Inherent requirements of Environmental and Rural Science courses

Inherent requirements for undergraduate and postgraduate Environmental and Rural Science courses: animal science/ agriculture/ agrifood systems/ engineering technology/environmental science/ geoscience/ plant science/ rural science/ zoology

What are Inherent Requirements?

The University of New England aims to achieve an inclusive study environment that reflects the diversity of Australian society. The University’s School of Environmental and Rural Science (ERS) supports the right of all people who wish to undertake animal science/ agriculture/ agrifood systems/ engineering technology/ environmental science/ geoscience/ plant science/ rural science/ zoology courses to achieve their potential and pursue their career objectives.

The University is committed to working with students to make reasonable adjustments to teaching and learning, assessment, fieldwork (which may include remote sites), laboratory work, industrial experience, work placements and other activities to address the impact of students' disabilities or other factors on their ability to participate in and meet the requirements of their course. When making reasonable adjustments, the University will maintain the inherent academic and other requirements of its courses.

To support potential and current students' decision making, the University has developed inherent requirement statements for AQF compliant ERS courses. These statements specify the inherent requirements for progression to a completed degree.

Inherent Requirement Statements for ERS courses

These inherent requirement statements cover the following degrees:

Bachelor of Agriculture;
Bachelor of Agricultural Production and Management;
Bachelor of Animal Science;
Bachelor of Engineering Technology (professionally accredited course through Engineers Australia);
Bachelor of Environmental Science;
Bachelor of GeoScience;
Bachelor of Plant Science;
Bachelor of Rural Science;
Bachelor of Zoology;
Diploma in Agriculture
Graduate Certificate in Agriculture;
Graduate Certificate in Environmental Science;
Master of Environmental Science and Management;
Master of Science in Agriculture; and
the ERS component of the Bachelor of Agriculture/Bachelor of Business, Bachelor of Agriculture/Bachelor of Laws, and Bachelor of Environmental Science/Bachelor of Laws.

These courses require the acquisition of theoretical knowledge and practical skills requisite to the application of science to solve agricultural, animal, biological, botanical, ecological, engineering, environmental, geological, and/or zoological problems.

Some of the required activities in these courses involve fine and gross motor skills, particularly in laboratory and fieldwork situations. Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Animal Science, Bachelor of Agriculture and Bachelor of Engineering Technology courses are expected to undertake 12 weeks practical experience before graduation. Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Rural Science require 16 weeks practical experience before graduation. Students are required to undertake placement activities in diverse environments that reflect the Australian animal science/ agriculture/ engineering technology/ rural science context.

The inherent requirement statements should be read in conjunction with other course information and the academic requirements found in the Course Rules and Course Outcomes. All students are also required to comply with University rules, policies and by-laws.

To successfully complete their course, students must meet all inherent requirements, with appropriate supports and reasonable adjustments as necessary.

If you are a student with a disability, or if there are other factors that may impact upon your studies and ability to carry out the inherent requirements, you should discuss any concerns with the UNE Student Accessibility & Wellbeing Office in conjunction with the School of Environmental and Rural Science Academic Coordinator prior to enrolling in your course of study. These staff can work collaboratively with you to determine reasonable adjustments to assist you to meet the inherent requirements. If it is anticipated that the inherent requirements cannot be met with reasonable adjustments, you will not be prohibited from enrolment, but you may be unable to successfully complete your course. For this reason, University staff will provide guidance regarding other study options

Professionalism and Interpersonal Relations

Requirement	Work with others effectively, co-operatively, and in a professional manner in diverse and changing academic and practical experience settings.
Examples of Tasks	Manage uncertainties and adapt to change. Perform plant and animal dissections as required in a professional manner. Adhere to ethics policies for animal dissections. Participate in work health and safety briefings. Observe work health and safety requirements including appropriate dress. Receive and respond appropriately to constructive feedback. Work effectively in a team in all learning environments, including the classroom, laboratory, field (may include remote sites) and workplace settings.

