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May 24, 2025, 01:38:43 am

Author Topic: This might be a stupid question.. (*course help*)  (Read 4674 times)  Share 

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Chromeo33

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This might be a stupid question.. (*course help*)
« on: September 29, 2011, 10:50:50 pm »
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.. but at UoM, do they allow you to undertake lower level subjects in higher years?

E.g. In your second year of uni, are you allowed to take Level 1 subjects (e.g. "Biomolecules and Cells")?

lexitu

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Re: This might be a stupid question.. (*course help*)
« Reply #1 on: September 29, 2011, 10:53:31 pm »
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Nope, not a stupid question :) They allow you to do that - only some restrictions on how many higher level subjects you can do in first year, for example. And you have to fulfil a certain amount of subjects at each level for each course.

simpak

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Re: This might be a stupid question.. (*course help*)
« Reply #2 on: September 29, 2011, 10:55:32 pm »
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You can do your first year subjects at any time, with two restrictions:
1.  You need some of them as prerequisites for higher subjects.
2.  You can only take a total of 125 level one points (10 subjects), after this you are unable to enroll in any other first year subjects.
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Chromeo33

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Re: This might be a stupid question.. (*course help*)
« Reply #3 on: September 29, 2011, 10:57:08 pm »
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Sweet, thanks for that guys

If it makes any difference, I'm asking in regards to the Bachelor of Science? So do those same rules apply?

Chromeo33

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Re: This might be a stupid question.. (*course help*)
« Reply #4 on: September 29, 2011, 10:59:12 pm »
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Oh! And another potentially stupid question!

Instead of doing weird, irrelevant-to-your-course breadth subjects, do they allow you to take 'relevant-to-your-course' subjects INSTEAD of breadth? What are the rules for that?

E.g. In the place of a breadth subject, could I instead do "Biomolecules and Cells"?

Slumdawg

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Re: This might be a stupid question.. (*course help*)
« Reply #5 on: September 30, 2011, 12:46:07 am »
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Umm I think biomolecules and cells is biomed specific.. And your breadth can't be from your degree I'm pretty sure.. So no real science subjects.
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Chromeo33

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Re: This might be a stupid question.. (*course help*)
« Reply #6 on: September 30, 2011, 01:13:04 am »
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So there really is no flexibility with the Science degree!

I mean each major requires prereqs of the same scientific field from previous years of uni study, so technically, you're pretty much just doing any other degree (outside of UoM). They've just simply dubbed it the Melbourne Model and taken away the privilege of doing a double degree and replaced it with a Masters.

If anything, they've restricted you even more by making you take up pointless breadth subjects which could be spent on subjects that could complement your degree!

It's not so 'generalist' as UoM makes the Melbourne Model out to be.

Peedles

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Re: This might be a stupid question.. (*course help*)
« Reply #7 on: September 30, 2011, 02:22:14 am »
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So there really is no flexibility with the Science degree!

I mean each major requires prereqs of the same scientific field from previous years of uni study, so technically, you're pretty much just doing any other degree (outside of UoM). They've just simply dubbed it the Melbourne Model and taken away the privilege of doing a double degree and replaced it with a Masters.

If anything, they've restricted you even more by making you take up pointless breadth subjects which could be spent on subjects that could complement your degree!

It's not so 'generalist' as UoM makes the Melbourne Model out to be.

https://breadth.unimelb.edu.au/breadth/info/Science.html

Refer to dot point one. You are allowed to take 25 points of "science" breadths if your in the BSci degree. I disagree, you can still take subjects from a different course that complement your degree. There are alot of Arts and University Breadth subjects which are Science related. Breadths will only be pointless if you choose pointless Breadth subjects. There is a plethora of useful Breadth subjects at your disposal at Melbourne. There is no way that I could do 4 science subject concurrently as it would just be too overwhelming. I don't know how students from other uni's manage that (maybe Melbourne demands alot more from their students in their science curriculum). It's definitely nice to do something completely different, but nevertheless you could definitely choose "sciency" breadths if you wanted to.

Science is definitely flexible depending on how you choose your subjects. With the subjects I am doing, I have the option of majoring in Biochemistry, Pathology, Human Structure and Function, Physiology and Biotechnology. I'm doing my second year now so I have the option of 5 majors which I don't need to decide until the final year of my degree. I can't see this being the case at any other university. (in the end, if your going to decide to do med or one of those health sciences; your major will be irrelevant). You would only need to do the relevant 2nd year Biochemistry, Anatomy and Physiology (and the relevant 1st year prereqs: chem&biol) subjects and the other subjects you can pick anything that you like.

I guess the moral of this story is, Melbourne Science is totally flexible; depending on how you choose your subjects. You could make the course as general or as restricted as you like =).
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mikee65

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Re: This might be a stupid question.. (*course help*)
« Reply #8 on: September 30, 2011, 12:41:27 pm »
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Gamelan Ensemble, if thats not flexibility...,

How are you finding it peedles?

Russ

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Re: This might be a stupid question.. (*course help*)
« Reply #9 on: September 30, 2011, 06:45:26 pm »
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If anything, they've restricted you even more by making you take up pointless breadth subjects which could be spent on subjects that could complement your degree!

