Bachelor of Science (Degree with Honours)
Course 754AA (2011)
Note: This is an archived Handbook entry from 2011.
| Year and Campus: | 2011 - Parkville |
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| CRICOS Code: | 014791D |
| Fees Information: | Subject EFTSL, Level, Discipline & Census Date |
| Level: | Undergraduate |
| Duration & Credit Points: | 100 credit points taken over 12 months full time. This course is available as full or part time. |
Coordinator
Professor Aleks OwczarekContact
Eastern Precinct Student Centre
The Eastern Precinct (building 138)
(between Doug McDonell building and Eastern Resource Centre)
Enquiries
Phone: 13 MELB (13 6352)
Email: 13MELB@unimelb.edu.au
| Course Overview: |
Honours comprises advanced 400-level coursework and an individual research project designed to extend students' knowledge and skills. In particular, the honours programs offered by the Faculty of Science aim to enable students to define and solve problems relating to their speciality and to conduct research in the field. Honours graduates possess the skills and qualifications needed to progress to a higher degree such as a Master of Philosophy or Doctor of Philosophy, or to enter the science and technology industries. The Bachelor of Science (degree with Honours) (754AA) is only available in four disciplines, namely
It is available only to students who have completed specific University of Melbourne Science degrees, namely
Students who are considering Honours in other disciplines should look at the New Generation Bachelor of Science (Degree with Honours) (BH-SCI). The Bachelor of Information Systems (Degree with Honours) is also available (please refer to the separate entry for this course). |
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| Objectives: |
Honours is a "fourth-year" program which gives you the opportunity to draw together your previous science or technology studies and focus your knowledge, skills and intellect on an exciting piece of original research. Honours programs are comprised of two components:
Investing the additional year at University required to complete Honours gives you the opportunity to draw together your early years of study and add significant value to your resume. Honours is very different from earlier undergraduate years, allowing and requiring a greater degree of independence and flexibility that will help develop the maturity and skills for transition to employment in a range of occupations and industries or a research higher degree.
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| Course Structure & Available Subjects: |
The Bachelor of Science (Degree with Honours) program involves the completion of one or more advanced coursework subjects and a research project subject. The relative weighting of these subjects varies between departments. Each advanced coursework subject may entail 400-level lectures and tutorials, journal clubs, literature reviews, oral presentations, and other departmental activities. In some departments students enrol in a number of advanced coursework subjects. The research project subject comprises a research project completed under the guidance of an academic who specialises in your area of interest. Students' academic transcripts will record a separate result for each advanced coursework subject they undertake as part of the BSc (Honours) course, and the research project subject. Refer to the departmental entries below for more information. Separate entries are available for the Bachelor of Information Systems (Degree with Honours). Honours usually involves one year of full-time study between February and November. Some departments offer a two-year part-time honours program and some offer mid-year commencement. Further details are provided in the departmental entries that follow. Course Requirements To qualify for the BSc (Honours) degree students must:
Some departments have hurdle requirements that must also be met. Students are not allowed to repeat an honours subject/component for which they have received a mark of less than 50 percent. |
| Majors/ Minors/ Specialisations | Department of Computer Science and Software EngineeringDepartment of Computer Science and Software EngineeringThe Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering offers the following honours programs:
The computer science program is described below. Computer science honours programOverview The honours program in computer science is designed to:
Admission requirements In addition to satisfying the Faculty of Science entry requirements, students interested in entering the computer science honours program must:
Applications will also be evaluated with regard to prerequisites for 400-level subjects, strength in areas related to research interests in the department, and overall academic strength. While 50 points of 300-level study in computer science is the minimum for entry to BSc (Honours), students should note that the 400-level honours subjects offered by the department have individual prerequisites that may not be satisfied by some combinations of 50 points of 300-level subjects. Students wishing to retain a wide range of options at the 400-level are advised to select at least four of: 433-303 Artificial Intelligence; 433-330 Theory of Computation; 433-341 Software Engineering Process and Practice; 433-351 Database Systems; 433-361 Programming Language Implementation; and 433-380 Graphics and Computation. Study of mathematics or statistics at the second-year level is strongly recommended. Students from other institutions and other backgrounds should contact the honours coordinator to determine their eligibility for entry to the BSc (Honours) course. Honours coordinator Dr Adrian Pearce Duration and commencement of course The BSc (Honours) program in computer science can be undertaken on a full-time or part-time basis, commencing in late February each year. The program requires one year of full-time study, or two years of part-time study. Assessment Hurdle assessment requirements In addition to the honours degree Course requirements, students enrolled in the computer science BSc (Honours) program must pass 100 points of approved subjects, including the Computer Science Research Project, and must have a weighted average mark of at least 65 percent. Students enrolled in the computer science honours program are also expected to have a satisfactory level of attendance at departmental seminars. Students will be advised of hurdle requirements for the individual coursework subjects at the commencement of each subject. Components of assessment Honours comprises a research project subject and five advanced coursework subjects. These subjects with their relative weightings are as follows:
The final honours grade is the weighted average mark over the 100 points included in these two components. Advanced coursework 62.5 points Five subjects totalling 62.5 points, consisting of any study-level 0 or study-level 6 subjects taught by the Department, with the exception of the subjects listed below. Students may also enrol in up to 25 points of subjects at the honours or masters level of study in cognate areas from outside the Department, subject to approval being granted by the Honours Coordinator. Students are NOT allowed to enrol in the following project-based subjects as part of the 62.5 points of Advanced coursework subjects: 433-659 Distributed Computing Project 600-level computer science subjects
Students are reminded that to be awarded the BSc (Honours) they must complete 100 points of approved subjects including an honours research project, and must achieve a weighted average over those subjects of at least 65 percent. Research project In addition to the advanced coursework, students must complete a total of 37.5 points of enrolment in the Computer Science Research Project subject. The Computer Science Research Project subject comprises a research report of up to 40 pages (20 000 words) and an oral presentation not exceeding 30 minutes. Students are required to obtain a mark of at least 65 percent in this subject. Further information If you require further information about this honours program please contact: Dr Adrian Pearce Tel: +61 3 8344 1399 Email: adrianrp@unimelb.edu.au Department of History and Philosophy of ScienceHistory and Philosophy of Science honours program. Overview Honours study in history and philosophy of science provides training at an advanced level in various aspects of the discipline, and prepares students with requisite background to proceed to postgraduate research. Admission requirements
Honours coordinator Kristian Camilleri Duration and commencement of course Assessment Students must satisfy the honours degree Course requirements. Components of assessment Students undertaking Honours in HPS must complete the following:
Advanced coursework The advanced coursework component requires completion of five 12.5 point honours/postgraduate subjects, chosen in consultation with the HPS Honours coordinator. 136-536 Scientific Realism and Anti-Realism (semester 2) *other approved subjects
Thesis The HPS Thesis subject requires completion of a 12,000-word thesis on an approved topic, carried out under the supervision of a member of the department. Students meet regularly with their supervisor over two consecutive semesters. The thesis is due at the end of the second semester of enrolment. Further information If you require further information about this honours program please contact: Department of Mathematics and StatisticsDepartment of Mathematics and Statistics The Department of Mathematics and Statistics offers the following honours programs:
Information about these programs is provided below. After completing honours, graduates wishing to pursue a non-academic career will have the advantage of the experience of project work and directed research not usually provided by a pass degree. Many employers view an honours degree as the minimal professional qualification. Students interested in further academic work will be well placed for entry into postgraduate programs at the University of Melbourne or other world-class institutions. Mathematics and statistics honours program Overview The honours program in mathematics and statistics is designed to train graduates in advanced mathematics and statistics topics and to provide an opportunity for students to participate in research. The program involves completion of an advanced coursework subject and a research project subject. Admission requirements In addition to satisfying the Faculty of Science entry requirements, students willing to enter the mathematics and statistics honours program need to have attained an H3 or better in at least four 300-level mathematics/statistics subjects. Students who do not meet these requirements, but who have achieved very good results in other areas, may be considered for entry to honours on the recommendation of the head of the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. Prospective honours students should refer to the suggested 300-level specialisation subjects for guidance in selecting their 300-level mathematics/statistics subjects. It is strongly recommended that more than four 300-level mathematics/statistics subjects are taken, since the number of options available at the 400-level would be restricted if only four 300-level mathematics/statistics subjects had been completed. If only four 300-level mathematics/statistics subjects are taken, at most one of 620-352 Graph Theory and 620-381 Computational Mathematics should be included. To retain the widest possible choice of honours options, students are recommended to include the following subjects in second year: 620-295 Real Analysis with Applications or 620-252 Analysis, 620-231 Vector Calculus and at least two of 620-201 Probability, 620-202 Statistics, 620-297 Group Theory and Linear Algebra, 620-232 Mathematical Methods, and 620-290 Discrete Mathematics and Operations Research. Recommendations in terms of the New Generation Subjects Specific 300-level recommendations related to the four specializations are listed below. A. Pure Mathematics. Honours coordinator Professor Omar Foda This particular honours program can be undertaken on a full-time or part-time basis, and a mid-year intake is offered. The program can be undertaken either between February and November or July and June. Assessment Hurdle assessment requirements Students must satisfy the honours degree Course requirements. Components of assessment Honours comprises a research project subject and an advanced coursework subject. These subjects with their relative weightings are as follows:
Advanced coursework Students should select 6 x 12.5 point subjects from the following list in consultation with the Honours Coordinator:Master of Science (Mathematics and Statistics) Each Master of Science (coursework) subject is one semester in length and comprises 36 contact hours. Full-time students are advised to undertake four Master of Science coursework subjects in the first semester and two Master of Science coursework subjects in the second semester. In determining the final grade, only the best six advanced coursework subjects will be considered. Research project Honours students are required to conduct research under the supervision of their supervisors. Intending honours students should approach individual staff members to discuss possible research projects. Information about the department's research groups and possible supervisors can be found at the following websites respectively: http://www.ms.unimelb.edu.au/research/ http://www.ms.unimelb.edu.au/Students/supervisorList.php Any difficulties in reaching decisions about research topics should be discussed with the honours coordinator. Preliminary reading should commence in the first month of the program, with the bulk of the project being completed in the second half of the program. Assessment of the research project will consider: clarity and exposition; mathematical accuracy; mathematical insight displayed; coverage of the field and references, and may be complemented by one or more of the following: description of the application and/or business context; mathematical modelling; presentation and analysis of numerical results. Honours students will be required to give two seminars before their results are finalised, including one presentation on their research projects towards the end of the program. Honours students should consider themselves a part of the research strength of the department and view departmental seminars as a method of broadening their knowledge. It is therefore expected that students will attend all research seminars in the broad area of their chosen field. Further information If you require further information about this honours program please contact the honours coordinators: Department of Mathematics and Statistics Tel: +61 3 8344 5550 Combined mathematics and statistics/physics honours program Overview This honours program is available only in consultation with the honours coordinators of both mathematics/statistics and physics. It is designed to train graduates in advanced mathematics/statistics and physics topics, and to provide an opportunity for students to participate in research. The program involves completion of an advanced coursework subject and a research project subject. Admission requirements In addition to satisfying the Faculty of Science entry requirements, students should plan a course of study that is approved by both the mathematics/statistics and physics honours coordinators. An H3 average will be required in the subjects that are prerequisites for the honours level subjects the student plans to study. Selection into the combined honours program must be endorsed by both departments. Honours coordinator Professor Omar Foda (Mathematics and Statistics) Dr Nicole Bell (Physics) Duration and commencement of course This particular honours program can be undertaken on a full-time or part-time basis commencing at the start of semester one. Subject to the approval of both departments, an applicant who is able to devise an appropriate course plan in conjunction with both departments may be considered for mid-year entry. Assessment Hurdle assessment requirements Students enrolled in honours need to obtain a minimum of 65 percent for both the research project subject and the advanced coursework subject. Components of assessment Honours comprises a research project subject and an advanced coursework subject. These subjects with their relative weightings are as follows:
Advanced coursework Students should establish with the honours coordinators the relative weighting of each piece of mathematics/statistics or physics work that is required for this subject. Research project The research project is marked by two examiners appointed by the coordinators. Assessment of the research project will consider: clarity and exposition; mathematical accuracy; mathematical insight displayed; coverage of the field and references, and may be complemented by one or more of the following: description of the application and/or business context; mathematical modelling; presentation and analysis of numerical results. Students are expected to submit a detailed outline of their research project by the end of their first semester of honours study. They are also required to give two seminars before their results are finalised, including one presentation on their projects towards the end of the program. Honours students should consider themselves a part of the research strength of the departments and view departmental seminars as a method of broadening their knowledge. They are therefore expected to attend all research seminars in the broad area of their chosen field. Further information If you require further information about this honours program please contact the honours coordinators: Department of Mathematics and Statistics Tel: +61 3 8344 5550 Combined mathematics and statistics/computer science honours program Overview This honours program is available only in consultation with the honours coordinators of both mathematics/statistics and computer science. It is designed to train graduates in advanced mathematics/statistics and computer science topics, and to provide an opportunity for students to participate in research. The program involves completion of an advanced coursework subject and a research project subject. Admission requirements In addition to satisfying the Faculty of Science entry requirements, students should plan a course of study that is approved by both the mathematics/statistics and computer science honours coordinators and have completed the prerequisite subjects with at least an H3 average. Selection into the combined honours program must be endorsed by both departments. Honours coordinators Professor Omar Foda (Mathematics and Statistics) Dr Adrian Pearce (Computer Science) Duration of course and commencement of course This particular honours program can be undertaken on a full-time or part-time basis commencing at the start of semester one. Subject to the approval of both departments, an applicant who is able to devise an appropriate course plan in conjunction with both departments may be considered for mid-year entry. Assessment Hurdle assessment requirements Students must satisfy the honours degree Course requirements. Components of assessment Honours comprises a research project subject and an advanced coursework subject. These subjects with their relative weightings are as follows:
