School Of Science And HealthScience, Technology and Environment Honours ProjectWestern Sydney University Unit Code: 300412.3
Discipline: BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
Student Contribution Band: 2
Level: 5
Credit Points: 60
Assumed Knowledge
Successful completion of a Bachelors degree in a science discipline. Normally the student will have achieved a grade point average of greater than 5.0 in Level 2 and 3 units.
Unit Enrolment Restrictions
Students must be enrolled in a postgraduate or honours course.
About this Unit
The aim of this unit is to further develop the student's research and problem solving skills. The student is required to implement a research plan, complete a substantive piece of research in a relevant field within Science, Technology and the Environment and to communicate the results of that work to an interested and technically literate audience. Students will present their research as a thesis with a substantial chapter detailing research objectives, methodology and research outcomes. The thesis topic and structure will vary according to the area of interest of the student and the expertise of the supervisor. The project is meant to be a significant undertaking and to incorporate some element of innovation. Throughout this unit regular planned consultations between the student and supervisor(s) will occur and students will be required to attend seminar series or regular research meetings; these may be formal components of other units within the Bachelor (Honours) course. Students are expected to work to a schedule devised in consultation with their supervisor. The schedule will include dates set for progress reports and the presentation of draft chapters for review by the supervisor. The unit builds upon the skills developed in the undergraduate course, extending students' competencies in a range of practical techniques and processes of critical thinking. Students who successfully complete the Honours program will have achieved the appropriate background to enable them to pursue further postgraduate research and/or coursework in the sciences or pursue a career in industry or profession.