DEGREE PLANNING

The actual requirements for your degree vary, depending on whether you are enrolled into the Bachelor of Science, the Bachelor of Advanced Science, or one of the many combined degrees available at UNSW.

It is your responsibility to make sure that the courses you are studying will count towards your degree. If you are in any doubt, check when you are enrolling! The program outlines are available in the Online Handbook. The Physics Friend and the Science Student Office in the Robert Webster Building can help to check your program.

If you are enrolled in the Bachelor of Science (Advanced Science) programs you will have a significant number of compulsory courses in your study plan as well as electives. There are four study plans taught by the School of Physics: Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Physics with Computing; and Mathematical Physics.

If you are enrolled in a Bachelor of Science degree (program 3970) you must complete at least one major as part of the requirements for your degree. Physics is available as either a major or a minor. You can also choose to include just a few physics courses as electives in your degree. A major or minor in physics can also be studied in the Bachelor of Science (Communications) or Bachelor of Science (Media and Communications) degrees (programs 3993 and 3994).

Physics can be studied as part of a combined Science degree with Engineering, Arts, Law, Education or Commerce. All of these programs require at least the completion of a major in physics. However, different degree programs have different requirements about how many units of credit of Science you must include in your program and how the combined program is structured. Some programs will also allow you to take Advanced Science combined with another degree, or to include an Honours year in physics.

Don’t forget the general education and Table X requirements for your degree. There are rules concerning which courses you may and may not count as general education. If in doubt, check with the Science Student Office (ground floor, Robert Webster Building, email sso@unsw.edu.au)

It is occasionally possible for students to gain permission to substitute a different course for one of the core courses in their degree program. If you are thinking of doing this you should contact the Physics Friend or the Undergraduate Director. Some of the reasons for allowing substitution include a core course not being offered, allowing students who have completed in Science Olympiads to accelerate their degree, or to allow students to include a particular course in their degree which complements their research interests.

Links:
Online Handbook
Faculty of Science
Forms