Graduate Certificate in Science Studies

Course code: 3515 ~ Course abbreviation: GradCertScStud ~ Total credit points required: 24 ~ 0.5 years full-time, 2 years part-time ~ Managing faculty: Science

Study mode and course location

On-campus (Clayton; Gippsland)

Off-campus (Gippsland)

Course description

This graduate certificate enables students with an existing undergraduate degree in any discipline to obtain a minor undergraduate sequence of specialist training in a science discipline without having to undertake a complete Bachelor of Science degree. This course is currently not available to international students.

Course objectives

The course aims to provide students with a detailed level of understanding of one specialised area of contemporary science up to second-year undergraduate level and, where appropriate to that discipline, competence in the use of information technology, data handling, laboratory skills, communication skills and team work.

Course duration

The normal time for completion of the certificate is two years part-time.

Credit for prior studies or learning

Students with previous studies in the discipline to be undertaken, or who have been assessed and approved for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), may be granted credit up to a maximum of 12 points of relevant science units, provided those studies were completed within the last 10 years.

Course structure

The course offers graduates of any discipline an opportunity to undertake additional studies in one specialist area of science up to second-year undergraduate level, through the completion of a 24-point minor sequence in a science discipline. Disciplines available include astronomy and astrophysics, atmospheric science, biochemistry, biology, cell biology, chemistry, developmental biology, environmental and conservation biology, genetics, geography and environmental science, geosciences, human pathology, immunology, materials science, mathematics, microbiology, molecular biology, pharmacology, physics, physiology, plant sciences, soil science, statistics and zoology.

Areas of study available, both on and off-campus at Gippsland, include applied biochemistry, applied microbiology, applied chemistry, environmental science and resource management and mathematics and modelling.

The specific requirements for each major sequence available are outlined in the `Science areas of study and sequences' in the Bachelor of Science entry of the 2008 Undergraduate Handbook available at http://www.monash.edu.au/pubs/handbooks/undergrad/.

Normally one unit is undertaken in both the first and second semesters of each year, however more than one unit may be taken in any semester if those units are available and all prerequisite requirements have been completed. Students should be aware that many areas of study are only available for part-time study and that some areas of study require the completion of additional prerequisite units which are not normally available as part of this course.

The course provides students with the opportunity to articulate their studies into a graduate diploma course, if they wish to continue their studies in the same discipline and complete a major sequence.

Course progression requirements

Students are normally expected to pass all prerequisite units before proceeding to studies at the next level.

Contact details

Email graduate.studies@sci.monash.edu.au or visit http://www.sci.monash.edu.au/postgrad/