Rivers,
ocean beaches, mountains and National Park forests encircle the city
and, weaving their way right through the heart of the city itself, are
the serpentine waterways of the spectacular Sydney Harbour.
This perfect blend of civilisation and nature give Sydney its unique character. It's a city where people pursue their careers and cultural interests with a passion, but routinely step back from it all to draw upon the environment as a source of relaxation, inspiration and adventure. For a student, indeed for anyone involved in academic life, this balance pays big dividends. When you stand upon the honey-comb sandstone sea-cliffs that embroider the city's eastern edge, with the salt-spray in your face, and the Pacific Ocean crashing fifty metres below, everything always seems suddenly to just fall into place.
For anyone at the University of New South Wales, such an experience can occur on a daily basis: those cliffs are only two kilometres away, and nestled in amongst them are some of Sydney's most famous bay beaches: Bondi, Bronte, Coogee, and Tamarama. For some of us in the School of Biology at UNSW, our journeys to the ocean are not purely just for fun or contemplative catch-ups: we have one of the best Marine Science programs in Australia. Our undergraduate students don't just study ocean life, they become part of it. And our Honours and Post-graduate students daily add to our understanding of the intricacies of existence for Australian marine dwellers.
A
focus on the unique lifestyles, adaptations and problems of Australian
fauna and flora is one of the main themes of teaching and research in
the School of Biology. As well as the ocean, we take advantage of our
ready access to the many National Parks to the north, south and west:
the closest is only fifteen minutes away and as a student you can get
to know it like the back of your hand. Or if you thirst for more remote
contacts with nature our courses and research projects can take you
to one of our distant field stations: you can mingle with the kangaroos
in the outback, on the salt-bush plains of Fowler's Gap Arid Zone Research
Station; or study the rich web of invertebrate life in Smith Lake, near
the magnificent Seal Rocks. Individual staff have contacts who can put
research students into any environment they desire: from studying algae
in Antarctica, to unravelling the genealogies of West Australian dolphins,
or even to Christmas Island, a tiny speck in the Indian Ocean where
you can track the life-styles of the Robber Crabs.
Our interests don't stop at field studies however. We offer subjects ranging across fundamental botany and zoology, animal behaviour, genetics, neuroscience, plant and animal phsiology and ecology, oceanography, mammalogy, invertebrate physiology, fungal cell biology, evolutionary biology, conservation biology, mathematical modelling and general environmental science. The diverse areas of research represented in the School are integrated rather than formed into discrete departments. This interaction generates research that is in many cases multi-disciplinary and collaborative. Cooperation in research within interdisciplinary projects extends to other Schools in the University, especially in marine and environmental research. As one of Australia's prestige universities, we can provide students with access to all the latest in analytical equipment and techniques.
Currently the School of Biological Science offer majors in Biological Science and Ecology within the Science and Mathematics Course, while in the honours year further specialisation is available. The majors are relevant to careers in the fields of agriculture, forestry, wildlife management, conservation and related environmental sciences.
These are available within the following degree structures:
The Science Degree. A 3 year general science program in which students major)in a limited number of discipline areas. Students undertake a major and a minor or a double major in their areas of interest. Biological Science offers two major streams, Biological Science and Ecology but other related majors are available in Marine Science, Genetics, Environmental studies. Minor options include Botany, Zoology and Ecology. The degree is primarily a 3 year course, but it is possible for high performers to proceed to a fourth Honours year.
The Advanced Science (Life Sciences) degree. A 4 year program leading to an Honours degree. The School offers two Advanced Science Plans, Biological Science and Ecology, and within these it is possible to specialise in many areas of biology. Other related plans include Genetics and Marine and Coastal Studies. The entry level is higher than that for the Science Degree. The Honours Year involves either a full year research project or a mixed research project and course work option.
Environmental Science degree. A multi-disciplinary degree. The areas taught by the School include Biology and Marine Science. Environmental Science has high entry level requirements and is a 4 year course leading to an Honours degree. It is aimed at students whose career ambitions require a high level, cross-disciplinary training in environmental science.
If your after a big experience in a big country, contact us below and we'll help you get you started on your biological adventure!
Mail: School of
Biological Science, UNSW, Sydney 2052
Phone: +612-02-9385-2067
Fax: +612-02-9385-1588
Email: bios@unsw.edu.au.
Web: http://www.unsw.edu.au/bioscience/mainpag.htm
Author
Geoff Hyde
UNSW
