Course overview

Overview

The UWA Diploma in Science is designed to meet the needs of overseas students whose first language may not be English, who may fall short of direct entry requirements and/or whose availability for first year study is out of phase with the University's normal entry date. The aims of the Diploma in Science are:

  • To equip international students with the English language competence they need to study in the second year of a degree at UWA;
  • To provide students with study skills and the intellectual development they need to be academically capable of studying science related subjects in the second year at UWA;
  • To provide students with appropriate subject specific knowledge to prepare them for the second year of study at UWA;
  • To enable students to develop confidence in communicating complex academic matters with native speakers;
  • To increase familiarity with Australian academic practices including the practical experience of university teaching methods.

Students who pass the program will be awarded the Diploma in Science with 48 transferable credits guaranteeing a place into the second year of an appropriate undergraduate program for units studied. The program is designed to build on students' existing language, academic and numerical skills, offering a range of compulsory and elective units to ensure breadth of study and to provide pathways to a range of majors. Units are modelled on existing UWA level 1 units.

Course code
UWC14
Course type
UWA College Award course
Status
not available in 2024
Points
54
Abbreviation
DipSci

Course structure

Key to availability of units:
S1
Semester 1
S2
Semester 2
SS
summer teaching period
N/A
not available in 2024 – may be available in 2025 or 2026
*
to be advised

Admin

Take all units (12 points):

AvailabilityUnit codeUnitnameUnit requirements
NSENGX1003Academic and Communication Skills for SciencesNone
NSENGX1004Communicating Science
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
a UWA College course
Incompatibility
PACM1101 Communication in Practice.
HUMA1901 English Language and Academic Communication I

Take unit(s) to the value of 6 points:

Note: Students who have not completed the equivalent of WA Mathematics Applications must complete this unit
AvailabilityUnit codeUnitnameUnit requirements
NSMATX1720Mathematics Fundamentals
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
a UWA College course
Incompatibility
Math Applications ATAR.
MATX0720 Mathematics Fundamentals.
MATH1720 Mathematics Fundamentals

Take units from this group to achieve a total of 54 points overall for the course.

(In addition to the units listed below, students may select their options from any unit offered in a UWA College diploma for which they meet the required pre-requisites and subject to the approval of the college).

AvailabilityUnit codeUnitnameUnit requirements
NSANHX1101Human Biology 1 (Becoming Human)
Prerequisites
enrolment in
a UWA College course
Incompatibility
ANHB1101 Human Biology I: Becoming Human
NSANHX1102Human Biology 2 (Being Human)
Prerequisites
enrolment in
a UWA College course
Incompatibility
ANHB1102 Human Biology II: Being Human
NSCHEX1001Chemistry—Properties and Energetics
Prerequisites
CHEX1003 Introductory Chemistry (ID 8144)
Incompatibility
Successful completion of
CHEM1001 Chemistry—Properties and Energetics
NSCHEX1002Chemistry Structure and Reactivity
Prerequisites
CHEX1003 Introductory Chemistry (ID 1063) or equivalent
NSCHEX1003Introductory Chemistry
Incompatibility
This unit is not available to students who have a satisfactory performance (scaled score of 50 per cent
or more) in Chemistry ATAR
or WACE Chemistry 3A/3B
or TEE Chemistry, or equivalent.
NSCITX1003Introduction to Cybersecurity
Incompatibility
CITS3004 Cybersecurity (ID 6150)
NSCITX1401Computational Thinking with Python
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
a UWA College course and ATAR Mathematics Applications or equivalent
Incompatibility
CITS1401 Computational Thinking with Python
NSCITX1402Relational Database Management Systems
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
a UWA College course and ATAR Mathematics Applications or equivalent
Incompatibility
CITS1402 Relational Database Management Systems
NSSCIX1001Research Project - ScienceNone
NSSCIX1106Molecular Biology of the Cell
Prerequisites
Successful completion of
CHEX1003 Introductory Chemistry
Successful completion of
ANHX1101 Human Biology 1 (Becoming Human)
Incompatibility
SCIE1106 Molecular Biology of the Cell

Take unit(s) to the value of at least 6 points from this group.

