Course and Subject Handbook 2017 Courses Undergraduate Courses Bachelor of Advanced Science

Bachelor of Advanced Science

Information valid for students commencing in 2017.

Bachelor of Advanced Science

Course code	115510
Course type	BAC – Bachelor Pass (AQF level 7)
Professional accreditation status	The Physics major for the Bachelor of Advanced Science is seeking accreditation by the Australian Institute of Physics (AIP). Graduates will be automatically eligible for membership of the Australian Institute of Physics. The Chemistry major for this course is seeking accreditation by the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI). Graduates will be immediately eligible for non-corporate membership of RACI and, with an additional three years’ experience in chemistry, may be eligible to register as a Chartered Chemist with Corporate Membership of RACI.
Division	Division of Tropical Environments and Societies

Award Requirements

Admission Requirements

Course Pre-requisites

English, Maths B or C, and Chemistry, for all majors except Physics.

Physics major: English, Maths B, Chemistry, and Physics or Maths C

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 the BSc (including SC1109) and who have a GPA greater than 5.5 (excluding MA1020 and CH1020) may apply to transfer to the Bachelor of Advanced Science.

Academic Requirements for Course Completion

Credit points

72 credit points as per course structure

Additional course rules

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

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

Students may seek permission to enrol in more than one level 5 subject.

Course learning outcomes

The graduates of James Cook University are prepared and equipped to create a brighter future for life in the tropics world-wide.

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 Advanced Science at James Cook University will be able to:

Integrate and apply a coherent body of theoretical and technical knowledge, including underlying concepts, principles, and models, 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, using advanced quantitative approaches.
Identify and articulate important, unresolved questions, problems, or knowledge gaps in the graduate’s chosen field of expertise.
Create and analyse models of natural processes, in order to generate testable hypotheses about natural phenomena.
Design 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, applying an advanced, conceptually integrated understanding of the available methods.
Draw appropriate inferences from the outcomes of modelling, laboratory experiments, or field observations, taking account of the strengths and weaknesses of the data or models, and the methods of analysis employed.
Convey scientific ideas, arguments and conclusions clearly and coherently through well-developed written and oral communication skills and a variety of media.
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.

Course Structure

CORE SUBJECTS

Level 1

MA1000:03 Mathematical Foundations or MA1009:03 Algebra and Calculus 2

MA1003:03 Mathematical Techniques

SC1101:03 Science: Nature, Knowledge and Understanding

SC1109:03 Modelling Natural Systems-Advanced

Level 2

SC2209:03 Quantitative Methods in Science-Advanced

Level 3

SC3003:03 Science Research Internship or SC3008:03 Professional Placement

OPTIONS

Select 3 credit points of specified Level 2 subjects from List 1

Select 3 credit points of specified Level 5 subjects from List 2

List 1

BC2013:03 Principles of Biochemistry

CH2103:03 Analytical Chemistry

CP2404:03 Database Modelling

EV2502:03 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems

MA2000:03 Mathematics for Scientists and Engineers

MA2201:03 Numerical Mathematics

List 2

BC5203:03 Introduction to Bioinformatics

BS5260:03 Modelling Ecological Dynamics

CH5002:03 Research Skills and Communication in Chemistry –Advanced

EA5409:03 Mineralogy and Geophysics

PH5014:03 Research Skills and Communication in Physics-Advanced

SC5502:03 Design and Analysis in Ecological Studies

PLUS

Select a single or double major

Single Major

Select a major from Table A

PLUS

Select a Science Minor that is different to your major from Table B or 12 credit points of any level 2 or 3 science subject

PLUS

Select a second Minor that is different to your major from the Inter-Disciplinary Minors list or 12 credit points of any undergraduate subjects

Double Major

Select a major from Table A

PLUS

Select a second major from Table A

TABLE A (SCIENCE MAJORS)

Type of major	Mandatory, single or double
Credit points in major	24 credit points

