must include a total of at least eight 6-point units at levels two and three, with at least three 6-point units at level three. Examples of a major and minor sequence in the same area of study are:

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 or minor sequence in the same area of study.

Faculty academic policies

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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