Master of Geoscience

This subject will investigate, both qualitatively and quantitatively, the fundamental physical and chemical processes governing groundwater flow and composition, including aquifer properties, regional geology, hydrology and water-rock interactions. Field and laboratory methods such as well tests, water analysis in the field and in the laboratory and data analysis are demonstrated and used to characterise hydraulic conductivity and mixing, water types and potential contamination. A one-week field excursion to the Newer Volcanic Province and the Limestone Coast will draw together many of these concepts and will emphasise surface and groundwater connectivity and groundwater supported ecosystems.

This subject will have a 1-week intensive field trip that will be delivered in the week prior to the start of Semester 1 (pre-teaching period) and 6 weeks of teaching during weeks 1-6 of Semester 1.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject comprises two intensive modules - Module 1: Geology of Gold and Module 2: Ore Deposits of Critical Minerals.

Module 1 provides a broad coverage of gold geology and exploration, as well as some of the latest research ideas and how they apply to mineral exploration. The module covers all major types of gold deposits with emphasis on Archaean deposits of Western Australia and slate-belt deposits of the Victorian gold province.

Module 2 provides an overview of the geology of major ore deposits hosting critical minerals for the energy transition. The module will also introduce some of the theoretical concepts involved in ore formation.

In both modules, the core sub-discipline areas of geochemistry, structural geology and deposit geology are covered at a level to enable participants to take their place in industry and government teams and make a contribution in all of these areas. The combined modules focus on a holistic approach that uses all applicable fields of geology to address issues pertaining to precious metal and magmatic ore deposits.

This subject is delivered in weeks 1 and 3 of Semester 1.

View detailed information in the Handbook

The Project in Geoscience is a program of supervised research that forms a capstone for the Master of Geoscience degree, allowing students to translate the knowledge and skills gained during the degree into practice. Students will plan and carry out research into an industry-relevant and/or academic problem. They will communicate their research via written reports and an oral presentation, justifying their conclusions and recommendations as if to an industry client, collaborator or academic researcher. A wide range of projects are possible, with relevance to a variety of geoscience disciplines and career areas, and based in the laboratory, field or office.

The Project in Geoscience is a compulsory subject within the Master of Geoscience that should be taken during the second year of study. Students are encouraged to approach potential supervisors well in advance of commencing the subject. The Subject Coordinator can help students identify potential supervisors in their preferred areas of research.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Earth’s sediments record over 4 billion years of environmental evolution and host our modern societies’ water resources. This subject gives a broad introduction to the sedimentary record of Earth’s history as well as groundwater systems in sedimentary aquifers. Topics covered include facies analysis and petrology of carbonate, terrigenous and chemical sediments; techniques used in stratigraphic analysis; sedimentary geochemistry and its applications; post-depositional processes, including diagenesis and weathering, that alter rocks after their formation; chemical interactions between minerals and groundwater in weathered rocks and weathering products; application of sedimentary geology to understanding sediment-hosted resources; characterisation of surface and groundwater systems; rock properties affecting groundwater flow; water balance; groundwater resource assessment; and groundwater supported ecosystems.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject will examine the role that geochemistry plays in Earth processes. It will begin with an exploration of the foundations of geochemistry, from the behaviour of elements to the analysis of elemental and isotopic compositions, integrating principles across chemistry and physics, and applying this to systems at all scales. We will explore the many ways in which geochemical data preserved in minerals, plants and animals can provide qualitative and quantitative insights into processes as varied as the formation of our planet, to the migration of past peoples, all the way to its use in modern forensics and medicine. We will see how geochemistry is applied across many contexts, including: paleoclimate reconstruction, green resource exploration, archaeological science, marine science and even medicine. The subject emphasises maturation of fundamentals and application to real-world scientific inquiry involving geochemical methods, e.g. critically evaluating several possible analytical approaches, and identifying/applying the most scientifically sound. Subject also refines student ability to navigate communication of highly specialised geochemical methods to scientific problems, simulating the experience of a modern working scientist in and outside academia.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject teaches practical skills and applied knowledge for a range of careers in geoscience. It builds on an understanding of fundamental geological processes and systems and explores a range of topics including: resource exploration, responsible extraction of water and mineral resources, ore deposits, hazards, remediation, sustainability and infrastructure applications. The subject is based on four modules in sequence: 1. Mineral Futures, 2. Applied Geophysics, 3. Engineering Geoscience, 4. Environmental Geoscience and Water Resources. Each module includes background theory, topical discussion and practical classes, with a strong emphasis on case studies from past and present. One of the modules will include a one-day field trip which will focus on an ongoing remediation challenge in Victoria, and draws together the different aspects of the course. The course will bring together theoretical frameworks, active research and industry applications.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject is designed to develop students’ understanding of the physical processes, dynamics and linkages operating within the earth’s coastal systems. The beaches, dunes, estuaries and rocky cliffs that comprise the coast are some of the most intensively utilised landscapes worldwide and Australia is no exception. Population growth, development, and climate change are pushing natural functioning systems to the brink. However, intense human impact is only a relatively recent phenomenon. Coastal landforms operate over much longer timescales than people. Beaches and dunes have natural cycles of erosion and deposition over decadal to centennial scales while cliff erosion may relate to a history developed over several hundred thousand years. It is therefore impossible to successfully manage, or simply enjoy this environment, without knowledge of how it evolved and operates. During this subject we will explore the operation and management of the key landforms found at the shore. The drivers of change on the coast, from waves and sea level to weathering and sediment, will all be analysed. The key management strategies from seawalls to nature-based infrastructure will be discussed and critiqued. Only through a thorough understanding how landforms operate can our coasts be managed for current and future generations. This subject will equip you with the skills and knowledge fundamental for a successful career in the public, private and not-for-profit environmental sectors. This subject involves the completion of a field trip, which will incur an incidental cost. Further information regarding any incidental field trip costs (as well as key information regarding the field trip) can be found via the School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Field Trip website here: https://sgeas.unimelb.edu.au/study/field-trips