Requirement

Work with others effectively, co-operatively, and in a professional manner in diverse and changing academic and practical experience settings.

Examples of Tasks

Manage uncertainties and adapt to change.

Perform plant and animal dissections as required in a professional manner.

Adhere to ethics policies for animal dissections.

Participate in work health and safety briefings.

Observe work health and safety requirements including appropriate dress.

Receive and respond appropriately to constructive feedback.

Work effectively in a team in all learning environments, including the classroom, laboratory, field (may include remote sites) and workplace settings.

Communication

Verbal

Requirement	Communicate effectively in spoken English.
Examples of Tasks	Understand and respond to verbal communication accurately, appropriately and in a timely manner. Provide clear and audible instructions relevant to the context of the situation. Provide timely and audible responses to classes and groups in all learning environments, including the classroom, laboratory, field (may include remote sites) and workplace settings.

Requirement

Communicate effectively in spoken English.

Examples of Tasks

Understand and respond to verbal communication accurately, appropriately and in a timely manner.

Provide clear and audible instructions relevant to the context of the situation.

Provide timely and audible responses to classes and groups in all learning environments, including the classroom, laboratory, field (may include remote sites) and workplace settings.

Non-Verbal

Requirement	Respond effectively to non-verbal communication.
Examples of Tasks	Recognise and respond appropriately to non-verbal cues in all learning environments, including the classroom, laboratory, field (may include remote sites), and workplace settings.

Written

Requirement	Communicate effectively in written English.
Examples of Tasks	Construct grammatically correct and meaningful sentences. Record information accurately and consistently in various formats, including handwritten and typed documents and spreadsheets.

Requirement

Communicate effectively in written English.

Examples of Tasks

Construct grammatically correct and meaningful sentences.

Record information accurately and consistently in various formats, including handwritten and typed documents and spreadsheets.

Cognition

Cognitive tasks

Requirement	Consistently and effectively use and apply cognitive skills.
Examples of Tasks	Effectively identify and locate appropriate and relevant information. Effectively conceptualise, integrate, process and implement knowledge and information. Appropriately apply policy and procedures in academic and work experience settings. Accurately recall information without reference. Perform repetitive activities with a high level of concentration until completion of the task. Understand another person’s perspective. Analyse and evaluate scientific results. Comprehend and integrate complex information.

Requirement

Consistently and effectively use and apply cognitive skills.

Examples of Tasks

Effectively identify and locate appropriate and relevant information.

Effectively conceptualise, integrate, process and implement knowledge and information.

Appropriately apply policy and procedures in academic and work experience settings.

Accurately recall information without reference.

Perform repetitive activities with a high level of concentration until completion of the task.

Understand another person’s perspective.

Analyse and evaluate scientific results.

Comprehend and integrate complex information.

Literacy tasks

Requirement	Consistently and effectively use and apply literacy skills.
Examples of Tasks	Read and understand a range of literature and information, including handwritten and typed documents, spreadsheets and graphs. Integrate and summarise information in a meaningful manner. Produce accurate, concise and clear documents.

Requirement

Consistently and effectively use and apply literacy skills.

Examples of Tasks

Read and understand a range of literature and information, including handwritten and typed documents, spreadsheets and graphs.

Integrate and summarise information in a meaningful manner.

Produce accurate, concise and clear documents.

Numeracy tasks

Requirement	Consistently and effectively use and apply numeracy skills.
Examples of Tasks	Perform accurate calculations. Accurately interpret data. Correctly apply data, measurements and numerical criteria.

Requirement

Consistently and effectively use and apply numeracy skills.

Examples of Tasks

Perform accurate calculations.

Accurately interpret data.

Correctly apply data, measurements and numerical criteria.

