• Length 4 years full-time
  • Minimum 192 Units
Admission requirements
Prerequisites Adjustment factors availability
Do you want to talk to someone before enrolling? Contact phb.science.enquiries@anu.edu.au
  • Mode of delivery
    • Internal
Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) / Bachelor of Science (Honours) - ANU as home institution

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The PhB(Hons)/BSc(Hons) can be taken in three majors (Chemistry, Mathematics or Physics) and is offered as a joint single degree program by the National University of Singapore, NUS, and the Colleges of Science at ANU. This highly selective program provides a challenging course of study for students who have a strong interest in and aptitude for graduate research work. At ANU, it is only offered to students directly applying through the Universities Admission Centre, UAC, or to students in the PhB (Hons) program. At NUS places are offered to Colleges of Science students in the University Scholars Program.

Students are expected to acquire a strong foundation in critical analysis and depth in the principles of each subject. They are closely involved in undergraduate research with at least 25 per cent of their graduation requirements based upon independent research.

This is a four-year, Honours only, research-based degree. You will spend three semesters in residence at your host university and will write your Honours thesis at your home university. If your institution of primary enrolment is the NUS, you spend the first three semesters there, your next three semesters at ANU and your final two semesters back at NUS.

If you are primarily enrolled at ANU, you will spend the first two semesters at ANU, the next three semesters at the NUS and the last three semesters at ANU.


Single degree

  • This degree requires 192 units
  • A maximum of 60 units of 1000 level courses
  • A minimum of 36 units 3000 level courses
  • 18 units from the completion of Advanced Studies including a minimum of 12 units of Advanced Studies Courses (ASCs) and a maximum of 6 units of Advanced Studies Extensions (ASEs)
  • 48 units from completion of a Science Honours research project.
  • An average of 80% in courses must be maintained to remain in the program.
  • The first year of the degree is carried out at ANU, then next 1.5 years at the National University of Singapore (NUS), and the final 1.5 years at ANU.

About this degree

In a Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours)/Bachelor of Science (Hons), PhB(Hons)/BSc(Hons), single degree program you will study a total of 192 units.  This degree is offered as a joint single degree by the Colleges of Science at ANU and the Faculty of Science at the National University of Singapore (NUS). Typically you will take 4 courses per semester (total of 24 units) as a full time student at ANU and 5 modules (60 modular credits) as a full time student at NUS.

You will undertake 48 units of study at ANU (one year, full time) before undertaking 1.5 years of full time study at NUS. You will then return to complete your degree at ANU by undertaking the final semester of 3rd year and the full year of the Honours program.

You need to complete a major in chemistry, mathematics or physics; you need to decide on your major before commencing study at NUS. You can also undertake elective courses at both ANU and NUS.  You can use these electives to try a range of courses or to take a cohesive group of courses, such as a language, philosophy or economics.

The core of this degree is the opportunity for you to undertake research projects (known as Advanced Studies at ANU or Special Program in Science at NUS). You will undertake an Advanced Studies Extension (a small research project) in your first semester of first year as an extension to one of your regular courses. You will undertake additional Advanced Studies (as an Advanced Studies Extension or Advanced Studies Course) in second semester of first year and then on your return to ANU in third year. You will have lots of help from the program convenor in helping you decide courses and showing you how to organise Advanced Studies.

In your 4th year of study you will undertake the Honours year in a single discipline closely related to your major.

Enrolment Status

It is possible to enrol in fewer courses per semester but it will take you longer to finish your program and get your degree. If you are an international student you must always be enrolled full-time in 24 units each semester.

When you enrol for the first time you will study ‘1000-level’ courses unless you already have some advanced levels of achievement in a subject.  These courses have ‘1’ as the first number in their course code, such as SCNC1234.

  • You need to enrol in courses for both First Semester and Second Semester.
  • You can’t study more than four courses (24 units) per semester at ANU, so normally eight for the year. (Some students choose to undertake an Advanced Studies Course research project over the summer just because they are fun, exciting and challenging – you don’t have to though.)
  • You need to enrol in courses for at least one potential Science major
  • You may take 1000-level courses later in your program.  But remember you can’t count more than ten 1000-level courses (60 units) towards your single degree.


Majors and Minors

See available majors and minors for this program

You need to undertake a formal major in this degree in either chemistry, mathematics or physics but you might like to check out the 60+ Science majors, minors and specialisations available for you to study in addition to your primary major. A list of these is available from the Bachelor of Science catalogue http://programsandcourses.anu.edu.au/program/BSC .

If you aren’t sure what you want to study for your whole degree, that’s fine. Use first year to explore lots of discipline areas and let your interests develop on the basis of this experience. The PhB program convenor will ensure you are choosing something academically sensible and that will allow many paths of study in the later years of your degree.

Because there are so many options available, you will need to take your time choosing what you want to study.

To help you choose Science courses you can go to the following link to download (and print) the Science First Year Guide:

http://cmbe-cpms.anu.edu.au/resources/first-year-course-guide


Study Options

Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours)/Bachelor of Science (Honours) ANU-NUS

This is a typical study pattern for the first year of a student in this degree:

Study Options

Year 1 48 units Science 1000 level Course 6 units Science 1000 level Course 6 units Science 1000 level Course Including Advanced Studies Extension (ASE) 6 units Elective Course 6 units
Science 1000 level Course 6 units Science 1000 level Course 6 units Science 1000 level Course 6 units Advanced Studies Course (ASC)

Academic Advice

For further information on prerequisites and Science disciplines you can:

Do you want to talk to someone before enrolling?

Contact phb.science.enquiries@anu.edu.au

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