University of Technology Sydney

Undergraduate course information

Contacts and inquiries
Honours degree courses
Majors
Sub-majors
Combined course information

UTS: Science offers a number of undergraduate degree programs developed to produce graduates for professional and vocational practice, with an ability to continue their studies by research and to contribute to the knowledge base of their scientific discipline. Most of UTS: Science's undergraduate courses are built from three building blocks of subjects comprising a 48-credit-point foundation stream, a 48-credit-point disciplinary core and a 48-credit-point extension block.

Students in the Bachelor of Science (C10242) select a major course of study by combining a specific disciplinary core with a matching extension block and then graduate with an award specifying that major, e.g. Bachelor of Science in (name of Science major). Most undergraduate majors also contain 24 credit points of free electives that can be used to take subjects in a different science specialty or a different discipline altogether, such as business or information technology.

Students can combine their science or mathematics degree with another specialisation such as business, international studies, and creative intelligence and innovation. Students can broaden their employment opportunities by pursuing a combined degree.

Research-based, one-year honours degrees are also available to bachelor's pass degree graduates.

Professional experience or Internships are also offered as an optional component of the science degree courses in which students work in industry for further development of their technical and generic skills.

Contacts and inquiries

UTS: Science is located at City campus, Broadway, in Buildings 4 and 7. Contact details can be found on the faculty's website.

All student inquiries should be directed to:

UTS Student Centre
telephone 1300 ask UTS (1300 275 887) or +61 2 9514 1222
Ask UTS

Honours degree courses

One-year, research-based honours degrees are available in all disciplines of science and mathematics at UTS. Honours programs provide basic training in research and introduce students to advanced areas of study in the relevant discipline. Graduates generally enter occupations for which an honours degree is the minimum requirement or continue with postgraduate research or coursework degrees. Honours programs are offered in chemistry, physics, medical science and biotechnology, environmental sciences, forensic science, and mathematical sciences.

Admission requirements

Honours courses are one-year full-time or equivalent part-time courses. They are open to students who possess or have fulfilled all the requirements for a relevant bachelor's degree from UTS, or equivalent qualification, with at least a credit average over the final two-thirds of the undergraduate program.

Commencement date

Students commencing their honours course in Autumn session are normally required to commence work on their honours program on the first Monday in February. This applies even when formal enrolment is held after this date. Students should contact their supervisor for details.

Award

Honours degrees may be awarded in the following grades: first class, second class (division 1), second class (division 2) and third class.

Other information

Interested students should discuss the program and possible research projects available with the relevant head of department or honours course coordinator, or with individual members of academic staff.

Majors

The Bachelor of Science (C10242) and most named degrees offered by UTS: Science are structured into 48-credit-point foundation streams plus 96 credit points in majors. A major is defined by a specific 48-credit-point disciplinary core group of subjects plus a specific 48-credit-point extension group of subjects (or in some cases sub-majors of 24 credit points can be selected).

Students in the Bachelor of Science do not have to choose a major and can instead choose a range of subjects according to their interests, providing they ensure they choose the appropriate prerequisite subjects and have the required mix of second and third year subjects. However, there are benefits to students of formal majors:

  • UTS: Science provides direction in the choice of subjects so the variety and complexity of programs is diminished
  • there is greater clarity in defining a graduate's capabilities, compared to a situation where choice of subjects is totally free
  • a testamur is awarded that identifies the student's area or areas of study.

The following majors are offered within the Bachelor of Science:

Sub-majors

Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Science (C10242) degree may undertake a sub-major as part of their course. The purpose of the sub-major is to give students the opportunity to broaden their studies into other areas of interest or to pursue studies in particular disciplines to greater depth.

Examples of possible sub-majors (24 credit points each) are listed below, but it should be noted that not all of them are necessarily appropriate to every course and that normal prerequisite conditions and timetabling constraints apply in all cases. Students should consult their program director for advice on selecting sub-majors.

Combined course information

UTS: Science is involved in the teaching of science to other areas of the University, including UTS: Engineering and UTS: Health. UTS: Science is also involved in offering the following joint undergraduate degree programs.

  • The Bachelor of Science Bachelor of Laws (C10126) is offered in conjunction with UTS: Law. In order to qualify for separate awards in science and law, students are required to select an area of specialisation in science so that they can proceed to more advanced studies and thereby obtain recognition in relevant professional fields. Science majors available are chemistry, physics, biotechnology, environmental biology, marine biology, mathematics, and medical science. Graduates from the course are qualified for professional practice as either scientists or lawyers and especially in areas where a knowledge of both disciplines is desirable.
  • The Bachelor of Medical Science Bachelor of Laws (C10131) is similar in structure to the Bachelor of Science Bachelor of Laws (C10126), but with a specialisation in medical science. Graduates qualify for professional practice in either field but may expect to be in most demand in those areas of law in which a knowledge of medical science is a particular advantage or, conversely, in areas of science such as the pharmaceutical industries where a knowledge of the law has special value.

  • Science degrees combined with the 96-credit-point Bachelor of International Studies enables science students to build intercultural communication skills and to experience the language and culture of other countries, thereby enhancing their competitiveness in global career choices. The length of these combined degrees is five years full time. Students are required to select one pathway and one language of specialisation within the International Studies program. The available pathways are three:

  1. Language, Culture & the Professional World: includes an internship and option of a short study abroad experience (2-6 weeks) overseas.
  2. Language, Culture & Global Exchange: includes an internship and a 6-month Global Exchange at any UTS partner university in a session that fits with the student's study plan.
  3. International Honours: includes a full year at a relevant partner university where students complete an honours level research project.

The languages offered are six: Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish. Graduates may work as professionals in their area of scientific expertise particularly in specialist positions where an understanding of a particular culture may be highly desirable. The Bachelor of Science Bachelor of International Studies (C10243) enables students to combine a science degree in any of the 8 Bachelor of Science majors with the Bachelor of International Studies; the Bachelor of Medical Science Bachelor of International Studies (C10167) imparts additional practical skills to students specialising in medical science, particularly the knowledge and understanding of a language and culture other than English.

  • The combined degrees Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) Bachelor of Science (C09072) and Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) Bachelor of Medical Science (C09074) integrate the theory and application of science and engineering to produce well-rounded graduates. The major science study may be chosen from chemistry, physics, biotechnology, environmental sciences, mathematics, or medical science. In five years of full-time study, students choose from one of the engineering majors and 78 credit points from one of the science programs. Depending on the combinations chosen, graduates are qualified to work in professional practice as well as in research and development.
  • The Bachelor of Science Bachelor of Business (C10162) requires completion, over four years of full-time study, of a 96-credit-point major selected from the Bachelor of Business (C10026) plus a 96-credit-point major selected from the science programs. Graduates may work as professional scientists or as business professionals. Career areas include accounting or economics, finance, management or marketing in enterprises in which high-level scientific expertise is desirable. The program also provides business expertise for scientists who wish to be administrators in research or other scientific institutions. The Bachelor of Medical Science Bachelor of Business (C10163) and the Bachelor of Molecular Biotechnology Bachelor of Business (C10169) are similar in structure to the Bachelor of Science Bachelor of Business (C10162), with the science specialisation in medical science or molecular biotechnology.