Bachelor of Science (Honours) (Deans Scholar)

at University of Wollongong - Wollongong Campus Australia

The Bachelor of Sustainable Communities will provide you with an understanding of the challenges communities face, and the ability to manage them in a volatile world.  You will gain career-relevant skills in a practical setting, and have the opportunity to learn first-hand how other countries are seeking to create and maintain sustainable communities. Our technology-integrated learning ensures that you will graduate with the skills to excel.

What you will study
The Bachelor of Sustainable Communities is a multidisciplinary degree that provides the ability to appreciate complex environmental, economic and societal challenges, and a range of skills needed to provide solutions for sustainable communities.

You will study subjects from disciplines including Human Geography, Social Policy, Health and Society, Cultural Studies, Economics and Commerce, Science and Technology Studies, International Studies and Politics. You will gain skills in logical and critical thinking, creative problem-solving, practical research, computer applications (including geographic information systems), and strong communication skills.

The Bachelor of Computer Science (Dean's Scholar) offers a challenging and enriched educational experience for high-achieving students who want to perform above the level normally expected. As a Dean's Scholar student you will also be encouraged to continue your studies through the completion of Honours and research programs.

This degree
Computer scientists focus on computation and its applications, designing methods, tools and writing programs for computer applications. These applications can be in areas such as computer systems to control machinery, information management and big data, applications for mobile devices, stock market trend analysis, game design, visualisation of chemical reactions, neural network design, computational geometry for robot navigation, patient monitoring in hospitals, and much more.

You will be able to choose your major in your second year after studying a common core of subjects that links our computer science, IT and information systems degrees. Find your strengths and interests as you study the fundamentals of computer science and IT: programming, problem solving, network and communications, web technology, data management, system analysis, human–computer interaction, and project management. You’ll also complete a final-year capstone team project.

What you will study
You will complete the normal course requirements for the degree, and receive special privileges as you study, such as the opportunity to complete a research project and direct access to academic mentoring. Places are limited each year. Current students who have achieved a weighted average mark (WAM) of 80 at the end of one year of full-time study in a relevant degree may apply to transfer to the Dean's Scholar degree.

Physics is a fundamental science and the foundation of engineering and other applied sciences. Physics is also utilised in an enormous variety of other disciplines ranging from climate studies to financial systems. Physicists have a very solid knowledge of the physical universe and apply this knowledge to initiate new and innovative ideas to further human development. They also solve complex problems and develop models to better understand and predict the behaviour of intricate systems.

Physicists contribute solutions in a broad range of areas, from everyday concerns in public health and safety to cutting edge advances such as the discovery of the Higgs boson.

Physics teaches you highly transferable skills that enable analysis and optimisation across many industries. You'll learn problem-solving, critical thinking and analytical skills that are in demand across all government and private sectors. Studying physics is a passport to work anywhere in the world.

This degree
You can choose from two study options:

• Basic Physics program designed with a minimum of compulsory subjects combined with elective subjects, or a second major in another discipline
• Full Physics program if you plan to undertake Honours and want to pursue a career as a professional physicist.

What you will study
You will learn the basis for making, interpreting and extending observations relating to the behaviour and structure of matter. When you choose the Bachelor of Science, majoring in Physics, you will study mechanics, thermodynamics, electricity and magnetism, vibrations, waves, optics, and modern, quantum and statistical mechanics. This will be complemented by a number of advanced mathematics subjects.

A double degree in a Bachelor of Business Administration and Bachelor of Information Technology gives you skills to work across all areas of business with the added advantage of being able to utilise technology to improve products and business processes.

The Bachelor of Business Administration offers a broad education across all key aspects of the business environment. In addition to studying the essential core disciplines of accounting, economics, finance, management and marketing, and allows students to focus on their interests by choosing electives from a particular Business discipline.

The Bachelor of Information Technology offers graduates key skills required for any IT professional such as: organisational areas in IT; database management; programming; information systems analysis and design; communications and networks; security; project management; and web-based technology.

Throughout this degree you will have the opportunity to gain practical, real-world experience and make professional connections, including the opportunity to participate in the Business Internship program.

