Course Title: The Professional Scientist

Part A: Course Overview

Course Title: The Professional Scientist

Credit Points: 12.00

Terms

Course Code

Campus

Career

School

Learning Mode

Teaching Period(s)

ONPS2335

City Campus

Undergraduate

135H Applied Sciences

Face-to-Face

Sem 1 2006,
Sem 2 2006,
Sem 1 2007,
Sem 1 2008,
Sem 1 2009,
Sem 1 2011,
Sem 1 2012,
Sem 1 2015,
Sem 1 2016

ONPS2335

City Campus

Undergraduate

135H Applied Sciences

Internet

Sem 2 2016

ONPS2335

City Campus

Undergraduate

171H School of Science

Face-to-Face

Sem 1 2017,
Sem 1 2018,
Sem 2 2018,
Sem 1 2019,
Sem 2 2019,
Sem 1 2020,
Sem 2 2020,
Sem 1 2021,
Sem 1 2022,
Sem 1 2023

ONPS2335

City Campus

Undergraduate

171H School of Science

Internet

Sem 2 2017

ONPS2506

Open Learning Australia

Non Award

171H School of Science

Internet

OUASP3UG17,
OUASP3UG20

Course Coordinator: Philipp Reineck

Course Coordinator Phone: -

Course Coordinator Email: philipp.reineck@rmit.edu.au


Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities

Assumed Knowledge

This is a capstone work integrated learning (WIL) course. You will be in the final year of your Science program, having completed at least the first four semesters of your Science program or an equivalent program, or having provided evidence of equivalent capabilities


Course Description

This is a simulated Work Integrated Learning course which prepares you for employment through a combination of:

  • Opportunities to develop your resume and job interview skills.
  • Lectures on topics important to the professional scientist, such as working in teams, legal and ethical aspects of science, cultural awareness, and risk management.
  • Working in teams to develop a mock research proposal on a topic of interest to industry or government.
  • Presenting your work at a virtual conference where you will engage with fellow students and academic staff.

The skills and knowledge that you gain will be used throughout your career. This course is taken in the final year of an undergraduate program and provides an introduction to those areas of professional practice not generally covered within your technical program.

Our course motto is: "Employability; Professionalism; Development". The course provides the broad, transferable, and practical skills and learning outcomes that the market demands and are appropriate for enhancing employability in any organisation for science graduates


Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development

This course contributes to the Program Learning Outcomes of BP229 - Bachelor of Science: 

PLO-3 Inquiry and Problem Solving
PLO-3.1 You will be able to plan and carry out a research project under supervision, showing the development of some capacity for independent work.
PLO-3.2 You will be able to gather, critically review and synthesise information relevant to a scientific inquiry or research project.
PLO-3.4 You will demonstrate well-developed problem solving skills, applying your knowledge and using your ability to think analytically and creatively. 

PLO-4 Communication
PLO-4.1 You will be able to communicate the solution to a problem or the results of a scientific investigation using effective oral, written and presentation skills.
PLO-4.2 You will be able to communicate the solution to a problem or the results of a scientific investigation using appropriate terminology for the intended audience. 

PLO-5 Personal and professional responsibility
PLO-5.1 You will develop a capacity for independent and self-directed work.
PLO-5.3 You will work responsibly, safely and ethically.
PLO-5.4 You will develop an ability to work collaboratively. 


Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:  

  1. Represent your personal achievements in a job application and resume
  2. Engage in problem solving activities
  3. Critically review information relevant to your discipline and project topic and communicate about the relevance of this information to your topic
  4. Contribute to the process of developing a research proposal and recognise the value of working in teams
  5. Recognise the risk to ethical, legal and social impacts of your research
  6. Communicate in visual and written form about your research topic


Overview of Learning Activities

You will be actively engaged in a range of learning activities such as lectorials, tutorials, practicals, laboratories, seminars, project work, class discussion, individual and group activities. Delivery may be face to face, online or a mix of both.

You are encouraged to be proactive and self-directed in your learning, asking questions of your lecturer and/or peers and seeking out information as required, especially from the numerous sources available through the RMIT library, and through links and material specific to this course that is available through myRMIT Studies Course.


Overview of Learning Resources

RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through myRMIT Studies Course.

There are services available to support your learning through the University Library. The Library provides guides on academic referencing and subject specialist help as well as a range of study support services. For further information, please visit the Library page on the RMIT University website and the myRMIT student portal.


Overview of Assessment

Assessment Tasks

Assessment Task 1: Job Application and Interview
Weighting 20%
This assessment task supports CLO 1   

Assessment Task 2: Scoping Report
Weighting 30%
This assessment task supports CLOs 2 & 3   

Assessment Task 3: Group Research Proposal
Weighting 30%
This assessment task supports CLOs 4, 5 & 6   

Assessment Task 4: Group Research Poster and Presentation
Weighting 20%
This assessment task supports CLOs 4 & 6 

If you have a long-term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program coordinator or Equitable Learning Services if you would like to find out more.