Graduate Diploma of Science

JCU students study in the diverse environmental region of North Queensland. You will gain advanced theoretical and practical knowledge in a range of specialised scientific fields, through practical workshops, projects and directed study.

This flexible one year full-time course is offered at JCU’s Townsville and Cairns campuses and is designed for you to expand your knowledge in your chosen science specialisation. Choose from one of eight discipline streams described below, plus choose from a range of elective subjects to complement your training.

View the handbook for detailed information on the subjects included in each discipline stream and available electives.

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 review the inherent requirements for the Graduate Diploma of Science.

Students benefit from laboratory and field based learning in JCU’s Marine and Aquaculture Research Facility. You will explore the science of aquaculture and learn about the husbandry and nutrition of various aquaculture species.

Learn to maintain your own organisms in an intensive aquaculture system. Investigate the scope and role of aquaculture as a food source and critically assess the environmental sustainability and suitability of existing and developing aquaculture industries.

Learn from world-class lecturers about the impacts of land use, land management, and climate change on the earth surface. Investigate the latest techniques to minimise the harmful effects of human activity on the environment.

Apply your learnings to the diverse environments of the tropics, including the Daintree Rainforest, fertile agricultural regions, the vast savannah outback, magnificent tropical rivers and diverse coastlines.

Reap the benefits of hands-on fieldwork experience to develop your capability in natural resource management. Work with research and industry experts to deepen your understanding of the impacts of human activities on our natural resources.

Become an expert in best practice approaches to the sustainable management of terrestrial landscapes and natural resources in the tropics.

Explore the fundamentals of fisheries science and its application in tropical environments. Students gain knowledge, technical skills and experience in fisheries assessments, sustainable development and management approaches.

Tackle the grand challenges in fisheries across small scale and industrial contexts, to ensure the best possible outcomes for human communities, fish stocks, and ecosystems globally.

Develop your knowledge of geological structures and plate tectonics. Build a core understanding of mineralogy as applied to rocks, sediments and soils. Learn about the distribution of earth resources and the mechanisms by which metalliferous ores, industrial minerals and fossil fuels are formed.

Students gain a practical appreciation of global environmental change and develop an informed perspective of global natural resources.

Global Change Biology

Develop your knowledge of global changes, patterns of biodiversity, conservation planning and evolutionary adaptation and be equipped to address the threats and challenges to global biodiversity. Learn how to identify major issues impacting species and ecosystems, analyse the contributing factors and formulate methods of solving some of our world's biggest problems.

With the natural environment changing at an unprecedented rate, it has never been more important to understand and reduce the accelerating impacts on our ecosystems.

Access one of the most diverse and fragile marine ecosystems in the world, the Great Barrier Reef. Students undertake field trips to study the impact of human society on tropical marine populations, species, habitats and ecosystems. Learn how coral reefs, oceanic and coastal ecosystems function in the tropics.

Study corals, fish, turtles, marine mammals, fisheries, marine reserve design, conservation biology and genetics, biodiversity and more. Attain the technical skills and knowledge necessary for working in the marine education, science and conservation sector.

Benefit from access to natural environments in close proximity to JCU campuses, including savannahs, the World Heritage Daintree Rainforest, and coastal marine habitats. Your studies will integrate a range of disciplines such as zoology, ecology, botany, and behaviour and evolution biology across an array terrestrial and marine habitats.

Observe, explore and build your understanding of the diversity of the biological world while developing the skills necessary to conduct applied research and / or work in environmental science industries delivering innovative and sustainable solutions for conserving the natural environment.

Broaden your career opportunities with a JCU Graduate Diploma of Science. Enhance your current qualifications by extending your knowledge and technical skills in your profession or learn the fundamentals for a new career track in the natural and environmental sciences.

Graduates of the Graduate Diploma of Science find work in public and private sectors both in Australia and beyond.

You could work in such roles as a marine biologist, conservation agent, educator, environmental manager, field or laboratory technician, geologist, research assistant, resource consultant, or science communicator.

Students who complete the Graduate Diploma of Science are eligible for credit towards the Master of Science (Professional) and Master of Science degrees.

Award Requirements

Admission Requirements

Academic Requirements for Course Completion

Inherent Requirements

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

Candidature

Progression

Credit

Award Details

Course fees are charged per year of full-time study. International course fees are reviewed annually and subject to change.

A Student Services and Amenities Fee is payable per subject up to a maximum amount per year.

Student Visa holders must have Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) for the duration of their Student Visa (except Norwegian, Swedish and Belgian citizens). Costs depend on the length of study and the number of dependents accompanying the student. For more information see Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC).

Scholarships and financial aid are also available for international students.

Application dates vary between courses, whether they're delivered in semester, trimester or carousel study modes. View our Application due dates page for more information.

Gather the documents you need to apply and submit an application via JCU's online application portal.