3. Bachelor of Science (BSc)

3.1. Course objectives

Bachelor of Science graduates:

have a broad knowledge of science across a range of disciplines, with a higher level of understanding in one or more of these disciplines;
when solving scientific problems:
- are capable of applying appropriate knowledge,
- are able to access relevant information,
- understand the principles of project and experimental design,
- have a capacity to apply practical skills and technology;
are able to communicate the results of their studies in both written and oral form;
have an appreciation of the historical background and evolution of scientific concepts;
have the knowledge, skill and attitude to enable adaptation to scientific, technological and social change, have a sense of intellectual curiosity and a desire for lifelong learning, and a capacity to be creative and innovative.

Bachelor of Science (Degree with Honours) graduates should, in addition to the above, be able to define and solve problems relating to their speciality and be capable of conducting supervised research in their field.

3.2. Attributes of the Bachelor of Science graduate

In science at the University of Melbourne we expect to educate our students in the fundamental skill of transforming information into knowledge. This outcome is fully consistent with the University's general ambition for our graduates, and emphasises the transferability of the skills practised in science.

Throughout their course students will find that many of the abilities that they develop are shared by, and so are valued by and are applicable to, activities in all walks of life. In particular, these are the skills that are essential to providing leadership to the science-technology base of the Australian economy and culture.

Bachelor of Science graduates have a broad knowledge of science across a range of disciplines, with a higher level of understanding in one or more of these disciplines. They also have an appreciation of the historical background and evolution of scientific concepts. They have the knowledge, skills and attitude to enable them to adapt to scientific, technological and social change and have a sense of intellectual curiosity and a desire for lifelong learning.

Science graduates are particularly strong in their cognitive skills. They are able to:

synthesise information from a range of sources, evaluate this, and add new ideas to their existing knowledge;
observe, record and evaluate data or evidence appropriately;
deal with complex data sets and apply their strong numerical competence to identify and analyse key factors and components;
make effective use of information to identify and solve problems; and
synthesise and integrate disparate elements into a meaningful whole.

Graduates take these skills further in the creative realm, formulating hypotheses which can be tested for validity. They are used to extrapolating from the known to the unknown and are comfortable working with analogues rather than needing to deal with literal situations. They understand the need to question and clarify before developing a response to a particular issue or problem, enabling them to analyse critically.

Having undertaken laboratory and tutorial classes, science graduates are adept at activity planning as well as the application of theory to practice. They understand the principles of project and experimental design. Some students will have found collaborative learning an efficient tool, while others will find their practical work enhanced by effective teamwork.

Science disciplines value clear reporting. Consequently, the science graduate has developed skills of efficient and effective communication of ideas and results, whether in the accepted modes of scientific report writing or through more informal oral presentations. Graduates recognise the need to present information and ideas in an effective written form that is appropriate to the purpose and the reader.

The need to manage the multiplicity of tasks (lectures, laboratory and assignment work) means that science graduates are aware of the need to structure and manage time effectively and efficiently, to retain balance and to prioritise their activities. They are able to juggle several tasks simultaneously, take responsibility for their own work independently or within a group, and to plan their schedule appropriately.

The breadth of the Science @ Melbourne program, which allows students to undertake other disciplines such as humanities or commerce within the science degree, means that many science graduates will have been exposed, directly or indirectly, to thoughts and ideas from all parts of knowledge. These graduates are aware of the breadth and depth of knowledge in areas beyond their specific areas of specialisation.

In the longer term, these graduates have the knowledge, skill and attitude to enable adaptation to scientific, technological and social change. They have a sense of intellectual curiosity and a desire for lifelong learning and a capacity to be creative and innovative. These attributes enable them to continue to develop their own professional abilities as well as contributing to the development of the profession in which they are employed.

3.3. Duration

Students enrolled full-time usually take three years to complete the BSc course.

3.4. Course requirements

A minimum (and maximum) of 300 points is required, which must include at least 237.5 science points, comprising:

between 75 and 125 science points at the 100-level;
completion of 50 points of a prescribed science major at the 300-level.

Note that:

at least 75 science points at 100-level must be completed;
a maximum of 125 points of science and non-science subjects at 100-level can be included;
at least 50 points at the 100-level must be completed before proceeding to 200-level subjects;
there are no 200-level requirements;
the 300 points can include up to 62.5 non-science points. Of the 62.5 non-science points, up to 25 points can be at the 100-level. The only exception to this is if students undertake a sequence of 100-level language subjects: in these cases the 62.5 non-science points can include up to 37.5 points at the 100-level;
students completing a major in psychology must complete 50 science points at 300-level (37.5 points of prescribed 300-level psychology subjects plus an additional 12.5 points of 300-level science subjects);
students considering applying for Bachelor of Science (Degree with Honours) should attempt at least 87.5 points of 300-level science subjects to maximise their science honours score. Students planning to apply for entry into the BSc (Honours) should refer to Bachelor of Science (Degree with Honours) and Bachelor of Information Systems (Degree with Honours) for further details.

See Science and non-science subjects for discussion as to what constitutes subjects earning science points.

3.4.1. Students who commenced prior to 1999

Students who first enrolled in the BSc before 1999 must complete the requirements set out above except they need to complete 50 science points at the 300-level of subjects of their choice rather than a prescribed science major.

3.4.2. Selection into BSc (Honours)

Students planning to apply for entry into the BSc (Honours) should refer to Bachelor of Science (Degree with Honours) and Bachelor of Information Systems (Degree with Honours) for further details.

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