High School Students & Teachers

Moving from high school to university is an exciting and challenging time. UNSW Science aims to make this transition as smooth as possible for all students.

Find the right area of Science for you

Explore the wide variety of degree options and science subjects available at UNSW. If you’re not sure which area of science you want to study, we recommend you sign the Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Advanced Science. You'll be able to study core science subjects while trying out different areas of science of interest to you.

Learn more about our undergraduate courses.

Life on Campus

We encourage students to get involved with a range of extra-curricular activities. Arc, the Student Organisation is a great place to start, along with the Student Life information on the UNSW website. 

If you are considering living on campus in student accommodation, learn more about our Residential Communities.

Visit our Future Students page for information on degrees and how to apply to UNSW. 

The following terms will become very familiar to you when studying at UNSW.

Program

A program at UNSW is your degree and will have a four-digit program code (e.g. 3970 Bachelor of Science).

Major

A major is a defined sequence of study within a program (e.g. Bachelor of Science with a Major in Chemistry). In some programs, it's possible to do more than one major.

Course

All programs and majors at UNSW are made up of courses. Courses are like subjects at school. Each course has an 8-digit course code (e.g. CHEM1011) and usually involve lectures, tutorials and labs. In Science there are various types of courses:

• Core Courses are compulsory courses that must be taken for a program or major.
• Science Electives are any courses from a Science school.
• Free Electives are courses that may be taken from anywhere across the university; either from Science or another Faculty.
• General Education Courses are courses that must be taken from outside the Faculty of Science.

Each course is made up of lectures (large classes with a formal presentation from a lecturer) and tutorials (smaller, interactive classes led by a tutor) or labs (hand-on classes in a laboratory). Full-time students generally complete four courses each term.

Units of Credit

Courses, majors and programs at UNSW are measured in Units of Credit (UoC). A standard study load is 8 courses, or 48 Units of Credit (UoC), per year spread over three terms.

Undergraduate vs Postgraduate

• Undergraduate degrees (bachelor and honours) are for students who have not studied at university before
• Postgraduate studies are for people who wish to expand on their previous studies or working experience with further coursework study or research. They include graduate certificates, graduate diplomas, masters degrees and doctorates

Faculty

A large academic department focused on a broad area. At UNSW there are 8 Faculties (Art and Design, Arts and Social Sciences, Business, Built Environment, Engineering, Law, Medicine and Science).

School

A smaller academic department that sits within a faculty and focuses on a more specific subject area. Within each faculty are a number of schools who teach the courses in their area of expertise. In Science, there are 9 schools: Aviation, Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences (BEEs), Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences (BABs), Chemistry, Materials Science and Engineering, Mathematics & Statistics, Optometry and Vision Science, Physics and Psychology.

The world of science is far broader than the Chemistry, Physics and Biology subjects at high school. UNSW Science offers a wide range of subject areas - explore your options! 

Rather than politicians, lawyers or economists, it’s scientists who are leading this charge into the unknown. Every day their research and exploration is opening up new frontiers while their discoveries provide the raw material for life-changing inventions.
 
You should think about studying science if you:

• Have a curious mind
• Would like to help advance our society
• Are enjoying your high school Maths and Science subjects
• Hope to pursue a fulfilling career in a wide variety of sectors
• Are an all-rounder who’s keen to further develop life skills like leadership

Bridging Courses 

UNSW Science offers opportunities to revise Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics, and experience how these subjects are taught at university. Find out more about our bridging courses. 

Scholarships

We have a variety of scholarships for high school leavers and other future students, with most applications due in September the year before you intend to start at university.

School of Physics

Bring your year 11 or 12 Physics class to UNSW to conduct experiments in our first-year laboratory. You’ll visit a working Physics lab (depending on availability) and/or hear talks by our academics about their research. 

Visit the UNSW School of Physics.

School of Materials Science and Engineering

Come and experience a day in the life of materials science with a range of interactive workshops which see students, explore concepts of elasticity using desktop catapults, use shape memory alloy stents to open a 3d printed oesophagus, shatter chocolates to determine impact resistance and explore the materials in biomedical implants from hips to teeth.

For a full day, students tour the facilities in our cutting-edge precinct and can participate in additional workshops including grain structure microscopy and SMaRT recycling of e-waste.

Syllabus linked HSC programs: Engineering Studies - aimed towards Years 11 & 12 students.

For more information contact:

Jeremy Platt
T: (02) 9385 413
E: j.platt@unsw.edu.au

School of Mathematics and Statistics

The School of Mathematics and Statistics hosts various curriculum-aligned events throughout the year focusing on high school level Mathematics.

Syllabus linked HSC programs: 

• Data Science Work Experience week - aimed towards Year 10 students
• School Mathematics Competition  - runs in Junior (years 7-10) and Senior (years 11-12) divisions.

The School of Mathematics and Statistics also hold heavily syllabus-aligned Professional Development workshops for teachers and educators.

School of Chemistry

The Year 12 Depth Study ‘Biosignatures: Characterising Exoplanets with Spectroscopy’ aims to engage students in a unique application of spectroscopy – the ability to detect life on exoplanets. This is an unusual yet compelling application of spectroscopy which will motivate a now crucial component of the new HSC Syllabus.

The depth study is a way to encourage passion in your students, skill development and provide authentic information about university life and scientific career paths. On-campus excursion dates are available from November - December 2020. 

Visit the UNSW School of Chemistry to find out about their outreach activities.

School of Medical Science

On the 18th & 19th March 2020, UNSW School of Medical Science will be hosting 'Your Brilliant Brain' - a series of workshops providing a unique experience through hands-on investigations of the human brain. 

Learn more about our 'Your Brilliant Brain' workshops.

Museum of Human Disease

The museum has a collection of over 2500 specimens and is available for school visits.

Visit the UNSW Museum of Human Disease.

UNSW Science works closely with career advisors to provide advice on our study options and potential science careers.

Visit Careers Advisers Resources to access additional resources, tools and online request forms.