View detailed information in the Handbook

Rivers are amongst the hardest of natural resources to manage. They are long and thin, and so maximise the impact of catchment changes; they also focus environmental, social and production pressures. Rivers are the archetypal example of the conflict between private and public goods. In most western countries we have done an effective job of degrading these resources. The last 20 years has seen a transformation in the way rivers have been managed. We are now less concerned with protecting people from rivers (via flood mitigation), and more focused on environmental rehabilitation and protection. This subject equips students to manage rivers more effectively by integrating catchment management activities. In reality, there are not many things that we do to manage rivers: change landuse, change flow, change water quality, change riparian vegetation, or make structural changes to the river. In this course we concentrate on (a) how much do you have to alter each of these management levers in order to produce the most cost effective improvements in river condition and sustainability; (b) how do we integrate the management of many levers at different scales; and (c) how do we evaluate whether we have had any effect. The subject has a strong emphasis on how to develop strong and successful policy for managing natural systems. The principles for managing rivers apply to managing most natural resources, so students can be confident of learning general management and policy principles.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This module outlines the fundamental theory and techniques of field work in environmental geology. It aims to give students the essential tools for the assessment of environmental hazards associated with mining operations and how to measure their effects.

This subject is taught as part of the Victorian Institute of Earth and Planetary Sciences (VIEPS), a collaboration between various Australian universities that share the teaching of graduate subjects in geoscience and atmospheric science.

This subject is taught by the University of Tasmania, and involves a field trip in Tasmania. In order to complete this subject, you will need to enrol via your University of Melbourne study plan, as well as register your enrolment with the home teaching institution.

You can find information regarding this subject, including important participation requirements and how to register as an external student, via the VIEPS website here: https://www.monash.edu/science/schools/earth-atmosphere-environment/honours/vieps

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject equips participants with an understanding of the role and limitations of science in environmental debates and decision-making. Global changes to the atmosphere, hydrological cycle, land-uses, urbanisation, climate, pollution, biodiversity, pests, and diseases are having profound impacts on the planet, its people and other species. You will gain an appreciation of strengths and limitations in the diversity of scientific approaches used to understand and manage environmental changes. These approaches include empirical observation, mathematical and statistical modelling, and expert opinion. The subject highlights the breadth of environmental changes, and the range of scientific methods that can be used to address these issues. Collectively, these elements provide a sound foundation for science-based advocacy and management that recognises the scientific and social contexts of environmental debates.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Urban soils can present distinct and unique challenges to the land manager, landscape architect or horticulturist responsible for developing, maintaining or improving urban landscapes. Often compacted, contaminated, or otherwise unsuitable for plant growth, urban soils require assessment, solutions and practical methods to ensure successful outcomes. This applications-oriented subject covers several fundamental soil science issues with direct relevance to urban landscape impacts, uses and requirements. Topics covered include compaction, nutrition, contamination, water supply, drainage and structural soils.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject prepares students for environmental management roles by providing them with the principles of how human impacts on the environment might be detected and managed. The principles will be placed within the legal and social contexts of environmental impact assessment. At the completion of the subject, students should understand three aspects: prediction of the kind of changes that might occur with human activities; the design and implementation of proper monitoring programs that can detect changes; and assessment of those changes. Additionally, a strong emphasis is placed on the practical implementation of principles.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject will investigate, both qualitatively and quantitatively, the fundamental physical and chemical processes governing groundwater flow and composition, including aquifer properties, regional geology, hydrology and water-rock interactions. Field and laboratory methods such as well tests, water analysis in the field and in the laboratory and data analysis are demonstrated and used to characterise hydraulic conductivity and mixing, water types and potential contamination. A one-week field excursion to the Newer Volcanic Province and the Limestone Coast will draw together many of these concepts and will emphasise surface and groundwater connectivity and groundwater supported ecosystems.