MAJOR	AVAILABLE AT	NOTES
Aquaculture Science and Technology	Townsville	The first year of study may be completed in Cairns Not available to students wanting to complete prior to the end of 2019
Chemistry	Townsville	Not available to students wanting to complete prior to the end of 2019
Earth Science	Townsville	Not available to students wanting to complete prior to the end of 2019
Marine Biology	Townsville	The first year of study may be completed in Cairns Not available to students wanting to complete prior to the end of 2019
Mathematics	Townsville	Not available to students wanting to complete prior to the end of 2019
Molecular and Cell Biology	Townsville	Not available to students wanting to complete prior to the end of 2019
Physics	Townsville	The Advanced Mathematics minor is compulsory for those students studying the Physics major in the Bachelor of Advanced Science.
Zoology and Ecology	Cairns Townsville	Not available to students wanting to complete prior to the end of 2019

TABLE B (SCIENCE MINORS)

Type of Minor	Single
Credit points in minor	12 credit points

MINOR	AVAILABLE AT	NOTES
Advanced Chemistry	Townsville
Advanced Mathematics	Townsville	This minor is compulsory for those students studying a Physics major in the Bachelor of Advanced Science.
Advanced Physics	Townsville
Aquaculture Science & Technology	Townsville	Due to prerequisites, this minor is only available to those students studying a biological sciences major (Marine Biology or Zoology & Ecology).
Chemistry	Townsville
Environmental Geochemistry	Townsville
Exploration	Townsville
Field Studies in Earth Sciences	Townsville
Fisheries	Townsville
Marine and Environmental Science and Sensors	Townsville
Marine Biology	Townsville	Due to prerequisites, this minor is only available to those students studying a biological sciences major (Aquaculture or Zoology & Ecology).
Mathematics	Townsville
Physical Geography	Cairns Townsville
Physics	Townsville
Zoology and Ecology	Cairns Townsville	Due to prerequisites, this minor is only available to those students studying a biological sciences major (Marine Biology or Aquaculture).

Campus

COURSE AVAILABLE AT	NOTES
Cairns	Not all majors are available in Cairns
Townsville

Candidature

Expected time to complete	3 years full time or equivalent part time
Maximum time to complete	9 years
Maximum leave of absence	3 years

Progression

Course progression requisites	Must successfully complete 18 credit points of level 2 science subjects before attempting any level 5 science subject.
Course includes mandatory professional placement(s)	No
Special assessment requirements	Nil
Professional accreditation requirements	Nil
Maximum allowed Pass Conceded (PC) grade	Nil
Supplementary exam for final subject	Not applicable

Advanced Standing

Eligibility	Students may apply for advanced standing in accordance with the Advanced Standing and Articulation policy and associated procedures
Maximum allowed	48 credit points towards a 3 year award
Currency	Advanced standing will be granted only for subjects completed in the 10 years prior to the commencement of this course
Expiry	Advanced standing gained for any subject shall be cancelled 19 years after the date of the examination upon which the advanced standing is based if, by then, the student has not completed this course.
Other restrictions	A maximum of 6 credit points of advanced standing may be granted at level 3. A maximum of 12 credit points of advanced standing may be granted for subjects outside the Science Schedule of Subjects. Advanced Standing will not be granted for MA1020 or CH1020

Award Details

Award title	BACHELOR OF ADVANCED SCIENCE
Approved abbreviation	BAdvSc
Inclusion of majors on testamur	Any major may appear on the testamur
Exit with lesser award	Students who exit the course prior to completion, and have successfully completed 24 credit points of appropriate subjects, may be eligible for the award of Diploma of Higher Education (Science)
Course articulation	Students who complete this course may be eligible for entry to the Masters of Science.

Honours

Honours availability

Available as an additional 24 credit points of study [end-on]

Eligibility

By invitation of the College Dean

Normally an overall grade point average of 5.5 (i.e. credit average) is required across the bachelor (pass) 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.