SCIENCE
Science allows us to explain our world and consequently underpins our understanding of the most significant discoveries we make, and issues and challenges we face. Human health, sustainability, biotechnology, climate change, water management and food production are some of these areas explored through science. The skills acquired through the study of science therefore have broad application and are sought after in a diversity of careers.
Notre Dame’s Science program offers students the opportunity to customise their degree pathway to match their career aspirations and ensure an interesting and fulfilling experience. Students can apply skills and knowledge learned in this course to gain employment in education, government, private industry or the public sector. Further study as a postgraduate researcher is available through the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree, in addition to excellent opportunities for postgraduate students from other disciplines to ‘up-skill’ in the area of Environmental Management.
Students of Notre Dame’s Science program have an opportunity to engage in exciting and unique opportunities which extend their learning experience and equip them with additional professional and life skills. A key component of the undergraduate Science program is an Internship in an area relevant to the student’s interests. Past students have gained invaluable experience from working with a diverse range of hosts, including environmental consultants, local and state government, hospitals, pathology clinics, and conservation organisations. |
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Back to Arts and Sciences
Fremantle | Sydney |
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Majors |
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Unit descriptions |
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Degree Planners |
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Internships |
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Study Abroad |
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Experience the World |
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Honours |
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Double Degrees available |
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Postgraduate Study |
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SCIENCE MAJORS
Eight approved units are required for a major in Science; six approved units are required for a minor. The following provides an introduction to the five majors available in the Bachelor of Science program. For more information on each major click on the corresponding link.
Behavioural Science
Behavioural Science at Notre Dame is based on the premise of social justice and equity for all peoples and concerns itself with the practical application of such principles to all aspects of human interaction. It focuses on the strengths and competencies of individuals and communities. A Behavioural Scientist values human diversity and works collaboratively with communities to identify and advance the goals of the group and the individuals that comprise it. Behavioural Science promotes the concept of Wellbeing and aims to facilitate this at the individual, relational, and community levels.
The course incorporates specialised knowledge developed in the disciplines of Psychology, Sociology, Political Science, and Cultural Studies. The three-year degree combines formal studies in individual, group and community behaviour and places a strong emphasis on the context in which behaviour occurs.
For more information on the Behavioural Science major click here.
Biology
Biology spans the breadth of knowledge and understanding that relates to all life, and consequently is at the centre of many of the most significant scientific developments of today. For example, the burden of an ever escalating global population is driving advances in biotechnology to increase food production, but also demanding the adoption of more sustainable pathways that are grounded in an understanding of our biological systems. Locally, government acknowledges declining biodiversity and ecosystem health are real problems and the integral role that biologists play in the sustainable management and conservation of our natural resources. The opportunities available to our biology graduates range from the chance to guide natural resource management in Australia in the future to the vital role of filling the existing gaps in our knowledge of species, ecosystems and their threats.
For more information on the Biology major click here.
Environmental Science
Climate change and water resources are two of the most pressing challenges facing the world today. Consequently, the Environmental Sciences are ideally placed to become one of the growth employment areas for the foreseeable future. Not only do Environmental Scientists have the skills to understand the causes of climate change and related environmental degradation, they also have the knowledge and skills to manage and reverse the effects. This means that Environmental Science graduates will potentially be influencing the direction of future government policy, changing agricultural and business practice and providing the solutions to global warming, biodiversity conservation concerns, water resourcing issues and environmental degradation problems.
For more information on the Environmental Science major click here.
Geography
Geography is the study of physical & cultural environments and has as its central theme a concern with issues related to the interaction of human activities and the environment. Geographers consider social, economic and political processes and global environmental changes, and seek solutions to major ecological and societal problems through an interdisciplinary and integrated approach to the study of human expectations and futures. Geography at Notre Dame provides a strong foundation in both physical and human geography and is a key discipline bridging the natural and social sciences. The study of Geography strongly compliments degree programs in Behavioural Science, Environmental Science, Politics, Sociology, History, Legal Studies, Communications and Education.
For more information on the Geography major click here.
Human Biology
Human Biology underpins some of the most topical, popular, and yet diverse subjects of our time; pandemics, stem cells, well-being, forensics, organic and GM foods, environmental toxicity, and the human genome, to name a few. Not surprisingly, Human Biology traditionally attracts students with a range of interests, but ultimately grows from our intrinsic curiosity with our own structure, functioning, health, origins and behaviour. Regardless of the initial motivation, a major in Human Biology at The University of Notre Dame Australia feeds such interest while guiding a student in a direction that can open doors to a range of career opportunities. By carefully customising their course around a major in Human Biology, graduates have the potential to enter fields that include health care, clinical support, research, forensics, environmental health, and further studies in the biomedical sciences.
For more information on the Human Biology major click here.