This subject will have a 1-week intensive field trip that will be delivered in the week prior to the start of Semester 1 (pre-teaching period) and 6 weeks of teaching during weeks 1-6 of Semester 1.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject comprises two intensive modules - Module 1: Geology of Gold and Module 2: Ore Deposits of Critical Minerals.

Module 1 provides a broad coverage of gold geology and exploration, as well as some of the latest research ideas and how they apply to mineral exploration. The module covers all major types of gold deposits with emphasis on Archaean deposits of Western Australia and slate-belt deposits of the Victorian gold province.

Module 2 provides an overview of the geology of major ore deposits hosting critical minerals for the energy transition. The module will also introduce some of the theoretical concepts involved in ore formation.

In both modules, the core sub-discipline areas of geochemistry, structural geology and deposit geology are covered at a level to enable participants to take their place in industry and government teams and make a contribution in all of these areas. The combined modules focus on a holistic approach that uses all applicable fields of geology to address issues pertaining to precious metal and magmatic ore deposits.

This subject is delivered in weeks 1 and 3 of Semester 1.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This is a 5-day course of lectures, practical sessions, and laboratory visits focused on modern mineral identification techniques. The course will include demonstrations of X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and electron microprobe analysis (EMPA). A revision of basic mineralogy concepts will be provided, before visiting Melbourne Museum to use some of the museum's mineralogy facilities (including the XRD) and a tour of the museum's mineral collection provided by the museum's senior geoscience curator. At the University of Melbourne, students will be introduced to in-house analysis techniques (e.g. SEM, EMPA, ICP-MS, micro-CT), taught how to evaluate the quality of resultant data, and how such data should be presented.

View detailed information in the Handbook

The course covers the basic principles of Ar-Ar, Rb-Sr, Sm-Nd, U-Pb (conventional Pb-Pb, U-Pb, SHRIMP, LA-ICPMS, CHIME), Lu-Hf and Re-Os, as well as fission track and (U-Th)/He thermochronology. The application of these geochronology/thermochronology and isotopic tracing methods to a variety of geological problems will be presented. Afternoon sessions will be devoted to pracs (calculating ages, meaning of errors, plotting data e.g. isochrons, U-Pb plots, histograms using the computer package ISOPLOT and modelling thermal histories).

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject will show how to assess sedimentary basins for their resource potential, particularly those resources dependent upon porosity and permeability, such as geothermal energy, water, hydrocarbons and gas/CO2-storage. The skills taught come primarily from the petroleum industry, including seismic interpretation, borehole analysis, core-logging and temperature measurement, but are applied to assess all resources. Students will assess the ESE (economic, social and environmental) value of the resources. Students will each present and promote a farm-out investment opportunity and will be given an investment portfolio. Each student will be required to rank the opportunities against their portfolio. Practically, this will be achieved by comparing and contrasting eastern Australia basins of different types; the Palaeozoic Drummond Basin in Queensland, and the Mesozoic-Tertiary Gippsland-Otway Basins in Victoria. The key assignment will be to analyse the origin, fill, sediment properties and tectonic history of each basin and to assess its resource potential. The subject will include a one-day field excursion to Peninsula Hot Springs geothermal bathing and spa resort on the Mornington Peninsula. This subject involves the completion of a field trip, which will incur an incidental cost. Further information regarding any incidental field trip costs (as well as key information regarding the field trip) can be found via the School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Field Trip website here: https://sgeas.unimelb.edu.au/study/field-trips

