BP229 - Bachelor of Science

Plan: BP229BISC - Bachelor of Science (Biological Sciences)
Campus: City Campus

Program delivery and structure

Approach to learning and assessment
Work integrated learning
Program structure
Program transition plan

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Approach to learning and assessment

You will experience a wide range of learning environments – lectures, tutorials, online delivery, laboratory practicals, field work and individual and group work. Lectures, tutorials and seminars are used extensively in the program to communicate knowledge and ideas about the role of Biological and Applied Science in society.

Of particular importance is the high proportion of time you will spend in the laboratory undertaking projects and in doing field work; these activities will emphasise developing practical skills and capabilities, developing teamwork and time-management skills and provide context for your learning process.

You are expected to participate in face-to-face activities including lectures, demonstrations, labs, field trips and tutorials. Information given in these activities may not be available otherwise and will most likely impact on your success in the program.

Several courses in the program are delivered online, rather than on-campus, and you are likely to find that other courses transition to online delivery as you progress through the program. All courses use CANVAS for electronic provision of course material, tutorial problems and/or other relevant documents.

You will be assessed by a variety of methods, as appropriate to the material being taught, the skills being acquired and the capabilities developed. Formative and summative assessment tasks are undertaken throughout courses in the program. 

Formative assessment provides you with an opportunity to obtain immediate evidence of your learning. Its purpose is to improve the quality of your learning; classroom quizzes and laboratory assessment are the most common formative assessment techniques. In-class discussions, revision problems and past exam papers are available for you to gauge your understanding of the lecture material.

Course goals and objectives reflect the cumulative nature of the learning process and summative assessment, usually at the end of the course, is used to ensure you have met these course aims. Tests, assignments, oral and written presentations, laboratory and field trip reports and project reports are used as part of, and as a measure of, your learning.

Inherent requirements

The following information on inherent requirements outlines the tasks you will be required to undertake during professional placement and on-campus learning activities. The non-academic abilities listed are provided for information only and are not entry requirements.

If there are any activities outlined which may be difficult for you to undertake, there are a range of adjustments to your study conditions available to enable and support you to demonstrate these abilities. Please contact the Equitable Learning Service to discuss any adjustments you may require.

Please read the full list of the Bachelor of Science inherent requirements.

By understanding the types of activities you’ll participate in, you can:

• understand more about the program
• determine if you may need support during your studies
• make an informed decision about whether the program is suitable for you

If you are living with disability, long-term illness and/or a mental health condition, we can support you by making adjustments to activities in your program so that you can participate fully in your studies. To receive learning adjustments, you need to register with Equitable Learning Service.

If you have already developed areas of skill and knowledge included in this program (for example, through prior studies or work experience), you can apply for credit once you have enrolled in this program. There is information on the RMIT University website about how to apply for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL): https://www.rmit.edu.au/students/student-essentials/enrolment/apply-for-credit.

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Work integrated learning

RMIT University is committed to providing you with an education that strongly links formal learning with professional or vocational practice. As a student enrolled in this RMIT University program you will:

• undertake and be assessed on structured activities that allow you to learn, apply and demonstrate your professional or vocational practice;
• interact with industry and community when undertaking these activities;
• complete these activities in real work contexts or situations; and
• these interactions and the work context provide a distinctive source of feedback to you to assist your learning.

Any or all of these aspects of a WIL capstone experience may be in a simulated workplace environment.

All science students will undertake ONPS2186 Science Project 1 and ONPS2335 The Professional Scientist, where you will have the opportunity to learn, apply and demonstrate professional science practice. In these courses you will work individually or in a team on projects under guidance of a professional scientist (usually an academic "mentor").  The projects undertaken are often linked directly with an active research group within the School or are derived from problems and casework initiated through industrial links with School staff. In addition to the project component, you may be expected to attend scheduled classes where additional supportive content is delivered.

Other WIL activities will depend on specific courses you take but all students are expected to undertake courses containing advanced laboratory work in years two and three of the program. In these courses you will be exposed to techniques and practices commonly used in science based industries. Often such laboratory work is undertaken as group or team exercises and you will be expected to take more than one role in the team at different times to expand your experience and capabilities.

The School of Science also offers some option courses that take students in the field for complementary work integrated learning.

