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Graduate Certificate of Science

Handbook year

Information valid for students commencing in 2024

Course code

53911

Course type

Graduate Certificate (AQF Level 8)

Owner

Academy

College

Science and Engineering

Award Requirements

Admission Requirements

Course pre-requisites

Completion of an AQF level 7 bachelor degree in science; or

other qualifications or professional/industry-based experience recognised by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the Division of Tropical Environments and Societies as equivalent.

Minimum English language proficiency requirements

Applicants of non-English speaking backgrounds must meet the English language proficiency requirements of Band 1 Schedule II of the JCU Admissions Policy.

Academic Requirements for Course Completion

Credit points

12 credit points

Course learning outcomes

On successful completion of the Graduate Certificate of Science, graduates will be able to:

  1. Integrate and apply specialised theoretical and technical knowledge in one or more science disciplines
  2. Retrieve, analyse, synthesise and evaluate knowledge from a range of sources
  3. Plan and conduct reliable, evidence-based laboratory and/or field experiments/practices by selecting and applying methods, techniques and tools, as appropriate to one or more science disciplines
  4. Organise, analyse and interpret complex scientific data using mathematical, statistical and technological skills
  5. Communicate complex scientific ideas, arguments and conclusions clearly and coherently to a variety of audiences through advanced written and oral English language skills and a variety of media
  6. Identify, analyse and generate solutions to unpredictable or complex problems, especially related to tropical, rural, remote or Indigenous contexts, by applying scientific knowledge and skills with initiative and high level judgement
  7. Explain and apply regulatory requirements, ethical principles and, where appropriate, cultural frameworks, to work effectively, responsibly and safely in diverse contexts
  8. Reflect on current skills, knowledge and attitudes to manage their professional learning needs and performance, autonomously and in collaboration with others.

Inherent Requirements

Inherent Requirements

Inherent requirements are the identified abilities, attributes, skills, and behaviours that must be demonstrated, during the learning experience, to successfully complete a course. These abilities, attributes, skills, and behaviours preserve the academic integrity of the University's learning, assessment, and accreditation processes, and where applicable, meet the standards of a profession. For more information please visit: Graduate Certificate of Science.

Reasonable adjustments

All JCU students have the opportunity to demonstrate, with reasonable adjustments where applicable, the inherent requirements for their course. For more information please visit: Student Disability Policy and Procedure.

Course Structure

Select one of the following 12 credit point discipline streams:

Stream 1: Aquaculture Science and Technology

Select 6 credit points from:

:03 Aquaculture: Feeds and Nutrition

:03 Aquaculture: Propagation

:03 Aquaculture: Principles and Practices

:03 Sustainable Aquaculture

PLUS

Select either:

:06 Hatchery Techniques

or

Select 3 credit points of specified subjects from List 1 (Skills)

and

Select 3 credit points of any level 5 AQ, BS, BZ, CH, EA, EV, MA, MB, MI, SC or TV subject

Stream 2: Environmental Earth Science

Select 6 credit points from:

:03 Hydrology

:03 Soil Properties and Processes

:03 Earth and Environmental Geochemistry

:03 Earth's Climate: Past, Present and Future

PLUS

Select 3 credit points of any level 5 AQ, BS, BZ, CH, EA, EV, MA, MB, MI, SC or TV subject

PLUS

Select either:

:03 Field Studies in Tropical Land and Water Science

or

Select 3 credit points of specified subjects from List 1 (Skills)

Stream 3: Environmental Management

Select 6 credit points from:

:03 Human Dimensions of Nature, Environment and Conservation

:03 International Environmental Policy and Governance

:03 Natural Resource Management or :03 Coastal and Marine Management and Conservation

:03 Principles and Practices of Protected Area Management

PLUS

Select 3 credit points of any level 5 AQ, BS, BZ, CH, EA, EV, MA, MB, MI, SC or TV subject

PLUS

Select either:

:03 Environmental and Social Impact Assessment

or

Select 3 credit points of specified subjects from List 1 (Skills)

Stream 4: Fisheries Science and Management

Select 6 credit points from:

:03 Human Dimensions of Nature, Environment and Conservation

:03 Fisheries Science

:03 Managing Tropical Fisheries

:03 Fishing Gear and Technologies

PLUS

Select 3 credit points of any level 5 AQ, BS, BZ, CH, EA, EV, MA, MB, MI, SC or TV subject

PLUS

:03 Design and Analyses in Ecological Studies or select 3 credit points of specified subjects from List 1 (Skills)

Stream 5: Geology

Select 6 credit points from:

:03 Structural Geology and Tectonics

:03 Minerals and Magmas

:03 Earth Resources, Exploration and Environment

:03 Energy Resources and Basin Analysis

PLUS

Select 3 credit points of any level 5 AQ, BS, BZ, CH, EA, EV, MA, MB, MI, SC or TV subject

PLUS

:03 Geological Mapping or select 3 credit points of specified subjects from List 1 (Skills)

Stream 6: Marine Biology

Select 6 credit points from:

:03 Marine Conservation Biology

:03 Biological Oceanography

:03 Coral Reef Ecology

:03 Coastal, Estuarine and Mangrove Ecosystems

PLUS

Select 3 credit points of any level 5 AQ, BS, BZ, CH, EA, EV, MA, MB, MI, SC or TV subject

