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Search : Index : Faculty of Science
Prev 8. Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Teaching
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9. Course planning information for the BSc, BASc and BSc combined courses
9.1. Points
9.2. Science and non-science subjects
9.2.1. Year levels of non-science subjects
9.3. Course planning
9.3.1. First-year course planning
9.3.2. Course planning in later years
9.3.3. Overloads in Semester 1 and 2
9.3.4. Late changes to subjects
9.4. Quota subjects
9.4.1. Selection process
9.4.1.1. Re-enrolling students
9.4.1.2. New and resuming students
9.4.2. Enrolment process
9.4.3. Quota subjects for 2007
9.5. First-year packages
The Bachelor of Science, BASc and combined courses, are organised on a points system. Students must complete a minimum number and type of points to satisfy the requirements of each course.
Every subject taught in the faculty has a points value that is determined by the workload associated with that subject. Accordingly, the faculty awards points for the successful completion of each subject. The points a student will receive if they successfully complete a particular subject are noted in the Handbook entry for that subject.
The distinction between science and non-science subjects is relevant to all students enrolled in the BSc, BASc and BSc combined degree courses, as these courses require the accumulation of a certain number of science points. Non-science subjects cannot be counted towards the science component of a BSc combined course or the BASc.
Students enrolled in the BSc/BIS course cannot receive science credit for any information systems subjects. For these students, all information systems subjects count towards the information systems component.
Subjects offered by the School of Anthropology, Geography and Environmental Studies, the Department of History and Philosophy of Science and the Department of Philosophy cannot count toward the science component of the BA/BSc combined course or the BASc.
Students undertaking psychology subjects can receive credit toward either the science or arts requirement of the BA/BSc combined course or the BASc. Credit for psychology cannot be split between the two faculties. Students should advise the Faculty of Science Office if they would like psychology to count toward the science requirement of their BA/BSc combined course or their BASc.
Most subjects listed in the Faculty of Science entry of this Handbook are available for science credit, but there are important exceptions including the following:
Some subjects offered by the Department of Information Systems are non-science subjects. In the information systems entry (see Information systems), the science or non-science status of each subject is clearly stated.
Some subjects offered by the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, and the School of Earth Sciences that are only available to engineering students. If a subject does not earn science credit, it is labelled as non-science in the subject description.
Any subject that does not appear in the Faculty of Science section of this Handbook is a non-science subject.
A non-science subject that is available at more than one level must be taken at the lower level by Bachelor of Science students, unless written approval is obtained from the Faculty of Science for the subject to be taken at the higher level.
All students are responsible for their own learning and their course. Faculty advisers and members of individual departments are experienced and willing to assist in planning courses, but it remains the student's responsibility to integrate the advice and make the final selection of subjects. Departments offer a number of course plans, based around the majors, which students can refer to.
Students selected into courses offered by the faculty are invited to attend introductory information sessions at the University. At these sessions students will be given important information about course requirements, majors available and the enrolment process. Shortly afterwards, students meet with a faculty adviser to plan their first year of study. The course plan that is authorised will reflect the student's current areas of interest and allow for flexibility in future studies.
A student's subject selection is a balance between previous studies and achievements, career choice, personal interest, course requirements, and a desire to obtain a basic scientific education at the tertiary level. Sometimes, however, practical considerations such as timetabling or quota restrictions can impose limitations.
Students should refer to this Handbook in the first instance. The section Planning a science major outlines requirements for the various majors and departmental entries begin with more general advice on planning a science major.
Students requiring further information may obtain course advice from student advisers in the Faculty Office. Students may also discuss course options with members of academic staff who are designated as first-year coordinators and departmental course advisers.
Students are required to submit a course plan for the following year if they will be continuing with their study. Departmental course advisers assist in planning courses. This usually occurs in Semester 2, and students will be advised of course planning arrangements for the following year by mail or email. Course plans are submitted on the Student Information System at http://sis.unimelb.edu.au. All course plans must be approved by the faculty.
Course plans are applications for selection into subjects. Once a course plan has been submitted, no further action is required unless a student fails a prerequisite subject, misses entry into quota-restricted subjects or wishes to alter their course plan. In these cases, the student should seek advice from the faculty office.
50 points per semester is regarded as a normal full-time enrolment. A workload in excess of 50 points per semester is an overload. 25 points is a normal full-time enrolment for the Summer Semester.
The faculty will normally only allow students to enrol in up to 62.5 points per semester if they have:
successfully completed at least 37.5 points in the previous semester;
no fails in the previous semester; and
an average of at least H2B (i.e. 70 per cent) for all subjects attempted in the previous semester.
In cases where a student was on leave in the previous semester, the faculty will consider the workload attempted and results achieved in the most recent semester in which the student was undertaking subjects.
The average of at least H2B requirement may be waived if an overload of 62.5 points will enable the student to complete course requirements at the end of the semester. Requests to enrol in more than 62.5 points per semester will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
The faculty will not accept or consider requests to overload in:
Semester 1 2006 until the Semester 2 2005 results have been released;
Semester 2 2006 until the Semester 1 2006 results have been released.
The subject descriptions listed in this Handbook are correct at the time of printing, however the University retains the right to suspend or change the details of any subject, see Administrative changes to subjects/courses.
Some of the subjects offered by the Faculty of Science are termed 'quota subjects' or 'quota-restricted subjects'. These are usually laboratory or fieldwork subjects where the capacity for large enrolments is limited by available resources. Often, but not always, the demand for these subjects exceeds the number of places available in them. In order for departments to ensure that a subject is not over-subscribed, a quota restriction will apply to that subject.
Selection into quota subjects is based on academic merit. Students will be expected to have satisfied prerequisites and corequisites where applicable.
