Faculty of Science, Engineering and Information Technology

Undergraduate Award Requirements

General Awards

1.1 Bachelor Degrees

1.2 Joint Bachelor Degrees

1.3 Diplomas

Degrees and Diplomas in Science

1. Entitlement to Attend

A student of the University shall be entitled to attend any lecture with the permission of the lecturer.

2. Application of Requirements

2.1 In addition to the Faculty Award Requirements candidates for Awards of the Faculty must comply with the University Requirements for Undergraduate or Postgraduate Coursework Awards listed in this Handbook and specific Degree or Certificate Award Requirements.

2.2 In exceptional circumstances the Pro-Vice-Chancellor, with the approval of the relevant Head of School, may dispense with or amend any requirements of or prescription by, the University Requirements for Undergraduate and Postgraduate Coursework Awards, Faculty Award Requirements and Degree or Certificate Award Requirements.

3. Enrolment in Awards

A person who holds an award listed above in General Requirement 1.1 may not be a candidate for that award in the same discipline.

4. Enrolment in Subjects

Except with Faculty permission, granted on the advice of the Head of the appropriate School, a candidate may not:

4.1 enrol for any subject unless a passing grade for any prerequisites listed in the Master Schedule of Subjects has been obtained within the previous four years, or

4.2 enrol for any subject unless the candidate concurrently enrols for any corequisites listed in the Master Schedule of Subjects for which passing grades have not been obtained in a previous year.

5. Advanced Standing

5.1 Candidates for awards of the Faculty may apply to obtain advanced standing as detailed in the Advanced Standing for Previous Studies and Recognised Prior Learning Policy and associated procedures.

5.2 Candidates are advised that degree specific Award Requirements may specify advanced standing provisions unique to that degree.

5.3 Candidates are advised that such advanced standing obtained may be subject to cancellation as specified within degree specific Award Requirements.

6. The Grade of Pass Conceded

6.1 The grade of Pass Conceded may be recommended by the School directly on the basis of the particular examination. This grade may also be awarded by the Faculty following consideration of the student’s overall result for the year.

6.2 A candidate who is granted the grade of Pass Conceded in a subject shall, for the purposes of Requirement 4.1, be deemed to have passed the subject and shall be credited with the appropriate credit points, but may not enrol for a more advanced subject in any discipline requiring the first as a prerequisite except with the approval of the appropriate Head of School.

6.3 The number of credit points that may be credited at Pass Conceded level shall not exceed 18 for a three year degree and the equivalent for degrees of greater length.

6.4 A candidate awarded the grade of Pass Conceded may apply to the Head of the School concerned for permission, at the next regular examination in that subject, to attempt to convert that grade to a Pass grade. Such re-examination will not be counted towards aggregate credit points work load for an academic year.

7. Subject Availability

The Faculty will publish annually a list of subjects available to candidates. The list appears as the Schedule of Science Subjects.

8. Exceptional Circumstances

In exceptional circumstances the Pro-Vice-Chancellor with the approval of the relevant Head of School, may permit a candidate to graduate with fewer than the minimum stipulated credit points of study for an award offered in the Faculty.

Degrees in Engineering

1. Entitlement to Attend

A student of the University shall be entitled to attend any lecture with the permission of the lecturer.

2. Application of Requirements

2.1 Candidates for Awards in Engineering must comply with (i) the University Requirements for Undergraduate Coursework Awards, (ii) general Faculty Award Requirements and (iii) specific Degree or Diploma Award Requirements.

2.2 In exceptional circumstances and notwithstanding the University Requirements for Undergraduate Coursework Awards and the Degree or Diploma Award Requirements the Faculty may dispense with or amend any conditions specified in the Requirements.

3. Enrolment in Bachelor Degrees

3.1 Candidates enrolled in the Bachelor of Engineering, Bachelor of Engineering with Honours, Bachelor of Engineering-Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Engineering with Honours-Bachelor of Science must specialise in one of the following majors:

• Chemical

• Civil

• Computer Systems

• Electrical and Electronic

• Environmental

• Mechanical

3.2 The engineering thesis topic of a Bachelor of Engineering, Bachelor of Engineering with Honours, Bachelor of Engineering-Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Engineering with Honours-Bachelor of Science candidate, must be specific to the candidate’s chosen engineering major.

3.3 Some subjects in each of the majors may require candidates to participate in field trips, site visits or other off-campus activities. A fee may be charged by the School of Engineering for transport or subsistence associated with these trips.

4. Advanced Standing

4.1 Candidates for Bachelor degrees within the School of Engineering may apply to obtain advanced standing for previous study.

4.2 The maximum amount of advanced standing granted will be 50% of the credit points required for the award. If the candidate requests advanced standing approaching this maximum level, then the advanced standing should be predominantly from the first two levels of the Bachelor of Engineering program.

4.3 A minimum of 18 credit points should be completed at James Cook University for each of levels 3 and 4. The fourth year thesis (six credit points) must be included in this minimum requirement.

4.4 Students or prospective students wishing to apply for advanced standing are required to submit a detailed proposal to the School of Engineering. Details of the process can be obtained from:

• School of Engineering

• James Cook University QLD 4811

5. Honours

5.1 The Engineering Board of Studies will invite selected candidates to enter either the Bachelor of Engineering with Honours degree or the Bachelor of Engineering with Honours-Bachelor of Science degree at the beginning of their final year of study.

5.2 Selections will be based on the weighted Grade Point Average from the first three levels of their engineering study. Weighted average GPA = (1 x level 1 GPA + 2 x level 2 GPA + 3 x level 3 GPA)/6.

5.3 Candidates anticipating First Class Honours must pursue a thesis with a significant research component.

5.4 The award of Honours (I, IIA, IIB) or Pass degrees will be determined by the Engineering Board of Studies, after consideration of the weighted Grade Point Average achieved by a candidate over all four levels of engineering study. Weighted average GPA = (1 x level 1 GPA + 2 x level 2 GPA + 3 x level 3 GPA + 4 x level 4 GPA)/10.

6. Vacation Practice and Senior First Aid

Candidates must meet the following additional requirements before their degrees will be conferred:

• candidates are required to work a minimum of 60 days of vacation practice; and

• candidates will obtain a Senior First Aid Certificate that is current at the time of graduation.