Advanced coursework Students should establish, with the honours coordinators, the relative weighting of each piece of mathematics and statistics or computer science work that is required for this subject. Research project The research project is marked by two examiners appointed by the coordinators. Assessment of the research project will consider: clarity and exposition; mathematical accuracy; mathematical insight displayed; coverage of the field and references, and may be complemented by one or more of the following: description of the application and/or business context; mathematical modelling; presentation and analysis of numerical results. Students are expected to submit a detailed outline of their research project by the end of their first semester of honours level study. They are also required to give two seminars before their results are finalised, including one presentation towards the end of the program. Honours students should consider themselves a part of the research strength of the departments and view departmental seminars as a method of broadening their knowledge. They are therefore expected to attend all research seminars in the broad area of their chosen field. Further information If you require further information about this honours program please contact the honours coordinators: Department of Mathematics and Statistics Tel: +61 3 8344 5550 School of PhysicsThe School of Physics offers the following honours programs:
The physics program is described below. Physics honours program Overview The honours program in physics is designed to:
Admission requirements In addition to satisfying the Faculty of Science entry requirements, students interested in entering the physics honours program must have completed the four core 300-level physics subjects:
PLUS completion of one of the following additional conditions: Note that undertaking the third means of satisfying the entry requirements is recommended for only those students with a strong background and genuine interest in mathematics. All students are urged to consult the School of Physics for advice regarding their 300-level course plans. Students entering honours in any of the above ways may apply to join any of the research groups within the School of Physics. Honours coordinator Dr Nicole Bell Duration and commencement of course This particular honours program can be undertaken on a full-time or part-time basis. The program commences in February and finishes in November. There is no mid-year intake. Assessment Hurdle assessment requirements Students must satisfy the honours degree Course requirements. Components of assessment Honours comprises a research project subject and an advanced coursework subject. These subjects with their relative weightings are as follows:
Research project Advanced coursework All subjects are 12.5 points each. Students must take:
Students should select three subjects from the following list in consultation with the Honours Coordinator:
Further information If you require further information about this honours program please contact: |
| Entry Requirements: |
It is available only to students who have completed specific University of Melbourne Science degrees, namely
Students who have completed the Bachelor of Science (R01) are not eligble for this degree. To be eligible to enter honours you must satisfy both the Faculty of Science entry requirements and the requirements of the department offering the honours program you wish to undertake. If you are interested in applying for an honours program it is critical to consider these requirements when planning your undergraduate course. Faculty of Science entry requirements There are two faculty entry requirements which must be satisfied: 1. Admission to the BSc (Honours) requires completion of the BSc (755), BASc (113). The only exception to this is for those applicants currently enrolled in a BSc combined course at the University of Melbourne. These applicants need to have completed at least 300 course points, within which the science requirements of their combined course need to have been satisfied. 2. Graduates of the University of Melbourne must normally have a Science Honours Score of at least 65 percent, see Faculty Honours Score. Applicants who have completed their degree at other institutions must demonstrate that they have achieved an average of 65 percent for the third year science subjects they have studied. Faculty Honours Score To determine students' eligibility for admission to the honours programs of the Faculty of Science the faculty calculates a Science Honours Score (SHS) which is calculated as follows: 1. For graduates of the BSc single degree, their SHS is the weighted average mark of their best 87.5 points of science study at 300-level. 2. For graduates of a BSc combined course or the BASc, or students who are still enrolled in a BSc combined course and have completed at least 300 points within which the requirements of the BSc have been satisfied, their SHS is the weighted average mark of completed science subjects at 300-level, or their best 87.5 points of science study at 300-level, whichever is greater. For students and graduates of the BASc and BA/BSc courses, History and Philosophy of Science subjects and Geography subjects must count towards the Arts component of their combined degree and therefore they are not considered in calculating their SHS. Departmental Requirements Departments usually require the completion of certain 300-level subjects, and/or a minimum number of 300-level points from a particular department, to be eligible for entry into their honours program. These requirements are specified in the departmental entries. |
| Core Participation Requirements: | It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study and reasonable steps will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact upon their active and safe participation in a subject are encouraged to discuss this with the relevant subject coordinator and the Disability Liaison Unit. |
| Further Study: | Graduates who successfully complete a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree with the required average of 75% (H2A) are eligible to apply for admission to a M.Phil. - Science or PhD - Science. |
| Graduate Attributes: |
Graduates will have:
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| Links to further information: | http://www.science.unimelb.edu.au/future/home |
| Notes: |
Additional information about honours programs is available on the Faculty of Science website at the URL: http://www.science.unimelb.edu.au/future/home Please contact the honours coordinator in the department/s of your choice for further information. |
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