Background

Broad-field programs are those programs such as the Bachelor of Science that require the completion of major(s) and minor(s) to complete the requirements of the degree.

General requirements

1. Students must complete at least one 48 unit major and one 24 unit minor or specialization.
2. A maximum of 60 units may come from completion of 1000-level courses
3. A minimum of 30 units must come from completion of 3000-level courses from the Science course list
4. A minimum of 96 units must come from completion of courses from the Science course list

Standard requirements of majors and minors

1. All majors and minors will have specified, distinctive learning goals.
2. Each major and minor will have a nominated academic coordinator who students can contact for academic advice.
3. Majors will require at least 18 units of 3000 level courses and no more than 12 units of 1000 level courses.
4. Students can count 1000 level courses towards more than one major. Later year courses cannot be “double counted” in majors or minors.
5. A course can be listed in more than one major or minor.
6. All prerequisites required to complete majors will be explicitly mapped out for students and will be listed on Programs and Courses and any other published description of the major.
7. First year course offerings will be constructed to increase possible subsequent pathways for students.

Specialisations

1. The term “specialisation” is used for minors constrained to later year levels, that extend a core disciplinary major.

Corequisite Minor

1. For some majors a co-requisite minor has been developed, the minor should include all pre-requisite courses for the major. For most majors the Foundational Science minor can be used. The Foundational Science minor requires the completion of 24 units of 1000 or 2000 level courses from the Science course list as defined by the co-requisite major. Where the major defines less than 24 units of courses, the remaining units of the minor can be made up of other 1000 or 2000 level courses from the Science course list.

Exceptions to the standard requirements of majors

The requirement of majors to have a minimum of 18 units of 3000 coded courses is to facilitate:

• Depth of learning in a discipline; and
• Students being able to meet the 30 unit 3000 coded course requirement.

Exceptions to this requirement will be considered on a case-case basis when a discipline presents a different structure based on:

• Arguments that a broad major containing more 2000 coded courses is more pedagogically appropriate.
• The major having at a minimum 12 units of 3000 coded courses.
• Curriculum mapping demonstrating how students (including students in Flexible Double Degrees) will still be able to meet the general requirements of their program.
• The description of the major on Programs and Courses, and any other published description of the major, must include the statement:

“This major requires at a minimum the completion of only 12 units of 3000 coded courses. Students should be aware that completion of a science undergraduate degree requires completion of a minimum of 30 units of 3000 coded courses and plan their program of study to meet this requirement within the standard duration of the program.”

The requirement of majors to have a maximum of 12 units of 1000 coded courses is to facilitate possible subsequent pathways for students. Exceptions to this requirement will be considered on a case-case basis when a discipline presents a different structure based on:

• Arguments that 18 units of 1000 coded courses is more pedagogically appropriate.
• There being no “hidden” 1000 coded pre-requisites within the discipline, and the major does not require a co-requisite minor.
• Only 6 units of 1000 coded courses are scheduled in first semester to facilitate broad discipline choice for most students at commencement of their programs.