Observation/sensory

Auditory

Requirement	Safely and effectively complete practices and tasks with auditory components.
Examples of Tasks	Accurately record information delivered verbally. Listen to and record bird and frog calls. Use instruments such as a Geiger counter, electronic distance devices and velocity meters. Participate in and understand work, health and safety briefings. Observe alarms, warnings and directions (for example, related to industrial or construction activities) to ensure the safety of yourself and others during laboratory work, work placements and field trips.

Requirement

Safely and effectively complete practices and tasks with auditory components.

Examples of Tasks

Accurately record information delivered verbally.

Listen to and record bird and frog calls.

Use instruments such as a Geiger counter, electronic distance devices and velocity meters.

Participate in and understand work, health and safety briefings.

Observe alarms, warnings and directions (for example, related to industrial or construction activities) to ensure the safety of yourself and others during laboratory work, work placements and field trips.

Visual

Requirement	Safely and effectively complete practices and tasks with visual components.
Examples of Tasks	Make observations and accurately take measurements using instrumentation such as microscopes and compasses. Observe and detect subtle differences and changes in the physical environment, such as flora, fauna, water, atmosphere, soils geology and the built environment. Create and interpret representations of data including graphs and tables. Observe and detect subtle differences and changes in colours, including interpreting aerial photographs and analysing biological and geological samples. Observe alarms, warnings and directions (for example, related to industrial or construction activities) to ensure the safety of yourself and others during laboratory work, work placements and field trips.

Requirement

Safely and effectively complete practices and tasks with visual components.

Examples of Tasks

Make observations and accurately take measurements using instrumentation such as microscopes and compasses.

Observe and detect subtle differences and changes in the physical environment, such as flora, fauna, water, atmosphere, soils geology and the built environment.

Create and interpret representations of data including graphs and tables.

Observe and detect subtle differences and changes in colours, including interpreting aerial photographs and analysing biological and geological samples.

Physical

Gross motor tasks

Requirement	Safely and effectively complete practical and assessment tasks that involve gross motor skills.
Examples of Tasks	Physically manipulate material, systems and processes, including mixing concrete, sieving soil, and collecting and transporting samples of flora, fauna, water, gas, soil and rocks. Transport and operate field and laboratory equipment during the data collection phase of assessments and projects in all learning environments. Travel to and participate in practical exercises, excursions and treks at off campus locations within reasonable timeframes (with regard to health and safety considerations), including those over uneven ground.

Requirement

Safely and effectively complete practical and assessment tasks that involve gross motor skills.

Examples of Tasks

Physically manipulate material, systems and processes, including mixing concrete, sieving soil, and collecting and transporting samples of flora, fauna, water, gas, soil and rocks.

Transport and operate field and laboratory equipment during the data collection phase of assessments and projects in all learning environments.

Travel to and participate in practical exercises, excursions and treks at off campus locations within reasonable timeframes (with regard to health and safety considerations), including those over uneven ground.

Fine motor tasks

Requirement	Safely and effectively complete practical and assessment tasks that involve fine motor skills
Examples of Tasks	Manipulate instruments and equipment in tests and measurements. Use knobs and dials in equipment used for laboratory and field data collection and analysis. Use computer equipment. Perform plant, vertebrate and invertebrate dissections as required. Create plant and invertebrate collections. Manipulate objects to determine physical properties.

Requirement

Safely and effectively complete practical and assessment tasks that involve fine motor skills

Examples of Tasks

Manipulate instruments and equipment in tests and measurements.

Use knobs and dials in equipment used for laboratory and field data collection and analysis.

Use computer equipment.

Perform plant, vertebrate and invertebrate dissections as required.

Create plant and invertebrate collections.

Manipulate objects to determine physical properties.

*The University of New England Inherent Requirement Statements for Environmental and Rural Science courses are developed from: University of Sydney Inherent Requirements for Pharmacy Courses and UWS Inherent Requirements - Engineering.

Inherent Requirements http://www.uws.edu.au/ir
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