PLUS

:03 Design and Analyses in Ecological Studies or select 3 credit points of specified subjects from List 1 (Skills)

Stream 7: Tropical Biology and Conservation

Select 6 credit points from:

:03 Behavioural Ecology (JCU Townsville)

:03 Conservation Biology (JCU Cairns, JCU Townsville)

:03 Population and Community Ecology (JCU Townsville)

:03 Ecological Research Methods (JCU Cairns)

:03 Biological Invasions (JCU Cairns)

:03 Wildlife Ecology and Management (JCU Townsville)

:03 Tropical Entomology (JCU Cairns)

PLUS

Select 3 credit points of any level 5 AQ, BS, BZ, CH, EA, EV, MA, MB, MI, SC or TV subject

PLUS

:03 Design and Analyses in Ecological Studies or Quantitative Methods in Science or select 3 credit points of specified subjects from List 1 (Skills)

Stream 8: Planning and Design

Select 6 credit points from:

:03 Environmental and Regional Planning

:03 Urban Geography and Design

:03 Planning Legislation and Professional Practice

:03 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems

PLUS

Select 3 credit points of any level 5 AQ, BS, BZ, CH, EA, EV, MA, MB, MI, SC or TV subject

PLUS

:03 Urban Design Studio or :03 Advanced Design Communication or :03 Field Studies in Tropical Geography or select 3 credit points of specified subjects from List 1 (Skills)

List 1 (Skills)

:03 Aquaculture: Stock Improvement

:03 Advanced Bioinformatics

:03 Modelling Ecological Dynamics

:03 Ecological and Conservation Genetics

03 Toolkit for the Field Biologist

:03 Analytical Chemistry

:03 Advanced Petrology

:03 Field Studies in Tropical Land and Water Science

:03 Geological Mapping

:03 Introductory Outback Field Geology

:03 Advanced Marine Geoscience Technologies and Applications

:03 Human Dimensions of Nature, Environment and Conservation

:03 Environmental and Social Impact Assessment

:03 Advanced Geographic Information Systems

:03 Introduction to Geographic Information Systems

:03 Remote Sensing

:03 Data Mining

:03 Quantitative Methods in Science

:03 Design and Analyses in Ecological Studies

Location

COURSE AVAILABLE AT

NOTES

JCU Cairns

Only Streams 2, 7 and 8 are available at JCU Cairns

JCU Townsville

 

Stream Availabilities

STREAM

AVAILABLE AT

NOTES

Aquaculture Science and Technology

JCU Townsville

Beginning of year entry allows full-time and part-time study

Mid-year entry allows full-time and part-time study

Environmental Earth Science

JCU Cairns

JCU Townsville

Beginning of year entry allows part-time study only

Mid-year entry allows full-time and part-time study

Environmental Management

JCU Townsville

Beginning of year entry allows full-time and part-time study

Mid-year entry allows part-time study only

Fisheries Science and Management

JCU Townsville

Beginning of year entry allows full-time and part-time study

Mid-year entry allows full-time and part-time study

Geology

JCU Townsville

Beginning of year entry allows full-time and part-time study

Mid-year entry not available

Marine Biology

JCU Townsville

Beginning of year entry allows part-time study only

Mid-year entry allows full-time and part-time study

Planning and Design

JCU Cairns

Beginning of year entry allows full-time and part-time study

Mid-year entry allows full-time and part-time study

Planning and Design

JCU Townsville

Beginning of year entry allows part-time study only

Mid-year entry allows full-time and part-time study

Tropical Biology and Conservation

JCU Cairns

JCU Townsville

Beginning of year entry allows full-time and part-time study

Mid-year entry allows full-time and part-time study at JCU  Townsville only

Candidature

Expected time to complete

6 months full-time or part-time equivalent

Maximum time to complete

2 years

Maximum leave of absence

1 year

Progression

Course progression requisites

Nil

Course includes mandatory professional placement(s)

No

Special assessment requirements

Nil

Professional accreditation requirements

Nil

Supplementary exam for final subject

Not applicable

Credit

Eligibility

Students may apply for a credit transfer for previous tertiary study or informal and non-formal learning in accordance with the Credit Transfer Procedure

Credit will only be granted for subjects aligned to the current course’s learning outcomes and if the applicant demonstrates sufficient prior knowledge and skills to achieve the course learning outcomes in the time available in the course.

Maximum allowed

6 credit points

Currency

Credit will be granted only for studies completed in the 10 years prior to the commencement of this course.

Expiry

Credit gained for any subject shall be cancelled 12 years after the date of the examination upon which the credit is based if, by then, the student has not completed the course of study prescribed for the degree.

Other restrictions

Not applicable

Award Details

Award title

GRADUATE CERTIFICATE OF SCIENCE

Approved abbreviation

GCertSc

Inclusion of majors on testamur

Not applicable

Exit with lesser award

Not applicable

Course articulation

Students who complete the Graduate Certificate of Science are eligible for entry to the Graduate Diploma of Science and may be granted credit for all subjects completed under the Graduate Certificate.

Special awards

Students may receive an Award of Recognition in accordance with the Recognition of Academic Excellence Procedure