Example first year study plans by major
These study plans provide you with suggested combinations of level one science units by major. The selection of level one units provide a strong science foundation to allow you to progress to later stages of your course.
Please note that when considering your selection of level one units you need to satisfy the level one requirements for your course.
- ASTROPHYSICS
- ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCE
- BIOCHEMISTRY
- CHEMISTRY
- COMPUTATIONAL SCIENCE
- DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
- EARTH SCIENCE
- ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION BIOLOGY
- ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
- GENETICS AND GENOMICS
- GEOGRAPHICAL SCIENCE
- HUMAN PATHOLOGY
- IMMUNOLOGY
- MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS
- MICROBIOLOGY
- PHARMACOLOGY
- PHYSICS
- PHYSIOLOGY
- PLANT SCIENCES
- PSYCHOLOGY
- ZOOLOGY
 | ASTROPHYSICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Major required sequence | Major required sequence | Suggested science sequence | Recommended additional science units | |
Semester 1 | MTH1020 or MTH1030 (depending on VCE or equivalent background) | PHS1011 or PHS1001 or PHS1031 (depending on VCE or equivalent background) | MAT1830, SCI1022 or STA1010 or a sequence in Chemistry, Earth, atmosphere and environment or Computational science | |
Semester 2 | A unit to complete that sequence or science elective | |||
For more information refer to the Astrophysics major in the Handbook
 | ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Major required sequence | Major required sequence | Recommended additional science units | Science or non-science electives | |
Semester 1 | MTH1020 or MTH1030 (depending on VCE or equivalent background) | A sequence in Computational science, Physics, Geographical science, Biological sciences or Chemistry | MAT1830, STA1010, SCI1022 or a science elective or a further science sequence, for example in Biological sciences, Chemistry, Computational science, Geographical science or Psychology | |
Semester 2 | A unit to complete that sequence | STA1010 (if not taken) or a unit to complete that third sequence | ||
For more information refer to the Atmospheric science major in the Handbook
 | BIOCHEMISTRY | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Recommended sequence | Recommended sequence | Recommended additional science units | Science or non-science electives | |
Semester 1 | One level-one mathematics or statistics unit from: | Another science sequence is recommended | ||
Semester 2 | STA1010 if not already taken or Science elective | A unit to complete that science sequence or an elective | ||
For more information refer to the Biochemistry major in the Handbook
 | CHEMISTRY | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Major required sequence | Recommended sequence | Recommended additional science units | Science or non-science electives | |
Semester 1 | Another science sequence is recommended | |||
Semester 2 | MTH1030 or if MTH1030 has already been taken then one of MTH2010, MAT1830, SCI1022 or STA1010 | A unit to complete that science sequence or an elective | ||
For more information refer to the Chemistry major in the Handbook
 | COMPUTATIONAL SCIENCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Major required sequence | Recommended sequence | Major required unit | Science or non-science electives | |
Semester 1 | MTH1020 or MTH1030 (depending on VCE or equivalent background) | MAT1830 or if already taken then another science sequence | A science elective or a further science sequence | |
Semester 2 | MTH1030 or if MTH1030 has already been taken then one of MTH2010, MAT1830, or STA1010 | Science elective or unit to complete science sequence | A unit to complete a science sequence or an elective | |
Depending on your VCE and Maths background you could replace the unit FIT1045 with its advanced version FIT1053. You could also replace FIT1008 with its advanced version FIT1054.
For more information refer to the Computational science major in the Handbook
 | DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Major required sequence | Recommended sequence | Recommended additional science units | Science or non-science electives | |
Semester 1 | One level-one mathematics or statistics unit from: | Another science sequence is recommended | ||
Semester 2 | STA1010 (if not taken) or Science elective | A unit to complete that science sequence or an elective | ||
For more information refer to the Developmental biology major in the Handbook
 | EARTH SCIENCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Major required sequence | Recommended sequence | Recommended additional science units | Science or non-science electives | |
Semester 1 | One level-one mathematics or statistics unit from: | Another science sequence is recommended or ATS1310 | ||
Semester 2 | MTH1030 if not already taken, or science elective | A unit to complete that science sequence or SCI1300 or an elective | ||
For more information refer to the Earth Science major in the Handbook
 | ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION BIOLOGY | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Major required sequence | Recommended sequence | Recommended additional science units | Science or non-science electives | |
Semester 1 | One level-one mathematics or statistics unit from: | Another science sequence is recommended | ||
Semester 2 | STA1010 (if not taken) or Science elective | A unit to complete that science sequence or BIO1022 or BIO1042 if not already completed | ||
For more information refer to the Ecology and conservation biology major in the Handbook
 | ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE - extended major | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Recommended sequence | Recommended sequence | Recommended additional science units | Science or non-science electives | |
Semester 1 | ||||
Semester 2 | BIO1042 | One level-one mathematics or statistics unit from: | ||
For more information refer to the Environmental Science extended major in the Handbook. The extended major requires BIO1042, EAE1022 and CHM1011/1051 at first year.
