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Domestic Students

Former or current domestic UNE students apply to study on or off campus direct to UNE

International Students

Admission to Candidature

1. A candidate shall:
(a) have fulfilled all of the requirements for admission to the degree of Bachelor of Science in the University; or
(b) have fulfilled all of the requirements for admission to a degree or other qualification acceptable to the school as sufficient qualification for admission to candidature.

2. Admission to candidature and the date of commencement of candidature shall be determined by the school on the recommendation of the relevant postgraduate course coordinator.

Advanced Standing

Advanced standing is not granted for units taken to meet course admission requirements (except for an approved articulation in the course).

The maximum advanced standing shall be for units counting 24 credit points which are deemed to be equivalent to units offered by the University and approved for the course comprising:
(a) 24 credit points for units completed towards an awarded Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma in a relevant area offered by the University; or
(b) 24 credit points for units completed from another institution and not counted towards an awarded qualification; or
(c) 12 credit points for units completed towards an awarded qualification from another University; or
(d) 6 credit points on the basis of considerable professional experience.

Advanced standing shall not be granted for SCI695.

Period of Candidature

The period of candidature shall be:
(a) 1.5 years as a full-time candidate;
(b) up to five years as a part-time candidate.

In exceptional circumstances and on the recommendation of the candidate's supervisor, the period of candidature may be extended.

Course Requirements

1. Each candidate shall complete a program of study approved by the school and pass such examinations as shall be prescribed.

2. To qualify for the award a candidate must:
(a) pass units to the value of 72 credit points with at least 48 credit points at 500 level or above; or
(b) pass units to the value of 72 credit points with at least 48 credit points at 500 level or above, from those listed in one of the approved course work programs.

3. All units for the degree must be at 300 level or higher.

4. The units SCI501 and SCI502 may be included in the program of study and, if included, shall be additional to the 500 level units prescribed in 2(a) and 2(b).

5. Approval may be granted for a candidate to include a thesis, SCI695, in the program of study. The thesis topic must be approved in advance by the postgraduate course coordinator on the recommendation of the head of the supervising school, who will also appoint a supervisor for the thesis. The thesis may take the form of a design or a field or laboratory investigation or other research. Depending upon the candidate's academic and professional background and the nature of the research thesis, the school may permit the candidate to undertake part or all of the thesis away from the University.

6. In special circumstances and with the approval of the postgraduate co-ordinator other units available from subjects offered within the university may be substituted for one or more of the units approved for the Master subject to Rules 2, 3, 4 and 5.

Program of Study

Candidates shall complete an approved program of study as outlined in the Course Schedule comprising:

Approved Course Work Programs

Biotechnology
Biomedical Science
Botany
Chemistry
Ecology
Health
Mathematics and Statistics
Physics
Zoology

Award of Degree

Candidates who meet the course requirements shall be awarded the Master of Scientific Studies. The school may prescribe programs by which the degree shall be named on the testamur and transcript.

Exit Pathways

Candidates who discontinue their studies in the course may be eligible to exit with the Graduate Certificate in Science on completion of 24 credit points.
Candidates who discontinue their studies in the course may be eligible to exit with the Graduate Diploma in Science on completion of 48 credit points.

Thesis

The supervisor shall report to the school on the progress of the candidate's work after two semesters from the date of enrolment and at any other time considered expedient.

Submission of Thesis

1. The thesis shall be written concisely in English and, except with the special permission of the school in exceptional circumstances, shall not exceed 20 000 words, exclusive of tables, plates, figures and appendices. A successful thesis shall show capacity on the part of the candidate for independence of thought and critical evaluation of the candidate's own and published work in his or her field of study. The candidate shall state generally in the preface and specifically throughout the thesis the source of his or her information and the extent to which he or she has used the work of others. The candidate may not present as the thesis any work that has been the basis of the award of a degree of this University or other institution but is not precluded from incorporating such work in the thesis provided that, in presenting the thesis, the candidate indicates the part of the work that has been so incorporated.

2. The candidate shall submit to the School's Academic Coordinator's office, two copies of the thesis bound in a form approved by the School. The candidate shall submit with the thesis a statement from his or her supervisor certifying that the thesis is in a form suitable for examination.

Examination of Thesis

1. On the recommendation of the supervisor or supervisors, the school Teaching and Learning Committee will appoint two examiners, at least one will be external to the University. Examiners will be sent the relevant degree information.

2. The examiners' reports on the thesis will be considered by the committee which will recommend:
(a) that SCI695 be awarded an SR (Satisfied Requirements); or
(b) that SCI695 be awarded an SR subject to the candidate making amendments to the thesis as specified by the examiners and to the satisfaction of the supervisor(s); or
(c) that SCI695 be failed (N).

3. Before making a recommendation in terms of 2. above, the committee may:
(a) request the examiners to consult and report to the committee; or
(b) permit the candidate to revise the thesis for re-examination if, in the opinion of the committee, the work is of sufficient merit to warrant this concession.

4. A candidate permitted to revise the thesis in terms of 3.(b) will do so within a period of time and under conditions determined by the committee. A candidate who has revised a thesis in terms of 3.(b) and who fails the re-examination will not be eligible for further examination.

Appeals

Candidates are referred to the University Policy on Appeals.

Improper Conduct

Candidates are referred to the University Policy on Plagiarism and Academic Misconduct.