Don't take pointless breadth then? If you're studying genetics as a major, take genetics/health/society as breadth. If you're studying anatomy as a major, take mind/body/medicine as breadth. If you're studying microbiology as a major, take living longer as a breadth. I can do this for every major, if you have a particular one in mind :P

Chromeo33

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Re: This might be a stupid question.. (*course help*)
« Reply #10 on: September 30, 2011, 07:10:10 pm »
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If anything, they've restricted you even more by making you take up pointless breadth subjects which could be spent on subjects that could complement your degree!

Don't take pointless breadth then? If you're studying genetics as a major, take genetics/health/society as breadth. If you're studying anatomy as a major, take mind/body/medicine as breadth. If you're studying microbiology as a major, take living longer as a breadth. I can do this for every major, if you have a particular one in mind :P


Omg are you serious!? I thought they said you couldn't take breadth subjects that are in any way related to Science..

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Re: This might be a stupid question.. (*course help*)
« Reply #11 on: September 30, 2011, 08:25:28 pm »
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If anything, they've restricted you even more by making you take up pointless breadth subjects which could be spent on subjects that could complement your degree!

Don't take pointless breadth then? If you're studying genetics as a major, take genetics/health/society as breadth. If you're studying anatomy as a major, take mind/body/medicine as breadth. If you're studying microbiology as a major, take living longer as a breadth. I can do this for every major, if you have a particular one in mind :P


Omg are you serious!? I thought they said you couldn't take breadth subjects that are in any way related to Science..

Well apart from the 2 free breadths subjects (25 points) where you are able to choose science or a subject out of your faculty, the other (50 points) of breadth study must be chosen from a different faculty other than science. That being said, there are subjects in other faculties which are science related.

Mike: Gamelan is awesome as, it's such a break from all my other subjects and it is fun !! It's marked on a bell curve though, but from the people who I've seen play, I think I should be okay ;).
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simpak

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Re: This might be a stupid question.. (*course help*)
« Reply #12 on: October 01, 2011, 12:45:10 am »
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There are breath tracks and breadth fields which are related to science - they usually have to do with science and society or science and history.

But now a question for you - I'm just curious as to why you see breadth to be such a bad thing and why you don't want to do anything unrelated to science.  I can understand that science is what you are interested in and the degree you wish to get, but why the lack of interest in other complementary fields?  I don't mean to sound accusatory, I'm just wondering!

Many find a break from their core studies to be very refreshing.  I was disappointed that I couldn't take breadth in my old gen course.  Additionally, my perspective of a well rounded education is one in which you step outside your chosen field and learn about something new.  But maybe it takes being flooded with a whole lot of science (or anything really) to see things in the same light, I suppose.  Perhaps you will feel differently once enrolled and out of high school, where you tend to be forced to participate in an array of subjects.  You may find that you miss daydreaming through double English when it's no longer available to you!  I never thought I would miss Science as much as I did, but look where we are now.

One thing I notice about accusations from those not enrolled at Melbourne about the Melbourne model is that many think /all/ breadth options will be completely irrelevant to your degree.  But this isn't the case - as long as you choose your subjects wisely then there's no reason that you should be wasting your effort and money on something that won't benefit your education.  And just because you choose something unrelated to science doesn't mean that it's pointless to your degree.  Many tend to assume your breadth subjects will be things like wine camp and African drumming from the outset, and some students do choose these things - but that's their decision.  I wouldn't make those choices myself, and you don't have to - there are a plethora of subjects which gauge your interests about life, society and the world in general as well as things you might like as hobbies like music or literature.

So I guess where I am going with this long rant, should you still be reading, is that the Melbourne model is not inherently bad in my eyes.  I look forward to gaining a specialised education in my chosen field of science, whatever that is.  But I also look forward to knowing that I've extended by education beyond that narrow field of view to something that will help me later on - not only in my chosen career, but also in my everyday life.  For instance, subjects I've taken in politics have helped me to understand our political system and how it functions - obviously this isn't immediately valuable to a career in the biological sciences but it is valuable with regard to my credibility as a member of our society.

The biggest critics of the Melbourne model tend to be those in favour of vocational degrees.  And so let me just conclude by saying - if you're so against the Melbourne model, is it because you wish your degree to be more vocational than 'academically' based?  Because that not really what Melbourne ever intended to offer in a Bachelor degree, and it's best that you recognise this from the outset.  There's no use getting frustrated with their broad take on education if you would much prefer a more narrowly based course.

Sorry if I sound like a massive Melbourne ad campaign, I usually don't voice my opinions on the model here, haha.  In short, your breadth can complement your degree...but only if you want it to.  Don't take things like Choir and invest your time and money in worthwhile endeavours.
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Mao

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Re: This might be a stupid question.. (*course help*)
« Reply #13 on: October 01, 2011, 03:37:19 am »
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The idea of breadth options is good. I don't think it should be enforced though.

Students in generic degrees at Monash and other universities all end up with equal numbers of elective units as the UoM breadth options. The only difference is you don't have to take these electives from outside of your faculty. A science student may choose electives in a different area of science, or do more subjects in their specialized field, or take something completely different. The preference depends on the person.

I appreciate the fact that doing something unrelated can be eye-opening, and makes the student more 'all-rounded' and knowledgeable. But is it necessary to make it examinable? I would much rather have a conversation than be tested on how well I can regurgitate.
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mikee65

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Re: This might be a stupid question.. (*course help*)
« Reply #14 on: October 01, 2011, 11:53:05 am »
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Oh Mao, do the logic breadth then tell me its regurgitation