The Bachelor of Medical and Health Sciences (Honours) degree is a one year program designed to provide you with the skills to demonstrate excellence in research with a clear understanding of a research question in relation to current knowledge. This degree fosters abilities and skills to help you:

• Plan, design and perform a research project
• Collect and analyse data
• Evaluate data
• Synthesise results and integrate with relevant ideas and concepts
• Communicate and
• Put relevant OHS principles into practice.

Completion of the course creates a pathway to further postgraduate study and provides a competitive advantage in the job market.

The Graduate Certificate in Applied Finance is an introductory course designed to provide a general understanding of areas in Applied Finance such as financial statement analysis, managerial finance, statistics and corporate governance.

Upon successful completion of the Graduate Certificate in Applied Finance, you may enrol in a Master of Applied Finance and be eligible for credit for the four subjects completed within the Graduate Certificate. Progression with credit to other Masters programs, including the MBA, may also be possible.

We value the importance of prior learning and work experience in this course and understand that not all mature age working professionals have completed an undergraduate degree. If you fit this profile, still apply for the course, as we will assess your other relevant tertiary qualifications or substantial relevant professional or managerial experience.

The Visual Communication Design major allows you to develop skills in graphic design for both traditional and new media.

You will learn graphic design principles and practices, while working on client-driven design projects for print, online, mobile and emerging platforms.

You will graduate with flexible visual design skills, ready for new career opportunities that focus on communicating messages visually across a broad spectrum of contexts and media.

The Bachelor of Communication and Media enables you to expand your career options by combining the Visual Communication Design major with one of four other majors in the degree: Digital and Social Media; Journalism; Screen Media Production; or Marketing Communication and Advertising. This is an ideal degree if you are interested in more than one area of media and communications and want a flexible future career path.

What you will study
You will learn about typography, layout, photography, design thinking, vector-based imaging, animation and design for both online and mobile platforms. You will also learn the professional skills involved in working with clients, responding to briefs and developing visual strategy. Alongside these practical skills and experiences, you will study the ways in which emerging digital platforms are changing the context for visual communication design, both in Australia and internationally.

The Bachelor of Social Science (Honours) is for high achieving students who have completed the three-year Bachelor of Social Science degree.

The one-year Honours program provides students with the opportunity to undertake research on a topic of interest and may be used as a gateway to higher research degrees, a research-focused career, or for professions requiring advanced analytical and investigative skills.

What you will study
This Honours degree will allow you to further develop your knowledge and skills in your field of inquiry, and make you more competitive in the workforce. It is a research training degree that provides training in in-depth enquiry, specialised development of research skills, project management and communicating findings.

The Master of Philosophy (Creative Arts) is a flexible course that provides a bridge towards doctoral level study and the opportunity to immerse yourself in a significant research project.

The course is suited to experienced creative arts practitioners who wish to extend their practice within a scholarly context. It is also appropriate for applicants with an excellent undergraduate creative arts background who wish to extend their scholarly and/or creative skills. You may pursue purely scholarly research or a combination of creative and scholarly research. Research strengths in creative practice include Music, Theatre, Performance, Creative Writing, Visual Arts, Digital Media and Design. Applications from all these disciplines are encouraged, as well as any projects working in interdisciplinary forms.

The degree comprises 24 credit points of coursework and a 72-credit point thesis. Advanced standing for the coursework component of the degree may be awarded, which will determine the appropriate entry point.

As a guide, submission by thesis only will be in the range of 35,000 to 45,000 words. The submission of creative work will normally be by exhibition, performance or presentation in the chosen area of practice, supported by one of the following:

•     an exegesis (approximately 15,000 words) focusing on aspects such as origins of the work, structures and techniques used, and artistic theories underpinning the work; or
•     a dissertation (approximately 15,000 words) that makes a scholarly argument linked to, but not dependent on, the body of creative work.

In today’s technology-driven world, people and organizations are generating, collecting, and storing more data than ever before. Organizations across various industries are seeking graduates with skills to utilize and interpret this data to inform business strategies and add value to their business.

The Master of Business Analytics is designed to prepare you with the essential skills to undertake real-world Business Analytics tasks on big data business problems. You will develop skills and knowledge in business analytics, including how to apply tools and technologies required to perform descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive analytics and how to apply these tools to a business landscape.