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject will provide students the opportunity to develop skills in field geology that are highly valued in the environmental, resource development, engineering, and mining industries. Students will learn to identify minerals, rocks, sediments, structures, and geomorphic features in the field and using remote sensing imagery, and to express them through geological maps, cross-sections and reports. Students will learn how to collate and interpret diverse geological observations and to use these data to develop models of geological histories across multiple time-scales. Students will gain a rich understanding of how geological mapping and other field methods can be used to inform decision-making across a wide array of contemporary challenges, including hazard identification, risk reduction, and sustaining future Earth. This subject involves the completion of a field trip, which will incur an incidental cost. Further information regarding any incidental field trip costs (as well as key information regarding the field trip) can be found via the School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Field Trip website here: https://sgeas.unimelb.edu.au/study/field-trips

View detailed information in the Handbook

Students are taught to map out the structures and complex geometries within a series of multiply-deformed turbite sequence. The course teaches the concepts of key locality and provides strategies to correlate between key localities to produce consistent maps and cross-sections over outcrops at Bermagui Heads and Pt Dickinson in Bermagui in a structurally complex area within a poly-deformed terrane.

This subject is taught as part of the Victorian Institute of Earth and Planetary Sciences (VIEPS), a collaboration between various Australian universities that share the teaching of graduate subjects in geoscience and atmospheric science.

This subject is taught by Monash University, and involves a field trip in New South Wales. In order to complete this subject, you will need to enrol via your University of Melbourne study plan, as well as register your enrolment with the home teaching institution.

You can find information regarding this subject, including important participation requirements and how to register as an external student, via the VIEPS website here: https://www.monash.edu/science/schools/earth-atmosphere-environment/honours/vieps

View detailed information in the Handbook

Geological mapping, core logging and the recognition of ore-related hydrothermal alteration mineral assemblages are essential skills for all mining industry geologists. This field-based course will examine core and surface exposures of a mixed volcano-sedimentary succession in the highly mineralised Cambrian Mount Read Volcanics and Dundas Group of western Tasmania.

This subject is taught as part of the Victorian Institute of Earth and Planetary Sciences (VIEPS), a collaboration between various Australian universities that share the teaching of graduate subjects in geoscience and atmospheric science.

This subject is taught by the University of Tasmania, and involves a field trip in Tasmania. In order to complete this subject, you will need to enrol via your University of Melbourne study plan, as well as register your enrolment with the home teaching institution.

You can find information regarding this subject, including important participation requirements and how to register as an external student, via the VIEPS website here: https://www.monash.edu/science/schools/earth-atmosphere-environment/honours/vieps

View detailed information in the Handbook

The course is designed to provide practical experience in the processing of regional geophysical datasets or the purpose of undertaking geological interpretation. The course is designed to allow the student to go through step-by-step methodologies of processing data, interpretation techniques, and modelling of geophysical data.

This subject is taught as part of the Victorian Institute of Earth and Planetary Sciences (VIEPS), a collaboration between various Australian universities that share the teaching of graduate subjects in geoscience and atmospheric science.

This subject is taught by Monash University, and students will be expected to participate in person at Monash University during the teaching period. In order to complete this subject, you will need to enrol via your University of Melbourne study plan, as well as register your enrolment with the home teaching institution.

You can find information regarding this subject, including important participation requirements and how to register as an external student, via the VIEPS website here: https://www.monash.edu/science/schools/earth-atmosphere-environment/honours/vieps

View detailed information in the Handbook

This unit will provide the skills needed for advanced data analysis in Earth Sciences using Python. You will learn techniques for managing, analysing and communicating complex data based on real-world scenarios or your own research. The analysis component will include standard methods such as correlations, power spectra, re-gridding and curve-fitting. No previous Python experience is required.

This subject is taught as part of the Victorian Institute of Earth and Planetary Sciences (VIEPS), a collaboration between various Australian universities that share the teaching of graduate subjects in geoscience and atmospheric science.

This subject is taught by Monash University, and students will be expected to participate in person at Monash University during the teaching period. In order to complete this subject, you will need to enrol via your University of Melbourne study plan, as well as register your enrolment with the home teaching institution.

