Faculty of Sciences > Programs > Honours Programs > BSc(Hons)

• Program Summary
• Program Objectives
• Admission Requirements
• Program Structure
• Major Studies
• IT Requirements
• Exemptions
• Program Fees
• Enquiries
• Recommended Enrolment Patterns

Key
HECS = Higher Education Loans Scheme
PELS = Postgraduate Education Loans Scheme
RTS = Research Training Scheme
ANZ = Australia and New Zealand Students
INT = International Students

Upon completion of the Honours degree graduates will be able to:

• demonstrate high levels of proficiency in research and specific methodology including research planning and implementation, analysis, interpretation and evaluation of research results, and the presentation and communication of research findings;
• demonstrate awareness of a wide range of research methods and the ethical and social responsibilities of a practising scientist;
• apply the skills gained in the program to their specialist area with a high degree of proficiency;
• undertake research-oriented careers or progress to higher level studies in their chosen specialist area; and
• meet the academic requirements for membership of professional societies or registration boards as practising discipline specialists.

General Requirements

To qualify for entry to the Bachelor of Science (Honours) program students will:

• have been awarded a degree in the area of Honours study, normally, with a substantial amount of undergraduate study in the major area of the discipline in which the Honours study is to be undertaken;
• be current in their major area of study. To ensure currency of knowledge, students will normally have commenced their undergraduate degree no earlier than eight years previous to the year of application and will have satisfied requirements for the award of that degree no more than three years previously; and
• have met minimum academic requirements in the relevant undergraduate program. These requirements normally include one or more of the following:
• achieved a Grade Point Average equivalent to the level of Credit or better for the whole program;
• achieved a Grade Point Average equivalent to the level of Credit or better in the second and third years of the undergraduate degree;
• achieved a Grade Point Average equivalent to the level of Credit or better in the major study in the undergraduate degree.

Discretionary Admission

The Dean may, on advice of the relevant Head of Department, admit students who do not satisfy all the general requirements for entry but who, in the opinion of the Head of Department, have a reasonable chance of success.

Additional Requirements

In addition to the above general requirements, candidates for the Psychology Major must have completed a program of study approved by the Australian Psychological Society as constituting the first three years of study in psychology.

Candidates for the Biology, Chemistry, Climatology and Physics majors must have submitted and had approved, a project proposal for which an appropriate supervisor is available before commencing studies. Acceptance will be subject to the availability of a supervisor for the project.

The Honours program consists of eight units of study including project courses and specialised courses. The program has seven majors - Applied Mathematics/Statistics, Psychology, Biology, Chemistry, Climatology, Information Technology and Physics. The structure of the majors is given in the following table:

Structural Element (by units)
Major	Project Course	Specialised Courses	Total
Applied Mathematics/Statistics	4	4	8
Psychology	3	5	8
Biology	5	3	8
Chemistry	5	3	8
Information Technology	4	4	8
Physics	5	3	8
Climatology	4	4	8

Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Science (Honours) must seek advice from the appropriate Program Coordinator on:

• selection of appropriate specialised courses of study;
• selection of an appropriate project; and
• detailed procedures for supervision, preparation and submission of progress reports and project material.

The project courses give students appropriate opportunity for research and scientific investigation of a topic within the area of the major study.

On enrolment, each student must choose one of the majors Applied Mathematics/Statistics, Climatology, Psychology, Biology, Chemistry, Information Technology or Physics.

Students will require access to the Internet, preferably at home. If students are purchasing a new computer, the following configuration is recommended: Pentium, 64Mb RAM, 2Gb Hard Disk, CDROM, Sound Card, SVGA with 2Mb memory, Windows 95/98/2000, 3-button mouse, modem, printer. Other computing facilities will be provided by USQ.

Students undertaking the Information Technology major will require 8Gb Hard Disk.

The University is installing a wireless network for students' computers. In order to take advantage of this facility and further enhance their on-campus learning environment, students should consider purchasing a notebook/laptop computer with wireless connectivity. A notebook/laptop may be required for some courses.

