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Master of Science (Botany) (MC-SCIBOT) // Course structure
About this course
- Overview
- Entry and participation requirements
- Attributes, outcomes and skills
- Course structure
- Further study
Contact
Currently enrolled students:
- General information: https://ask.unimelb.edu.au
- Email: enquiries-STEM@unimelb.edu.au
Coordinator
Dr Mike Bayly
Email: mbayly@unimelb.edu.au
Course structure
Students must complete 200 points including:
- Discipline Component subjects (between 50 and 87.5 points);
- Professional Skills subjects (25 - 37.5 points);
- Research Project (125 points or 75 points). Students will complete a 125 point major research project OR a 75 point minor research project.
Subject options
Discipline Component
Students will enrol in four to seven subjects available through the Master of Science programs. They may also take subjects from the following:
- Master of Environment (Environmental Science)
- Master of Forest Ecosystem Science
Subjects will be selected in consultation with the research supervisor and approved by the School’s Course Coordinator. Subjects will be selected both to broaden the student’s training and to enhance the skills relevant to the chosen research area. Where appropriate and with approval, a student may complete up to two 300 level subjects.
Professional Skills
Depending on the choice of a Major or Minor Research Project in Botany, students will take two or three of the following subjects:
Code | Name | Study period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
MAST90044 | Thinking and Reasoning with Data | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
MAST90045 | Systems Modelling and Simulation | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
SCIE90005 | Ethics and Responsibility in Science | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
BUSA90403 | Business Tools: Money People & Processes | September (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
BUSA90471 | Business Tools: The Market Environment | Not available in 2017 | 12.5 |
MAST90007 | Statistics for Research Workers | Winter Term (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
SCIE90013 | Communication for Research Scientists | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
EDUC90839 | Science in Schools | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
SCIE90012 | Science Communication | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
SCIE90017 | Science and Technology Internship |
Summer Term (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
Research Project
Research Project
The research project provides an opportunity for independent research under supervision in the School of Botany, in the areas of cellular, molecular and functional plant sciences, plant systematics and evolution, marine botany and environmental science.
The major thesis allows a student to focus on a substantial project while the minor thesis allows a student to maximise coursework training. Both are pathways to the PhD. Each project will be designed in consultation with a supervisor(s) and approved by the School’s Masters Program Coordinator.
Major Research Project (125 points)
The project will be taken over four consecutive semesters and will begin on the Monday of semester of entry (semesters 1 or 2) and continue for up to 88 weeks until the end of the fourth semester, minus recreation leave of between 4 and 8 weeks (22 weeks per semester over the four semesters). For how long and at what time within the enrolment the actual period of leave is to be taken needs to be negotiated with a student’s supervisor.
The Research Project will be due for submission by the end of the formal examination period of the fourth semester of enrolment if an earlier date is not specified.
The assessment requirements below are applicable to the entire 125 point research project.
- a research proposal of 1,000 words due in the first month of the first semester of research project enrolment (hurdle requirement);
- a comprehensive literature review due at the end of year 1 (10%; 3,000 words);
- an oral presentation (20 minutes) on research progress due at the end of year 1 (pass/fail);
- a presentation based on the research findings (5%; 40 minutes) due after the full 125 points of research project enrolment;
- a research thesis (85%; 17,000 - 22,000 words) due after the full 125 points of research project enrolment.
- Students are expected to attend the School’s general weekly seminar series held during semesters.
Students may enrol in a combination of research project subjects and coursework subjects over their two years of full-time study or over their four years of part-time study as long as once the Research Project is commenced (which may not be the first semester in the case of part-time course enrolments), the consecutive enrolment requirement is met and to ensure they have completed a total of 125 points for the major research project by the end of their course.
Code | Name | Study period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
BOTA90006 | Botany Research Project Major |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
BOTA90008 | Botany Research Project Major |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
25 |
BOTA90009 | Botany Research Project Major |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
37.5 |
BOTA90010 | Botany Research Project Major |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
50 |
-
Minor Research Project (75 points)
The project will be taken over three consecutive semesters and will begin on the Monday of the second semester of entry (semesters 1 or 2) and continue for up to 66 weeks until the end of the fourth semester, minus recreation leave of between 4 and 8 weeks (22 weeks per semester over the four semesters). For how long and at what time within the enrolment the actual period of leave is to be taken needs to be negotiated with a student’s supervisor.
The Research Project will be due for submission by the end of the formal examination period of the fourth semester of enrolment if an earlier date is not specified.
The assessment requirements below are applicable to the entire 75 point research project:
- a research proposal of 1,000 words due in the first month of the first semester of research project enrolment (hurdle requirement);
- a comprehensive literature review due at the end of the first semester of research project enrolment (15%; 3,000 words);
- presentation of a seminar based on the research findings (5%; 25 minutes) due after 75 points of research project enrolment;
- a research thesis (80%; 10,000 - 12,000 words) due after 75 points of research project enrolment.
- Students are expected to attend the School’s general weekly seminar series held during semesters.
Subject to supervisor approval, students may enrol in a combination of research project subjects and coursework subjects over their two years of full-time study or over their four years of part-time study as long as once the Research Project is commenced (which may not be the second semester in the case of part-time course enrolments), the consecutive enrolment requirement is met and to ensure they have completed a total of 75 points for the minor research project by the end of their course.
Code | Name | Study period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
BOTA90014 | Botany Research Project Minor |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
12.5 |
BOTA90013 | Botany Research Project Minor |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
25 |
BOTA90012 | Botany Research Project Minor |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
37.5 |
BOTA90011 | Botany Research Project Minor |
Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville)
Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville)
|
50 |
Last updated: 30 January 2024