 | GENETICS AND GENOMICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Major required sequence | Recommended sequence | Recommended additional science units | Science or non-science electives | |
Semester 1 | One level-one mathematics or statistics unit from: | Another science sequence is recommended | ||
Semester 2 | STA1010 (if not taken) or Science elective | A unit to complete that science sequence or an elective or BIO1042 | ||
For more information refer to the Genetics and genomics major in the Handbook
 | GEOGRAPHICAL SCIENCE | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Major required sequence | Recommended sequence | Recommended additional science units: | Science or non-science electives | |
Semester 1 | ||||
Semester 2 | One level-one mathematics or statistics unit from: | SCI1300 or an elective | ||
For more information refer to the Geographical science major in the Handbook
 | HUMAN PATHOLOGY | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Major required sequence | Recommended sequence | Recommended additional science units | Science or non-science electives | |
Semester 1 | One level-one mathematics or statistics unit from: | Another science sequence is recommended | ||
Semester 2 | STA1010 (if not taken) or Science elective | A unit to complete that science sequence or an elective | ||
For more information refer to the Human Pathology major in the Handbook.
 | IMMUNOLOGY | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Major required sequence | Recommended sequence | Recommended additional science units | Science or non-science electives | |
Semester 1 | One level-one mathematics or statistics unit from: | Another science sequence is recommended | ||
Semester 2 | STA1010 (if not taken) or Science elective | A unit to complete that science sequence or an elective | ||
For more information refer to the Immunology major in the Handbook
 | MATHEMATICS AND STATISTICS MAJORS | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Major required sequence | Suggested sequence | Recommended additional science units | Science or non-science electives | |
Semester 1 | MTH1020 or MTH1030 (depending on VCE or equivalent background) | A sequence in Biological sciences, Chemistry, Computational science or Physics | MAT1830, SCI1022 or STA1010 or a sequence in Biological sciences, Chemistry, Computational science or Physics | A science elective or a further science sequence, for example in Biological sciences, Chemistry, Computational science, Earth, atmosphere and environment, Geographical science or Psychology |
Semester 2 | A unit to complete that sequence | STA1010 (if not taken) or a unit to complete that third sequence | A unit to complete a third sequence or an elective | |
If you have a strong mathematics background and a keen interest in mathematics you could replace the units MTH1030 and MTH2010 with their advanced versions MTH1035 and MTH2015.
For more information refer to the following majors in the Handbook:
- Applied mathematics
- Financial and insurance mathematics (extended major)
- Mathematical statistics
- Mathematics
- Pure mathematics
 | MICROBIOLOGY | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Major required sequence | Recommended sequence | Recommended additional science units | Science or non-science electives | |
Semester 1 | One level-one mathematics or statistics unit from: | Another science sequence is recommended | ||
Semester 2 | STA1010 (if not taken) or Science elective | A unit to complete that science sequence or an elective | ||
For more information refer to the Microbiology major in the Handbook
 | PHARMACOLOGY | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Major required sequence | Recommended sequence | Recommended additional science units | Science or non-science electives | |
Semester 1 | One level-one mathematics or statistics unit from: | Another science sequence is recommended | ||
Semester 2 | STA1010 (if not taken) or Science elective | A unit to complete that science sequence or an elective | ||
For more information refer to the Pharmacology major in the Handbook
 | PHYSICS | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Major required sequence | Major required sequence | Suggested science sequence | Science or non-science electives | |
Semester 1 | PHS1011 or PHS1001 or PHS1031 (depending on VCE or equivalent background) | A sequence in Astronomy, Biological sciences, Chemistry, Earth, atmosphere and environment, Geographical sciences, or Computational science | Another science sequence is recommended | |
Semester 2 | A unit to complete that science sequence | A unit to complete that science sequence or an elective | ||
For more information refer to the Physics major in the Handbook
 | PHYSIOLOGY | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Recommended sequence | Recommended sequence | Recommended additional science units | Science or non-science elective | |
Semester 1 | One level-one mathematics or statistics unit from: | Recommended - PHS1031 | ||
Semester 2 | STA1010 (if not taken) or Science elective | Science elective | ||
For more information refer to the Physiology major in the Handbook
 | PLANT SCIENCES | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Major required sequence | Recommended sequence | Recommended additional science units | Science or non-science electives | |
Semester 1 | One level-one mathematics or statistics unit from: | Elective - recommended EAE1011, ATS1310, PHS1011/ PHS1001/ PHS1031 | ||
Semester 2 | STA1010 (if not taken) or Science elective | |||
For more information refer to the Plant sciences major in the Handbook
 | PSYCHOLOGY | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Major required sequence | Recommended sequence | Recommended additional science units | Science or non-science elective | |
Semester 1 | SCI1020 or STA1010 (depending on VCE or equivalent background) | Another science sequence is recommended | ||
Semester 2 | STA1010 (if not taken) or SCI1022 or MTH1020 or MTH1030 (depending on VCE or equivalent background) | A unit to complete that science sequence or an elective | ||
For more information refer to the Psychology major in the Handbook
 | ZOOLOGY | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Major required sequence | Recommended sequence | Recommended additional science units | Science or non-science elective | |
Semester 1 | One level-one mathematics or statistics unit from: | Another science sequence is recommended or EAE1011 or ATS1310 | ||
Semester 2 | STA1010 (if not taken) or Science elective | A unit to complete that science sequence or BIO1022 or BIO1042 if not already completed or elective | ||
For more information refer to the Zoology major in the Handbook