No exemptions will be given from any courses in the program. Candidates must complete all courses at USQ.

Higher Education Contribution Scheme

For those Australian citizens, New Zealand citizens and permanent residents of Australia who pay HECS fees, details about the Higher Education Contribution Scheme (HECS) are in the Fees and Charges section of this Handbook: http://www.usq.edu.au/handbook/2003/feecharge.html.

International Students

International students pay tuition fees. For details about international student fees, refer to the Fees and Charges section of this Handbook: http://www.usq.edu.au/handbook/2003/feecharge.html

Initial enquiries should be directed to the Faculty Marketing Officer, Mary McGilvray: telephone (07) 4631 2681; email studysci@usq.edu.au .

Currently enrolled students should contact the appropriate Program Coordinator, as follows:

Applied Mathematics/Statistics and Information Technology Majors - Dr Ron Addie: telephone (07) 4631 5520; email addie@usq.edu.au

Psychology Major - Dr Tony Machin: telephone (07) 4631 2587; email: machin@usq.edu.au

Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Climatology Majors - Dr Mike Kotiw: telephone (07) 4631 2952; email: kotiw@usq.edu.au

Further information about postgraduate programs, courses and research projects of the Department of Mathematics and Computing may be found at http://www.sci.usq.edu.au/postgrad

This major is only available in on-campus mode.

Logical course combinations include:

(i) two of: MAT4102 Chaos; MAT4103 Numerical Methods for Partial Differential Equations and MAT4104 Low-Dimensional Modelling in Hydrodynamics

or

(ii) MAT4200 Operations Research A, CSC4406 Simulation A

or

(iii) two of: STA4303 Stochastic Process Modelling, STA4304 Time Series and STA4302 Advanced Statistical Methods

** The two Maths/Stats Complementary Studies courses are designed to allow students to pursue Mathematics and/or Statistics not contained in the program. These studies could be staff-initiated and depend on staff research interests and/or areas of special expertise, or may be initiated by students. If student-initiated, the student will be required to submit a proposal and a staff member would have to agree to supervise the student. In both instances the Program Coordinator would need to approve the complementary study.

This major is only available in the on-campus mode.

+ May be studied in either Semester 1 or Semester 2. Students may only take each of these courses once. CLI4010 and CLI4020 are available in either semester but must be taken consecutively.

* Students must consult the Program Coordinator on the selection of an appropriate project, and a suitable specialist topic for SCI4403.

* The two Computing Complementary Studies courses are designed to allow students to pursue studies in Computing not contained in the program. These studies could be staff-initiated and depend on staff research interests and/or area of special expertise or may be initiated by students. If student-initiated, the student will be required to submit a proposal and a staff member would have to agree to supervise the student. In both instances the Program Coordinator would need to approve the study.

The Psychology major may be studied externally, however compulsory attendance at four residential schools of one week's duration each will be required on-campus in Toowoomba during each year of the program. The number of required residential schools may depend on the chosen sequence of study and choice of thesis topic. Students considering undertaking the program externally, at a distance from Toowoomba, must contact the Program Coordinator, Dr Tony Machin on (07) 4631 2587 regarding the choice of courses and project topic.

* Students must consult the Program Coordinator on the selection of an appropriate project and suitable specialised courses.

# Students intending to study this course by distance education must attend four residential schools, of one week's duration each, in each year of the program.

** Approval for enrolment in these courses needs to be obtained from the Program Coordinator. To cater for students' differing requirements and backgrounds, the structure of the Psychology major permits students to select a Complementary Studies course and/or an approved elective. Complementary Studies courses are designed specifically to cater for an individual student's needs where the student's knowledge in a particular area may need strengthening. Electives can include an advanced undergraduate Psychology course not previously studied.

These majors are only available in on-campus mode.

+ May be studied in either Semester 1 or Semester 2. Students may only take each of these courses once.

# SCI4401 and SCI4402 are available either semester but must be taken consecutively.

* Students must consult the Program Coordinator on the selection of an appropriate project, and a suitable specialist topic for SCI4403.