UNIT DESCRIPTIONS AND AVAILABILITY, 2009 - 2010
Some Science units are run on a two-year rotation cycle and are streamed into the five majors above: Behavioural Science; Biology; Environmental Science; Geography; and Human Biology.
To see what units are on offer when, please click here.
For a full list of all unit descriptions in Science and other School of Arts and Sciences disciplines, please click here.
DEGREE PLANNERS
To review the content of a Bachelor of Arts, Behavioural Science, Communications, Counselling or Science, or to download the official course planner for your degree, please click here.
INTERNSHIPS
Students of the Bachelor of Science must conduct an Internship as part of their degree. Offered in all Semesters, the Internship places the student on location with government or private industry. Students can expect to acquire helpful professional skills as part of the Internship, apply the learning they have so far gained in their discipline area at University, and develop personal and professional networks which may assist them in future employment.
Contact the Internships coordinator in your school for more information.
STUDY ABROAD
The Study Abroad program allows Notre Dame’s Behavioural Science students to spend one semester of their degree at an overseas university in North America, the United Kingdom, Europe or Asia while gaining full credit in their degree at home. Some students may be eligible for a Student Exchange Scholarship to help reduce the cost of airfares, accommodation and other expenses.
Science students may be particularly interested in spending a semester with one of our North American partners, Gonzaga University, University of San Francisco, Boston College or the Catholic University of America in Washington DC, or in the UK at St Mary’s University College Twickenham.
For more information please contact Notre Dame’s Study Abroad office.
EXPERIENCE THE WORLD
A variety of opportunities for extended scholarly and service learning exist for those students conducting a degree in Notre Dame’s School of Arts and Sciences. Participation in these programs can provide students with additional professional and life skills that will not only enrich their learning experience at University, but will make their degree more marketable and attractive on completion.
East Kimberley Community Immersion
Students of such Arts and Sciences degrees as Arts, Arts (Politics and Journalism), Behavioural Science, Communications, Counselling and Science may be eligible to participate in our East Kimberley immersion program. This unique and often life-changing educational experience sees small teams of students travel to remote communities of Australia’s north-west twice a year. In such towns as Wyndham and communities as Oombulgurri, Notre Dame students spend four weeks living and working with local young people in a project designed to achieve meaningful reconciliation and greater engagement between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australia.
This program is normally available as an elective within a degree program and may, on approval of the Dean, be eligible to be counted towards a major or minor.
This program is available to students of Fremantle, Sydney and Broome. For more information, please contact the School of Arts and Sciences in Fremantle.
Caritas Australia development program
We believe that university education should be about more than training for a profession. Rather, we want Notre Dame students to be ready to change the world.
Students of Arts and Sciences at Notre Dame are eligible to participate in an overseas program we conduct each year in partnership with the aid organisation, Caritas Australia. Teams of Notre Dame staff and students visit an overseas location such as Cambodia, Uganda or India. In an immersion experience of up to four weeks, the team explores the development work conducted by Caritas and studies, among other things, the intersection of poverty, development, politics and globalisation.
The Caritas program may be available as an elective within a degree program and may, on approval of the Dean, be counted towards a major or minor.
HONOURS
Students who have completed an Arts, Behavioural Science, Communications or Science degree, with at least a distinction average in their major, may be eligible to undertake a fourth year in the School’s Honours program.
Honours in Science provides a professional finish to your undergraduate degree and should make your educational qualifications more competitive in the industry in which you hope to building your career. Honours in Science also provides a direct pathway for higher degree research, including a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD).
Because of the unique nature of Notre Dame’s School of Arts and Sciences, students completing an Honours degree in Science have the opportunity to develop an inter-disciplinary research project which may combine their work in Science with such other disciplines as Politics or Behavioural Science.
Students completing an Honours program in Science will undertake a major research project under supervision, complete coursework in research methods, data analysis or a related area, participate in a regular interdisciplinary seminar series and contribute to a conference program regarding their research activities.
For further information on Honours please speak with any academic member of staff or contact the Honours coordinators in your School.
DOUBLE DEGREES
Science combines well with the study of other degrees at Notre Dame. A Bachelor of Science is often studied in combination with such professional degrees as Law, Education or Business.
Adding a Science major, or other Arts and Sciences discipline areas, to your professional degree will add to your graduate employment opportunities, increase your learning experience at university and provide you with enhanced writing and research skills.
POSTGRADUATE DEGREES
Science can be pursued through a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree at Notre Dame. Graduate students from other disciplines with an interest in Environmental Management or looking to change their career path may choose to study one of three postgraduate courses:
- Graduate Certificate in Environmental Management,
- Graduate Diploma in Environmental Management, or
- Master of Environmental Management.
These options of progressively longer duration allow student to select a course that meets their needs and timeframe.
For more information please contact your School or the University's Research Office.
