Help/Advice - Animal Health and Disease Major

[Walter]

Hi, I assume this is the right place to post this...

I'm looking to do the Animal Health and Disease Major through the BSc with an eye on the Veterinary Bioscience specialisation and progression into the DVM (I can dream right?), and I have a few questions relating to the course structure and whatnot. Any help would be much appreciated.

Firstly, using the sample course structure here as a guide, (http://bsc.unimelb.edu.au/majors/major/animalhealth/structure), is how I'm attempting to plan out my course (I don't have much prior information on the whole "Uni subjects" stuff so I'm a bit clueless in that regard), however I did not do Chemistry or Physics in Y12 (regretfully due to teacher/timetabling issues, etc, let's not get into it). From what I can gather I'll have to do fundamental courses for Chemistry and Physics, then with high scores I can go straight into Chemistry or Physics 2 in semester 2...is that correct? If I fail to get high enough scores then what are my options in that regard?

My second question is about breadth subjects. Would taking a beginners language course (Italian) hinder my chances of achieving a high GPA? Are they considered "hard" or "lots of work"? I'm wondering as I have a personal interest in learning Italian due to my grandparents on my father's side being from Italy, however I don't want to risk spending too much time on my breadth subject, thus detracting from my ability to focus on my core studies. If it makes any difference I did Italian back in primary school and I am often around Italian speaking people with whom I could practice (my dad, cousins, grandparents, etc). I know some basic phrases and have a limited vocabulary, but could always do some practice before the commencement of classes.

If anyone could help me out it would be much appreciated. Any additional information regarding the Animal Health and Disease Major or the DVM would be great too.

Thanks in advance. 

[simpak]

If you just want to do Italian as a breadth and not a real diploma of languages then it might be okay but I, personally, wouldn't take a language as a breadth subject because I feel it would weigh down my GPA.  Having not done those science subjects in VCE, I would feel that I already had too much to contend with and didn't need the added stress as even the beginners language classes my friends take seem to challenge them.

But I guess it's a personal thing - I'm kind of horrible at learning second languages but I have a friend who is minoring in Japanese and taking Chinese as an extra.  It's up to what you want to do and think you're capable of!

[Russ]

Are you sure you need to take physics?
In any case, fundamentals of chemistry will let you go into chemistry 2 if you score well/can convince the coordinator to let you in regardless. If you only do chemistry 1, you'll need to do chem2 at summer semester and then you can start your prereq subjects in 2nd year

[Walter]

Are you sure you need to take physics?
In any case, fundamentals of chemistry will let you go into chemistry 2 if you score well/can convince the coordinator to let you in regardless. If you only do chemistry 1, you'll need to do chem2 at summer semester and then you can start your prereq subjects in 2nd year

Okay cool. In the handbook it says "Physics is also required [1]"
[1] - Physics (any) is a prerequisite for second year subjects in this major for students who have not completed Physics at Year 12 level.

[Russ]

AH okay I didn't check the handbook, I just looked at the course plan you posted. The same deal applies for fundamentals of physics

[Walter]

AH okay I didn't check the handbook, I just looked at the course plan you posted. The same deal applies for fundamentals of physics

So when I choose my subjects online (will hopefully do this today), what do i put for the second semester regarding Chemistry and Physics? Do I just put "Chemistry 1" and "Physics 1", and then if I score highly they will change it to Chemistry/Physics 2 or what?

On a side note, leaning away from a language I'm looking at "Age of Revolutions: America and France" and "The World That Made Us: 1945 to Today" (History is of interest to me). Does anyone have any information regarding these subjects?

Thanks again.

[Russ]

Put whatever you want, it doesn't matter. Second semester will also have a census date and that's when you need to have chosen sem2 subjects. Just put chem1/physics1 and change them yourself if you do well (the uni won't change them for you)

[jasrulz63]

Quite sure you can progress from Physics Fundamentals straight into Physics 2 as long as you pass your fundamentals subject, as the prerequisite into physics 2 is just knowledge of either Physics 1 or Physics Fundamentals from memory.

Chemistry 2 however, you need to score 75-80+ (can't remember which exactly), to be offered the chance to take Chemistry 2 and skip Chemistry 1.

As for enroling into the subjects, I enrolled into Chemistry 1 in second semester when I was in your situation at the start of the year, then asked the student centre to enrol me into Chemistry 2 (along with a letter from the Chemistry coordinator) when I found out I had a high enough score. Though it really doesn't matter what you enrol into second semester as you have plenty if time to change.

[Walter]

Okay thanks guys, I'll put in my subjects now.