AvailabilityUnit codeUnitnameUnit requirements
NSMATX1721Mathematics Foundations
Incompatibility
WACE Mathematics: Specialist 3A/3B.
MATH1038 Calculus and its Applications.
MATH1045 Intermediate Calculus.
Mathematics Specialist ATAR.
MATH1001 Mathematical Methods 1.
MATH1002 Mathematical Methods 2.
MATH1011 Multivariable Calculus.
MATH1012 Mathematical Theory and Methods.
or STAT1520 Economics and Business Statistics.
NSSTAX1400Statistics for Science
Prerequisites
Enrolment in
a UWA College course and ATAR Mathematics Applications or equivalent
Incompatibility
STAT1400 Statistics for Science.
STAT1520 Economic and Business Statistics

Rules

Note: This course is not available in 2024.

Title

1. These rules are the Diploma in Science - 12 months Course Rules.

Terms Used

2. The Glossary provides an explanation of the terms used in these rules.

Applicability of the Student Rules, policies and procedures

3.(1) The Student Rules and the UWA College Student Rules apply to students in this course.

(2) The policy, policy statements and guidance documents and student procedures apply, except as otherwise indicated in the rules for this course.

(3) The UWA College policy and procedures apply, except as otherwise indicated in the rules for this course.

Academic Conduct Essentials, Communication and Research Skills And Indigenous Studies Essentials module

4.(1) Except as stated in (2), a student who enrols in an undergraduate degree course of the University for the first time irrespective of whether they have previously been enrolled in another course of the University, must undertake the Academic Conduct Essentials module (the ACE module) and Indigenous Studies Essentials (the ISE module) in the teaching period in which they are first enrolled.

(2) A student must successfully complete the ACE module within the first teaching period of their enrolment. Failure to complete the module within this timeframe will result in the student's unit results from this teaching period being withheld. These results will continue to be withheld until students avail themselves of a subsequent opportunity to achieve a passing grade in the ACE module. In the event that students complete units in subsequent teaching periods without completing the ACE module, these results will similarly be withheld. Students will not be permitted to submit late review or appeal applications regarding results which have been withheld for this reason and which they were unable to access in the normally permitted review period.

(3) A student who has previously achieved a result of Ungraded Pass (UP) for the ACE module or the ISE module, within the last three months at the point of entry to this course, is not required to repeat the relevant module.

English Language competency requirements
5.

To be considered for admission to this course an applicant must have achieved an IELTS score of at least 5.5, (with no band less than 5) or equivalent as recognised by UWA.

Admission requirements

6. To be considered for admission to this course an applicant must have achieved an ATAR of at least 70, or equivalent as recognised by UWA.

Course structure

7.(1) The course consists of units to a total value of 54 points.

(2) Units must be selected in accordance with the course structure, as set out in these rules. Students may not take units which are not specified in the unit sequence. Students must ensure they complete all specified core units in the course.

Satisfactory progress

8.(1) To make satisfactory progress in a teaching period a student must —

(a) achieve a pass in units with a total credit point value of more than half the total credit point value of units in which they remain enrolled after the final date for withdrawal without academic penalty;

(b) not fail the same unit on more than one occasion;

and

(c) satisfy any additional requirements stated in the rules of the course, including the successful completion of the Academic Conduct Essential (ACE) module prior to the final teaching period of the program.

(2) A student who has not achieved a result of Ungraded Pass (UP) in one or more of the ACE module, the CARS module or the ISE module when their progress status is assessed will not have made satisfactory progress.

Progress status

9.(1) A progress status is assigned by the relevant school or board to each student once every standard teaching period or equivalent.

(2) A student who makes satisfactory progress under rule 8 is assigned the status of 'Good Standing'.

(3) Unless the relevant board determines otherwise because of exceptional circumstances a student who does not make satisfactory progress under rule 8 may be assigned one of the following —

(a) 'On Probation', in which case the student must see their Student Adviser to discuss enrolment and conditions that may apply to re-enrolment;

(b) Suspended', in which case the student is not permitted to re-enrol in the course for the following teaching period or equivalent; or;

(c) ‘Excluded', in which case the student is not permitted to re-enrol in the course;

(4) A student who does not make satisfactory progress in terms of rule 8.2 is assigned the progress status of 'On Probation', unless they have been assigned a progress status of 'Suspended' or 'Excluded' for failure to meet other satisfactory progress requirements in Rule 8.

(5) Unless the relevant board determines otherwise because of exceptional circumstances, a status of ‘Suspended' or ‘Excluded' may not be assigned to a student who has completed only one teaching period of study at the University.