科廷科技大学

The Physics major (BAdvSci) (Honours) provides a flexible and personalised approach to studying Physics with students able to explore the field through for-credit immersive research experiences, industry placement and/or interdisciplinary team-based projects.

Students choose to study Physics because they are fascinated by fundamental questions about the origin, nature and function of our Universe. Physics seeks to explain relationships involving the smallest and the largest structures, utilising the four known forces: Strong, Weak, Electromagnetic and Gravitational.

This major is part of the Bachelor of Advanced Science (Honours), a course designed for high performing students to pursue their interest in Science through a core of research, leadership and entrepreneurship. It provides a flexible and personalised approach to studying Physics with students able to explore the field through for-credit immersive research experiences, industry placement and/or interdisciplinary team-based projects. The major culminates in a capstone experience in which students will have the opportunity to pursue Physics projects that may be based anywhere from pure research right through to translational (entrepreneurial) science.

Students in this major gain considerable knowledge and skills while conducting physics experiments and solving real-world problems mathematically or computationally, which find application in a wide range of careers. The major contains high-level mathematics and computer science, and so is well-aligned with high-profile international projects such as the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) being built in Western Australia.

Professional recognition

Successful completion of the Physics Major enables membership of the Australian Institute of Physics. Many international equivalents of the AIP also accept graduates as members.

Career information

Astrophysicist
Computational, optical or radiation physicist
Materials analyst
Remote-sensing scientist

What you'll learn

Demonstrate an advanced knowledge of the nature of science, its methods and processes, and an advanced ability to apply physics knowledge and understanding to solve physics problems and recognise the limitations of physics theories and the problem solving capability of physics
Analyse challenging and multi-faceted problems and generate testable theories to examine them; generate innovative solutions to problems by designing and carrying out physics experiments, integrating new and established knowledge
Access and make judgements on the value of a wide variety of existing information in the physical sciences; compare, contrast and develop new interpretations using physical science results and information from a wide variety of sources on the basis of reliability, accuracy and precision
Communicate approaches, ideas, findings and solutions to problems concisely and coherently in a variety of modes to informed professional audiences
Design/build/use appropriate experimental apparatus or algorithms to solve problems; apply appropriate technologies to solving problems while evaluating their limitations and advantages
Understand that physics is a dynamic field of study; demonstrate initiative and intellectual independence by taking advantage of opportunities for continuing education
Consider problems in the physical sciences from a global perspective and recognise the inherent universal nature of the physical sciences
Work collaboratively and respectfully with colleagues from a range of cultural backgrounds and recognising that nature-physics and its language are a-cultural
Collaborate effectively as a leader of research or as part of a research team while applying an ethical approach to analysis of scientific data and information.