The Advanced Science/Social Research and Policy dual degree program enables students to complete a major in Advanced Science, in addition to a program of study in Social Research and Policy offered by the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. The duration of this dual degree is normally five and a half years full-time.

For questions regarding the Bachelor of Social Research and Policy requirements for the program, students should consult staff in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Student Centre. For questions relating to the Bachelor of Science (Advanced) component of the program, students should consult the Science Student Centre.

Please refer to the program objectives as listed for the 3972 Bachelor of Science (Advanced) program and the 3420 Bachelor of Social Research and Policy program.

A total of 264 units of credit are required to complete this dual degree program. Students must satisfy the following requirements for the Bachelor of Science (Advanced) and Bachelor of Social Research and Policy components. Where the requirements for the two programs are completed in less than 264 units of credit due to overlapping courses, students must make up the remaining units of credit from the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences or the Faculty of Science.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Science (Advanced) in dual degree mode

When taken as part of a dual degree program, a Bachelor of Science (Advanced) is comprised of 144 units of credit which includes:

Academic rules relating to the Bachelor of Science (Advanced) in dual degree mode are as follows:

   1. Students must complete a minimum of 144 units of credit for the Bachelor of Science (Advanced);

   2. Students must complete at least one approved Bachelor of Science (Advanced) major, and this must be declared before enrolling in level II courses. Details of approved Bachelor of Science (Advanced) majors and how to declare a major can be found on the 3972 Bachelor of Science (Advanced) program page;

   3.SCIF1121 Advanced Science: Professional Perspective and Practice (6 units of credit) or SCIF1131 Science: Technological & Professional Perspectives (6 units of credit) must be completed in first year;

   4. An Honours Year of 48 units of credit must be completed. For information regarding the admission requirements and application process for honours, please see the information under 'Honours' on the 3972 Bachelor of Science (Advanced) program page;

   5. In addition to the courses required for a student's chosen major, SCIF1121/1131, and honours, students must take 'science' courses so that the major plus SCIF1121/1131, plus Honours year plus 'science' courses total 144 units of credit. Details of what courses constitute 'science' courses can be found in Table 1 on the 3972 Bachelor of Science (Advanced) program page;

   6. Students must complete at least 24 units of credit of 'Science' level I courses;

Most majors in the Bachelor of Science (Advanced) already satisfy this requirement, for example, the Molecular and Cell Biology major requires BIOT1011, BABS1201, CHEM1011, CHEM1021, MATH1031 and MATH1041. This is a total of 36 units of credit of 'science' level I courses, therefore, no more level I science courses are required. Where a major does not include at least 24 units of credit of science level I courses, students will need to choose additional level I science courses to bring the total to 24 units of credit. For example, Psychology requires PSYC1001 and PSYC1011, therefore, students will need to choose an additional 12 units of credit of science level I courses. These science level I courses also count towards the 144 units of credit requirement at rule number 6.

   7. A minimum of 30 units of credit of level III courses must be completed;

Typically Advanced Science majors contain 18 -30 units of credit of level III courses. Therefore students may be required to take an additional 0-12 units of credit of level III courses which must be 'science' courses such that a total of 30 units of credit at level III is completed. These additional level III courses should be completed in a student's major area of study, or a complementary area that will be beneficial for a student's chosen honours area. Students completing a double major will typically meet this requirement through completion of level III courses for the second major. These additional level III science courses count towards the 144 units of credit requirement at rule number 6 above.

   8. Where offered in a particular major students must take higher versions of courses. Any variation to this must be approved by the Associate Dean (Undergraduate Programs) or nominee;

This rule only applies to courses typically at level II and III in a major (or in some cases level I courses considered to be core for the major). It does not apply to fundamental knowledge building level I courses in a major. Not all Bachelor of Science (Advanced) majors have advanced level courses, but where a major does, Advanced Science students must take these higher level courses. Please refer to the Advanced Science stream entries in this Handbook which indicate where higher courses must be taken.

   9. No student may commence level II courses until 30 units of credit of level I courses have been successfully completed. (This is 30 units of credit of courses taken towards the entire dual degree program and not just courses for the Science component);

   10. Students may commence level III courses upon successful completion of 72 units of credit. (This is 72 units of credit of courses taken towards the entire dual degree program and not just courses for the Science component);

   11. Progression to stages 2, 3, and 4 is subject to academic performance. Students will be required to attain a weighted average mark (WAM) of 70 in each semester. Where students do not maintain this minimum level of academic performance, they will be transferred to the Bachelor of Science program.

Students wishing to complete a double major in the Bachelor of Science (Advanced) when taken as part of a dual degree at UNSW should be aware that it will be very difficult to complete two majors within 144 units of credit. Therefore where a dual degree student would like to undertake a double major, they should be aware that it may involve extra time and cost to complete, and may have visa implications for international students.

For information on Honours and applying for Honours, students should refer to the 3972 Bachelor of Science (Advanced) program page. Students may not enrol in the Honours Year in this dual degree program until they have satisfied all requirements for a 3 year single degree. That is, 144 UOC. In the case of the Bachelor of Science (Advanced) / Bachelor of Social Research and Policy program, this means students must have completed at least 96 UOC from the BSc (Adv) plus 48 UOC from the BSRP before commencing Honours for the BSc (Adv).

Requirements for the Bachelor of Social Research and Policy in dual degree mode

When taken as part of a dual degree, a Bachelor of Social Research and Policy is comprised of:

Social Research and Policy core requirements

The following compulsory courses (54 UOC) form the Social Research and Policy Core:

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Available Social Research and Policy majors

For details on the majors available in the Bachelor of Social Research and Policy, please see the 3420 Bachelor of Social Research and Policy program page.

Honours in Bachelor of Social Research and Policy

High achieving Bachelor of Social Research and Policy students (in Single or Dual mode) who have successfully completed all program requirements may apply for admission to honours in the Bachelor of Arts and Social Sciences (Honours) program 4504 or the Bachelor of Social Research and Policy (Honours) 4507 if undertaking the Social Research and Policy honours stream. A minimum WAM of 70 is required for entry into Honours.

Award with Distinction

High achieving students who secure a WAM of 75 across their program and who have completed at least 48 UOC of their program at UNSW are eligible for the award of their Pass Degree "with Distinction".

Academic Rules

To qualify for the award of a Bachelor of Social Research and Policy at Pass level, a student must:

   1. enrol in the Bachelor of Social Research and Policy and complete 120 units of credit;

   2. complete the requirements for the core;

   3. complete the requirements for prescribed electives;

   4. complete the requirements for one stream;

   5. complete at least 30 units of credit of Level I courses before enrolling in Level II courses;

   6. specify their major stream at the time of enrolment into Level II;

   7. complete at least 24 UOC in their major stream before enrolling in Level III courses;

   8. complete at least 72 UOC overall before enrolling in their stream Capstone course.

For program rules and requirements, please refer to the Program Structure section above.

For information regarding fees for UNSW programs, please refer to the following website:  https://my.unsw.edu.au/student/fees/FeesMainPage.html