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Program Structure

To graduate you must complete the following: All courses listed may not be available each semester
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Year One of Program
Complete the following Eight (8) Courses:
Course Title Credit Points Course Code Campus Data for a Scientific World 12 ONPS2700 City Campus The World of Life Sciences 12 ONPS2699 City Campus Physical Sciences in Action 12 ONPS2701 City Campus A Mathematical Toolbox for Scientists 12 MATH2443 City Campus Foundations of Artificial Intelligence for STEM 12 COSC2960 City Campus STEM for Sustainable Development 12 ONPS2702 City Campus Introduction to Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics 12 BIOL2256 City Campus Animal Structure and Function 12 BIOL2258 City Campus
AND
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Year Two of Program
Complete the following Seven (7) Courses:
Course Title Credit Points Course Code Campus Animal Diversity 12 BIOL2151 City Campus Plant Structure and Function 12 BIOL2156 City Campus Microbiology 12 BIOL2158 City Campus Plant Diversity 12 BIOL2270 City Campus Ecology 12 ENVI1009 City Campus Genetics and Molecular Biology 12 BIOL2262 City Campus Biological Chemistry 12 BIOL2260 City Campus
AND
{
Complete the following One (1) course from the Biotechnology Minor:
Course Title Credit Points Course Code Campus Bioinformatics 12 BIOL2254 City Campus
OR
Select and complete One (1) Course from any:
University Elective
}
AND
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Year Three of Program
Complete the following Six (6) Courses:
Course Title Credit Points Course Code Campus The Professional Scientist 12 ONPS2335 City Campus Marine Biology 12 BIOL2255 City Campus Environmental Biotechnology 12 BIOL2324 City Campus Applied Science Project 12 ONPS2186 City Campus Ecotoxicology 12 BIOL2162 City Campus Cell and Tissue Culture 12 BIOL2264 City Campus
AND
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Year Three Options
Complete the following Two (2) Courses from the Biotechnology Minor:
Course Title Credit Points Course Code Campus Protein Technologies 12 BIOL2412 City Campus
OR
{
Select and complete One (1) of the following Science Option Courses:
Course Title Credit Points Course Code Campus Chemistry of Materials 1 12 CHEM1030 City Campus Analytical Science 12 CHEM1257 City Campus Chemistry of Materials 2 12 CHEM1031 City Campus Concepts in Chemistry 12 CHEM1039 City Campus Further Concepts in Chemistry 12 CHEM1040 City Campus Chemistry Laboratory 12 CHEM1041 City Campus Chemistry Principles 12 CHEM1242 City Campus Analytical Techniques 12 CHEM1053 City Campus Instrumental and Environmental Analysis 12 CHEM1054 City Campus Advanced Topics in Chemistry 12 CHEM1068 City Campus Chemistry for Food and Life Science 12 CHEM1239 City Campus The Atmosphere 12 ENVI1011 City Campus Environmental Sampling and Analysis 12 ENVI1145 City Campus Calculus and Analysis 1 12 MATH1142 City Campus Vectors and Calculus 12 MATH1144 City Campus Proteins in Food Science 12 ONPS2140 City Campus Food Microbiology 12 ONPS2113 City Campus Food Manufacture 12 ONPS2138 City Campus Human Sensory Evaluation 12 ONPS2189 City Campus Product Development 12 ONPS1113 City Campus Food Safety and Quality Assurance 12 ONPS2054 City Campus Grain Technology 12 ONPS1106 City Campus Dairy Science and Technology 12 ONPS1104 City Campus Food Manufacturing: Plant Products 12 ONPS2146 City Campus Modern Physics 12 PHYS2123 City Campus Mechanics 12 PHYS2122 City Campus Thermodynamics and Electromagnetism 12 PHYS2127 City Campus Physics for Leaders 12 PHYS2124 City Campus Solid State Physics 12 PHYS2068 City Campus Materials Physics 12 PHYS2179 City Campus Optics & Photonics 12 PHYS2180 City Campus Quantum Physics 12 PHYS2175 City Campus Electrodynamics and Relativity 12 PHYS2181 City Campus Radiation & Nuclear Physics 12 PHYS2176 City Campus Thermal & Statistical Physics 12 PHYS2177 City Campus Statistics and Epidemiology 12 MATH2170 City Campus
AND
Select and Complete One (1) course from any:
University Elective
}
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Program transition plan

Very Important: This plan is being phased out. 
  
BP229BISC Bachelor of Science (Biological Sciences) plan has been discontinued and will no longer accept new students after Semester 2 2022. The plan will be taught out to current students until semester 2, 2026. If you are unable to complete your program by the end of 2026, you may consider applying to other programs within RMIT subject to entrance requirements. You may also consider applying to the new program: 

BP350  Bachelor of Science
  
For more information and advice on your enrolment, please contact your program manager, Jeff Shimeta (jeff.shimeta@rmit.edu.au).

From Semester 1 2022

The courses in the first year of this structure have changed from Semester 1 2022 and includes 6 new courses.

If you have successfully completed any of the replaced courses prior to the commencement of Semester 1 2022 they will continue to count towards the successful completion of your program.

If you commenced study prior to Semester 1 2022 and did not complete all first year courses please see the table below for equivalence or where there is no equivalence, please contact your program manager for enrolment advice:

Pre-2022 Course	Replacement course from Sem 1 2022
BIOL1159 BIOL2146	Cell Structure and Function	ONPS2699	The World of Life Sciences
MATH2123	Mathematics and Statistics	MATH2443	A Mathematical Toolbox for Scientists

The following table shows courses that will be replaced from Semester 1 2022, and is for program transition purposes only and does not necessarily map course equivalencies.

Pre-2022 Course	New courses from Sem 1 2022	If you have not completed a course from the first 2 columns please speak to your program manager for enrolment advice.
ONPS2334	Scientific Skills and Communication	ONPS2700	Data for a Scientific World
CHEM1030   CHEM1242	Chemistry of Materials 1 OR Chemistry Principles	ONPS2701	Physical Sciences in Action
PHYS2122   PHYS2124	Mechanics OR Physics for Leaders	COSC2960	Foundations of Artificial Intelligence for STEM
	Science option course	ONPS2702	STEM for Sustainable Development

2016

Students in the generic BP229P7 plan, but interested in Biological Sciences, may choose to change plans to the Bachelor of Science (Biological Sciences), BP229BISC.

In 2016, two courses have been added to the core of the program. If you are entering year two, you will be expected to follow the revised program. If you are entering year three you may continue with the original program. No student will be disadvantaged by the changes to the program.

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