Most students are selected automatically on the basis of grades obtained in previous subjects. For selection into 200-level subjects, the results obtained in the best 75 science points at 100-level are considered. For 300-level subjects, the results obtained in the best 75 science points at 200-level are considered. Allowance may be made to vary this for combined course students who have completed less than 75 science points.
Non-science subjects are not considered when allocating places in quota subjects.
The teaching department offering the quota subject offers the remaining places. Places in each subject will be offered in accordance with an applicant's rank on the waiting list and until all places available in the subject have been filled.
New and resuming students will be ranked, together with re-enrolling students, in order of merit following an evaluation of their results in previous studies.
Non-award course students may fill any remaining places in quota-restricted subjects after the selection of all award course students.
Students need to indicate their wish to be considered for a place in quota subjects on their course plan. There are a number of rounds of offers into quota-restricted subjects before the start of the academic year. Students will automatically be considered for the quota subjects they have listed on their course plan in rounds two and three if they are not offered a place in round one. In July of each year, a 'top-up' of places in Semester 2 quota subjects occurs. Students who have not previously applied for a place in Semester 2 quota subjects will need to submit the appropriate form to the Faculty of Science Office before the application deadline.
Students who are offered places in quota subjects will be notified by mail.
For rounds two and three of quota subject selection, students will receive a letter of offer. Students offered a place in quota subjects in rounds two and three will need to confirm acceptance of the place before the specified date to secure their place. This is another example of the importance of students ensuring their postal address details held by the Faculty of Science remain up to date.
For administrative reasons, offers of specific subjects to students are made at set times prior to the commencement of the subject. The faculty over-fills the quota and allows subject changes to correct the over-enrolment. One student withdrawing from a particular subject does not mean, therefore, that a place will automatically become available for another student.
A list of the quota subjects for 2007 will be available from the Faculty Office and on the Faculty website at the time of course planning for 2007: http://www.science.unimelb.edu.au
First-year science students are encouraged to consider undertaking one of the following first-year packages. These packages have been created to assist first-year students choose a cohesive combination of subjects that allow them to undertake later year subjects in related study disciplines.
Please note that the completion of a first-year package is not a course requirement.
In the description of the first-year packages listed below, it is assumed that first year students undertake four subjects per semester.
| Life sciences | ||
|---|---|---|
| This package leads to 200-level studies in biological, biomedical and biotechnological sciences: botany, genetics, zoology, ecology, anatomy and cell biology, biochemistry and molecular biology, microbiology and immunology, pharmacology, physiology and pathology. | ||
| Biology | ||
| 650-141 Biology of Cells and Organisms | 12.5 | |
| 650-142 Genetics & The Evolution of Life | 12.5 | |
| Chemistry | ||
| One of: | ||
| 610-141 Chemistry A | 12.5 | |
| 610-121 Chemistry A (Advanced Studies Program) | 12.5 | |
| and one of: | ||
| 610-142 Chemistry B | 12.5 | |
| 610-122 Chemistry B (Advanced Studies Program) | 12.5 | |
| Plus | ||
| Four additional subjects | 50 | |
| Total Points | 100 | |
Note:
610-171 Fundamentals of Chemistry is available as an alternative chemistry subject in Semester 1 for students who have not completed VCE Chemistry.
Students seeking to major in psychology should select 512-120 Introductory Experimental Psychology 1 and 512-121 Social, Develop. & Clinical Psychology 1.
Note:
610-171 Fundamentals of Chemistry is available as an alternative chemistry subject in Semester 1 for students who have not completed VCE Chemistry.
Note:
610-171 Fundamentals of Chemistry is available as an alternative chemistry subject in Semester 1 for students who have not completed VCE Chemistry.
Students who have completed VCE Specialist Mathematics 3/4 or equivalent will not normally be permitted to enrol in 620-161. These students should instead consider undertaking 620-141 Mathematics A or 620-121 Mathematics A (Advanced).
| Environmental sciences | ||
|---|---|---|
| This package leads to a major in environmental science in conjunction with another major | ||
| Biology | ||
| 650-141 Biology of Cells and Organisms | 12.5 | |
| 650-142 Genetics & The Evolution of Life | 12.5 | |
| Chemistry | ||
| One of: | ||
| 610-141 Chemistry A | 12.5 | |
| 610-121 Chemistry A (Advanced Studies Program) | 12.5 | |
| and one of: | ||
| 610-142 Chemistry B | 12.5 | |
| 610-122 Chemistry B (Advanced Studies Program) | 12.5 | |
| Mathematics and statistics | ||
| 620-160 Experimental Design & Data Analysis | 12.5 | |
| Plus one of: | ||
| Earth Sciences | ||
| 625-101 Earth Sciences - The Global Environment | 12.5 | |
| Geography and environmental studies | ||
| 121-110 Famine in the Modern World | 12.5 | |
| 121-171 Environmental Change | 12.5 | |
| 121-172 Global Ecology and Biogeography | 12.5 | |
| Plus | ||
| Two additional subjects | 25.0 | |
| Total Points | 100 | |
Note:
610-171 Fundamentals of Chemistry is available as an alternative chemistry subject in Semester 1 for students who have not completed VCE Chemistry.
Students wishing to pursue studies in environmental sciences may alternatively take the physical sciences package and enrol in 620-142 Mathematics B and 620-143 Applied Mathematics or 620-160 Experimental Design & Data Analysis in second year.
Status: Official 2007 Last Modified: Tuesday October 31 22:21 SGML to HTML Conversion: Information Division - CWIS (SDI) Authorised by: Academic Registrar Enquiries: http://unimelb.custhelp.com/
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