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

Graduate Diploma of Science

Handbook year	Information valid for students commencing in 2023
Course code	105006
Course type	Graduate Diploma (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 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.
Post Admission requirements	Some subjects require attendance in intensive mode subjects on either the Townsville or Cairns campus. Students may be required to attend intensive mode classes at a campus other than that at which they are enrolled, at their own expense.

Academic Requirements for Course Completion

Credit points

24 credit points

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.

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

Integrate and apply advanced 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 Diploma 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

Core Subjects

SC5200:03 Career Planning

PLUS

Select one of the following 12 credit point discipline streams

PLUS

Select 9 credit points of any level 5 AQ, BS, BZ, CH, CP, EA, EV, MA, MB, MI, SC or TV subjects

Stream 1: Aquaculture Science and Technology

Select 6 credit points of subjects from:

AQ5002:03 Aquaculture: Feeds and Nutrition

AQ5003:03 Aquaculture: Propagation

AQ5006:03 Aquaculture: Principles and Practices

AQ5015:03 Sustainable Aquaculture

PLUS

AQ5012:06 Hatchery Techniques

Stream 2: Environmental Earth Science

Select 6 credit points of subjects 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

EA5018:03 Field Studies in Tropical Land and Water Science

PLUS

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

Stream 3: Environmental Management

Select 6 credit points of subjects from:

EV5020:03 Human Dimensions of Nature, Environment and Conservation

EV5200:03 Natural Resource Management

EV5701:03 Coastal and Marine Management and Conservation

PLUS

EV5110:03 Environmental and Social Impact Assessment

PLUS

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

Stream 4: Fisheries Science and Management

Select 6 credit points of subjects 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

MB5620:03 Grand Challenges in Fisheries

PLUS

SC5502:03 Design and Analyses in Ecological Studies

PLUS

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

Stream 5: Geology

Select 6 credit points of subjects from:

EA5048:03 Minerals and Magmas

EA5211:03 Structural Geology and Tectonics

EA5320:03 Earth Resources, Exploration and Environment

EA5650:03 Energy Resources and Basin Analysis

EA5046:03 Earth and Environmental Geochemistry

PLUS

EA5044:03 Geological Mapping

PLUS

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

Stream 6: Global Change Biology

Select 6 credit points of subjects from:

BZ5755:03 Climate Change and Biodiversity

BZ5930:03 Conservation in a Changing World: Issues and Solutions

BZ5935:03 Ecophysiology

BZ5940:03 Evolutionary Adaptation in a Changing World

PLUS

SC5502:03 Design and Analyses in Ecological Studies

PLUS

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

Stream 7: Marine Biology

MB5000:03 Advances in Marine Biology

MB5350:03 Evidence and Controversy in Marine Science

PLUS

Select 6 credit points of specified subjects from List 1 (Skills)

Note: Students articulating into the Master of Marine Biology degree should select skills and elective subjects that align to the structure of the Masters program.

Stream 8: Tropical Biology and Conservation

Select 6 credit points of subjects from:

BZ5061:03 Behavioural Ecology

BZ5215:03 Conservation Biology

BZ5220:03 Population and Community Ecology

BZ5230:03 Ecological Research Methods

BZ5235:03 Biological Invasions

BZ5740:03 Wildlife Ecology and Management

BZ5745:03 Tropical Entomology

PLUS

SC5502:03 Design and Analyses in Ecological Studies

PLUS

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

List 1 (Skills)

BC5203:03 Advanced Bioinformatics

BS5260:03 Modelling Ecological Dynamics

BZ5225:03 Technological Applications In Ecology

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

EA5045:03 Field Techniques in Geology

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 Environmental Earth Science, Global Change Biology, and Tropical Biology and Conservation Streams are available

Mid-year entry is available

JCU Townsville

Mid-year entry is available

Candidature

Expected time to complete	1 year full-time or part-time equivalent
Maximum time to complete	4 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, unless part of an approved articulation process
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 14 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	Nil

Award Details

Award title	GRADUATE DIPLOMA OF SCIENCE
Approved abbreviation	GDipSc
Inclusion of majors on testamur	Not applicable - this course does not have majors
Exit with lesser award	Students who exit the course prior to completion, and have completed 12 credit points of study, may, depending on the subjects studied, be eligible to receive the award of Graduate Certificate of Science.
Course articulation	Students who complete the Graduate Diploma of Science are eligible for entry to the Master of Science, Master of Science (Professional), and Master of Marine Biology and may be granted credit for all subjects completed under the Graduate Diploma.
Special awards	Students may receive an Award of Recognition in accordance with the Recognition of Academic Excellence Procedure