Course and Subject Handbook 2023 Courses Postgraduate Courses Graduate Certificate of Science

Graduate Certificate of Science

Handbook year	Information valid for students commencing in 2023
Course code	53911
Course type	Graduate Certificate (AQF Level 8)
Owner	Academy
College	Science and Engineering

Award Requirements

Admission Requirements

Course pre-requisites

Completion of an AQF level 7 bachelor degree in science; or

other qualifications or professional/industry-based experience recognised by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the Division of Tropical Environments and Societies as equivalent.

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.

Academic Requirements for Course Completion

Credit points

12 credit points

Course learning outcomes

On successful completion of the Graduate Certificate of Science, graduates will be able to:

Integrate and apply specialised theoretical and technical knowledge in one or more science disciplines
Retrieve, analyse, synthesise and evaluate knowledge from a range of sources
Plan and conduct reliable, evidence-based laboratory and/or field experiments/practices by selecting and applying methods, techniques and tools, as appropriate to one or more science disciplines
Organise, analyse and interpret complex scientific data using mathematical, statistical and technological skills
Communicate complex scientific ideas, arguments and conclusions clearly and coherently to a variety of audiences through advanced written and oral English language skills and a variety of media
Identify, analyse and generate solutions to unpredictable or complex problems, especially related to tropical, rural, remote or Indigenous contexts, by applying scientific knowledge and skills with initiative and high level judgement
Explain and apply 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

Inherent Requirements

Inherent Requirements	Inherent requirements are the identified abilities, attributes, skills, and behaviours that must be demonstrated, during the learning experience, to successfully complete a course. These abilities, attributes, skills, and behaviours preserve the academic integrity of the University's learning, assessment, and accreditation processes, and where applicable, meet the standards of a profession. For more information please visit: Graduate Certificate of Science.
Reasonable adjustments	All JCU students have the opportunity to demonstrate, with reasonable adjustments where applicable, the inherent requirements for their course. For more information please visit: Student Disability Policy and Procedure.

Course Structure

Select one of the following 12 credit point discipline streams:

Stream 1: Aquaculture Science and Technology

Select 6 credit points from:

AQ5002:03 Aquaculture: Feeds and Nutrition

AQ5003:03 Aquaculture: Propagation

AQ5006:03 Aquaculture: Principles and Practices

AQ5015:03 Sustainable Aquaculture

PLUS

Select either:

AQ5012:06 Hatchery Techniques

Select 3 credit points of specified subjects from List 1 (Skills)

and

Select 3 credit points of any level 5 AQ, BS, BZ, CH, EA, EV, MA, MB, MI, SC or TV subject

Stream 2: Environmental Earth Science

Select 6 credit points from:

EA5016:03 Hydrology

EA5017:03 Soil Properties and Processes

EA5046:03 Earth and Environmental Geochemistry

EA5404:03 Earth's Climate: Past, Present and Future

PLUS

Select 3 credit points of any level 5 AQ, BS, BZ, CH, EA, EV, MA, MB, MI, SC or TV subject

PLUS

Select either:

EA5018:03 Field Studies in Tropical Land and Water Science

Select 3 credit points of specified subjects from List 1 (Skills)

Stream 3: Environmental Management

Select 6 credit points from:

EV5020:03 Human Dimensions of Nature, Environment and Conservation

EV5107:03 International Environmental Policy and Governance

EV5200:03 Natural Resource Management or EV5701:03 Coastal and Marine Management and Conservation

EV5209:03 Principles and Practices of Protected Area Management

PLUS

Select 3 credit points of any level 5 AQ, BS, BZ, CH, EA, EV, MA, MB, MI, SC or TV subject

PLUS

Select either:

EV5110:03 Environmental and Social Impact Assessment

Select 3 credit points of specified subjects from List 1 (Skills)

Stream 4: Fisheries Science and Management

Select 6 credit points from:

EV5020:03 Human Dimensions of Nature, Environment and Conservation

MB5003:03 Fisheries Science

MB5014:03 Managing Tropical Fisheries

MB5610:03 Fishing Gear and Technologies

PLUS

Select 3 credit points of any level 5 AQ, BS, BZ, CH, EA, EV, MA, MB, MI, SC or TV subject

PLUS

SC5502:03 Design and Analyses in Ecological Studies or select 3 credit points of specified subjects from List 1 (Skills)

Stream 5: Geology

Select 6 credit points from:

EA3210:03 Structural Geology and Tectonics

EA5048:03 Minerals and Magmas

EA5320:03 Earth Resources, Exploration and Environment

EA5650:03 Energy Resources and Basin Analysis

PLUS

Select 3 credit points of any level 5 AQ, BS, BZ, CH, EA, EV, MA, MB, MI, SC or TV subject

PLUS

EA5044:03 Geological Mapping or select 3 credit points of specified subjects from List 1 (Skills)

Stream 6: Marine Biology

Select 6 credit points from:

MB5004:03 Marine Conservation Biology

MB5055:03 Biological Oceanography

MB5190:03 Coral Reef Ecology

MB5270:03 Coastal, Estuarine and Mangrove Ecosystems

PLUS

Select 3 credit points of any level 5 AQ, BS, BZ, CH, EA, EV, MA, MB, MI, SC or TV subject

PLUS

SC5502:03 Design and Analyses in Ecological Studies or select 3 credit points of specified subjects from List 1 (Skills)

