Version

12

Course type

Bachelor Degree (AQF Level 7)

Minimum English language proficiency requirements

Applicants of non-English speaking backgrounds must meet the English language proficiency requirements of Band 1 Schedule II of the JCU Admissions Policy.

Special admission requirements

JCU students who have completed the first year of any major in the BSc (including the General Major) with a GPA greater than 5.5 (excluding MA1020 and CH1020) may apply to undertake an advanced major for which they have met the level one requirements.  Approval will be subject to quota limits on each advanced major.

Additional course rules

A minimum of 15 credit points of science subjects must be taken at level 1.

A maximum of 30 credit points may be taken at level 1.

A minimum of 15 credit points of science subjects must be taken at level 2.

A minimum of 18 credit points of science subjects must be taken at level 3 or higher.

Students may seek permission to enrol in one or more level 5 subjects.

Preparatory subjects (MA1020 and CH1020) are available only under the General major and cannot be credited towards other majors in the course.

Not more than a total of 12 credit points may be credited from subjects from other Colleges.

Unless otherwise approved by the Dean of College, a student for the Bachelor of Science degree shall obtain a major from subjects listed in the course structure. Only subjects passed at a grade of P (Pass) or higher can be counted towards a major.

Course learning outcomes

JCU graduates are committed to lifelong learning, intellectual development and to the display of exemplary personal, professional and ethical standards. They have a sense of their place in the tropics and are charged with professional, community, and environmental responsibility. JCU graduates appreciate the need to embrace and be acquainted with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples of Australia. They are committed to reconciliation, diversity and sustainability. They exhibit a willingness to lead and to contribute to the intellectual, environmental, cultural, economic and social challenges of regional, national, and international communities of the tropics.

Graduates of the Bachelor of Science at James Cook University will be able to:

• Integrate and apply a coherent body of theoretical and technical knowledge, including underlying concepts and principles, in one or more science disciplines

• Critically appraise the role and relevance of science in society, particularly in creating sustainable futures in the tropics, worldwide

• Demonstrate broad understanding of the methods of science, including the creative processes involved in developing scientific knowledge, and its contestable and testable nature

• Retrieve, analyse, synthesise and evaluate information from a range of sources

• Plan and conduct reliable, evidence-based laboratory and/or field experiments by selecting and applying methods, techniques and tools, as appropriate to one or more science disciplines

• Organise, analyse and interpret scientific data using mathematical, statistical and technological skills

• Convey scientific ideas, arguments and conclusions clearly and coherently through well-developed written and oral communication skills and a variety of media

• Identify, analyse and generate solutions to unpredictable or complex problems by applying scientific knowledge and skills with initiative and well-developed judgement

• Critically review regulatory requirements, ethical principles and, where appropriate, cultural frameworks, to work effectively, responsibly and safely in diverse contexts

• Reflect on current skills, knowledge and attitudes to manage their professional learning needs and performance, autonomously and in collaboration with others.

Cairns

Maximum time to complete

10 years

Course includes mandatory professional placement(s)

No

Accreditation requirements

Nil

Supplementary exam for final subject

Not applicable

Maximum allowed

48 credit points

Expiry

Advanced standing gained for any subject shall be cancelled 20 years after the date of the examination upon which the advanced standing is based if, by then, the student has not completed the course of study prescribed for the degree.

Approved abbreviation

BSc

Exit with lesser award

Students who exit the course prior to completion, and have completed 24 credit points of approved subjects may be eligible to receive the award of Diploma of Higher Education (Science).

Eligibility

Application for entry to the Honours program is by approval of the College Dean.

Normally a minimum overall GPA of 5.0 (i.e. credit average) is required across the bachelor degree, with credits or better in the discipline specific areas.

Quota restrictions on the number of honours places available may apply from time to time as determined by the College Dean.