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Engineering, Mathematics and Science
140
Course content
Teaching is by lectures, seminars, tutorials and laboratory
classes, so you will become familiar with laboratory practice
and the methodology of scientific research from the first year.
Smaller seminar classes and group tutorials mean that you
will also be able to discuss course work with lecturers and other
students in a friendly and informal atmosphere. Tutorials are
given at both basic and advanced levels to explain, expand and
support the material presented in lectures. Science students
typically average 24 class contact hours per week.
TR071 Science at a glance
Junior Freshman (first year)
Students choose subjects from the following to a total of 60 credits. The suggested combinations of subjects are shown in Patterns
1-4, on page 141.
Biology; Chemistry; Geography; Geology; Mathematics; Mathematical methods; Physics; Foundation physics for the life and earth
sciences. Students must be aware that their choice of Junior Freshman subjects can affect their choice of moderatorship (3rd and
4th year specialisation), see pages 143-159 for further details.
Mathematics can also be studied as a single honor subject see page 164.
Mathematics (20 credits)
This course teaches mathematics as
a full subject and provides a basic
mathematical training suitable for all
branches of science.
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Calculus
n
Partial derivatives
n
Linear algebra
n
Differential equations
n
Computing
n
Probability and statistics
Biology
Broad-based training in the fundamentals
of modern biology.
Topics include:
Biology 1101 (10 credits)
n
Introduction to molecular and cellular
biology
n
Genetics
n
Developmental biology
n
Microbiology
Biology 1102 (10 credits)
n
Plant and animal biology
n
Ecology
Biology 1101 is a prerequisite
for Biology 1102
Geography 1021 (10 credits)
n
Climate change
n
Global atmospheric
and oceanic systems
n
Global geoecology
n
Global geosystems
n
Surface processes and
landscape development
Geography 1022 (10 credits)
n
Conservation
n
Environmental degradation
n
Environmental hazards
Geology 1101 (10 credits)
n
Geology topics include:
n
Earth in space: Earth as a dynamic
physical system
n
The living planet: History of life on
Earth and interaction of the physical,
chemical and biological systems
n
A delicate balance: Living with natural
hazards and Earth’s resources
Mathematical methods (10 credits)
A short foundation course in mathematics
and computing for first-year students not
taking mathematics as a full subject. This
is a less detailed course that will introduce
you to the principles and rules governing
scientific investigation. Students who
take this course may not take one of
the physics degree options in 3rd and
4th years.
Topics include:
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Introduction to computing
n
Functions, graphs, derivatives,
maxima and minima
n
Integration
n
Matrices, linear equations
n
Differential equations
Chemistry
The course provides a general
introduction to the fundamentals of
modern chemistry, and forms the basis
for further studies, both in chemistry
and in other sciences.
Chemistry CH1101 (10 credits)
n
General and physical chemistry
n
Introduction to the fundamentals of
chemistry
n
The Periodic Table and stoichiometry
n
Atomic structure and principles of
bonding
n
Electrochemistry, acids and bases
n
The solid-state, gas laws,
thermodynamics, equilibria and
kinetics
Physics (20 credits)
Previous knowledge of physics is not
required for this course.
Topics include:
n
The physics of motion
n
The material world
n
Hearing and seeing
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Electromagnetic interactions
n
Origins of modern physics
n
Exploring the universe