Stream 7: Tropical Biology and Conservation

Select 6 credit points from:

BZ5061:03 Behavioural Ecology (JCU Townsville)

BZ5215:03 Conservation Biology (JCU Cairns, JCU Townsville)

BZ5220:03 Population and Community Ecology (JCU Townsville)

BZ5230:03 Ecological Research Methods (JCU Cairns)

BZ5235:03 Biological Invasions (JCU Cairns)

BZ5740:03 Wildlife Ecology and Management (JCU Townsville)

BZ5745:03 Tropical Entomology (JCU Cairns)

PLUS

Select 3 credit points of any level 5 AQ, BS, BZ, CH, EA, EV, MA, MB, MI, SC or TV subject

PLUS

SC5502:03 Design and Analyses in Ecological Studies or SC5202 Quantitative Methods in Science or select 3 credit points of specified subjects from List 1 (Skills)

Stream 8: Planning and Design

Select 6 credit points from:

EV5001:03 Environmental and Regional Planning

EV5301:03 Urban Geography and Design

EV5603:03 Planning Legislation and Professional Practice

EV5505:03 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems

PLUS

Select 3 credit points of any level 5 AQ, BS, BZ, CH, EA, EV, MA, MB, MI, SC or TV subject

PLUS

EV5602:03 Urban Design Studio or EV5120:03 Advanced Design Communication or EV5404:03 Field Studies in Tropical Geography or select 3 credit points of specified subjects from List 1 (Skills)

List 1 (Skills)

AQ5004:03 Aquaculture: Stock Improvement

BC5203:03 Advanced Bioinformatics

BS5260:03 Modelling Ecological Dynamics

BZ5450:03 Ecological and Conservation Genetics

BZ5990:03 Toolkit for the Field Biologist

CH5203:03 Analytical Chemistry (Advanced)

EA5018:03 Field Studies in Tropical Land and Water Science

EA5044:03 Geological Mapping

EA5330:03 Introductory Outback Field Geology

EA5640:03 Advanced Marine Geoscience Technologies and Applications

EV5020:03 Human Dimensions of Nature, Environment and Conservation

EV5110:03 Environmental and Social Impact Assessment

EV5502:03 Advanced Geographic Information Systems

EV5505:03 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems

EV5506:03 Remote Sensing

MA5405:03 Data Mining

SC5202:03 Quantitative Methods in Science

SC5502:03 Design and Analyses in Ecological Studies

Location

COURSE AVAILABLE AT	NOTES
JCU Cairns	Only Streams 2, 7 and 8 are available at JCU Cairns
JCU Townsville

Stream Availabilities

STREAM	AVAILABLE AT	NOTES
Aquaculture Science and Technology	JCU Townsville	Beginning of year entry allows full-time and part-time study Mid-year entry allows full-time and part-time study
Environmental Earth Science	JCU Cairns JCU Townsville	Beginning of year entry allows part-time study only Mid-year entry allows full-time and part-time study
Environmental Management	JCU Townsville	Beginning of year entry allows full-time and part-time study Mid-year entry allows part-time study only
Fisheries Science and Management	JCU Townsville	Beginning of year entry allows full-time and part-time study Mid-year entry allows full-time and part-time study
Geology	JCU Townsville	Beginning of year entry allows full-time and part-time study Mid-year entry not available
Marine Biology	JCU Townsville	Beginning of year entry allows part-time study only Mid-year entry allows full-time and part-time study
Planning and Design	JCU Cairns	Beginning of year entry allows full-time and part-time study Mid-year entry allows full-time and part-time study
Planning and Design	JCU Townsville	Beginning of year entry allows part-time study only Mid-year entry allows full-time and part-time study
Tropical Biology and Conservation	JCU Cairns JCU Townsville	Beginning of year entry allows full-time and part-time study Mid-year entry allows full-time and part-time study at JCU Townsville only

Candidature

Expected time to complete	6 months full-time or part-time equivalent
Maximum time to complete	2 years
Maximum leave of absence	1 year

Progression

Course progression requisites	Nil
Course includes mandatory professional placement(s)	No
Special assessment requirements	Nil
Professional accreditation requirements	Nil
Supplementary exam for final subject	Not applicable

Credit

Eligibility	Students may apply for a credit transfer for previous tertiary study or informal and non-formal learning in accordance with the Credit Transfer Procedure Credit will only be granted for subjects aligned to the current course’s learning outcomes and if the applicant demonstrates sufficient prior knowledge and skills to achieve the course learning outcomes in the time available in the course.
Maximum allowed	6 credit points
Currency	Credit will be granted only for studies completed in the 10 years prior to the commencement of this course.
Expiry	Credit gained for any subject shall be cancelled 12 years after the date of the examination upon which the credit is based if, by then, the student has not completed the course of study prescribed for the degree.
Other restrictions	Not applicable

Award Details

Award title	GRADUATE CERTIFICATE OF SCIENCE
Approved abbreviation	GCertSc
Inclusion of majors on testamur	Not applicable
Exit with lesser award	Not applicable
Course articulation	Students who complete the Graduate Certificate of Science are eligible for entry to the Graduate Diploma of Science and may be granted credit for all subjects completed under the Graduate Certificate.
Special awards	Students may receive an Award of Recognition in accordance with the Recognition of Academic Excellence Procedure