You can find information regarding this subject, including important participation requirements and how to register as an external student, via the VIEPS website here: https://www.monash.edu/science/schools/earth-atmosphere-environment/honours/vieps

View detailed information in the Handbook

AIMS

To introduce students to the techniques and technology of remote sensing: the extraction of information from satellite and airborne image data. This subject assumes prior knowledge of image processing techniques such as that acquired in subjects such as GEOM30009 Imaging the Environment. Students passing this subject will have the skills to work under supervision in a spatial information or remote sensing agency of consultancy providing services, for example, to natural resource managers.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

Use of image processing systems. High level digital image processing, correction and classification; applications of remote sensing in the geosciences, engineering, and resource assessment and inventory; image data in geographic information systems. Detailed application studies in emergency/disaster management, environmental assessment and geological mapping.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject introduces the fundamentals of spatial data analytics and geoprocessing. By using hands-on exercises with real-life geological datasets, the students learn how to handle data in relational databases, query data with simple SQL statements, cleaning, formatting and exporting geospatial datasets and geo-processing the data in GIS software packages. At the start the subject will focus on looking at the basics of database structures, data analytics and data querying. In the second part of the course the students will create GIS projects, plot spatial data, start analysing and geoprocessing geospatial data, creating interpolated heatmaps, rasterizing point clouds and combining and standardizing disperse datasets. We will also practice data extraction, such as how-to geo-reference a map in Google Earth and in GIS, extract data locations from a geo-referenced image and how to create a final GIS project, including legend and map. Finally, the course concludes with bringing all the data together and creating a final GIS project visualizing all pre-analysed data.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject combines practical spatial data management with the underpinning theories of spatial and spatiotemporal data representation and handling from Geographic Information Science. Spatial information is answering ‘where’ and ‘when’ questions – which are fundamental in decision making in complex systems, be it in urban planning, traffic and infrastructure management, environmental management, public health and sustainability, or any other social, economic, and environmental context.

The subject introduces foundations of effective, efficient, and large-scale spatial data management. This subject will cover the concepts, methods, and approaches that allow for efficient representation, querying, and retrieval of spatial data, in a modern ecosystem of spatial databases interfacing a geographic information system.

The knowledge acquired is fundamental for subsequent studies in spatial data analytics and visualisation, and is of particular relevance to people wishing to establish a career in the spatial information, the environmental, or the planning industry. It is also suited for every postgraduate student who is looking for solid skills with Geographic Information Systems.

In this subject, we will discuss the intricacies of computational representation and management of spatial information. The subject takes a spatial database perspective to management of extensive spatial datasets. The subject will cover the modelling, loading, transformation, analysis, and retrieval of spatial data in spatial databases. The subject covers data representations (vector, raster, and network data); spatial operations, including geometric, topological, set-oriented, and network operations; spatial indexes and access methods, including quadtrees and R-trees. The subject exposes the students to the whole lifecycle of spatial data management in a team-based project.

Please view this video for further information: Spatial Data Management

View detailed information in the Handbook

This course will introduce the concept of a GIS as a problem solving technology within the geosciences, and through hands-on practical classes and lectures will provide the basic hands-on skills needed to design and implement a GIS project. Specific topics will include map projections and georeferencing, distortions in image data, raster and vector data models, incorporating digital terrain models and geophysical data, introduction to boolean logic and functions, data accuracy and access issues and limitations of GIS. The course will include examination of case histories of GIS projects and students will also build a GIS project of their own to solve a simulated exploration problem using MapInfo and other open-source software and a real world data set.

This subject is taught as part of the Victorian Institute of Earth and Planetary Sciences (VIEPS), a collaboration between various Australian universities that share the teaching of graduate subjects in geoscience and atmospheric science.

This subject is taught by Monash University, and students will be expected to participate in person at Monash University during the teaching period. In order to complete this subject, you will need to enrol via your University of Melbourne study plan, as well as register your enrolment with the home teaching institution.

You can find information regarding this subject, including important participation requirements and how to register as an external student, via the VIEPS website here: https://www.monash.edu/science/schools/earth-atmosphere-environment/honours/vieps

View detailed information in the Handbook

The Research Project in Geoscience is a program of supervised research that offers students in the Master of Geoscience the opportunity to extend their research experience beyond the capstone subject GEOL90024 Project in Geoscience. In combination, the two subjects offer students a total of 50 credit points of research experience, forming a pathway to a higher research degree.

Like the capstone Project in Geoscience, the Research Project in Geoscience requires the planning, undertaking and reporting of an investigation into an industry-relevant and/or academic problem, from within a wide range of geoscience disciplines and career areas. Students may choose to build directly on work done in their Project in Geoscience – with the agreement of their research supervisor – or to explore an entirely new research area. In either case, students should expect to work more independently of their supervisor than in the Project in Geoscience, and to see their assessments marked at a somewhat higher level, to reflect their deeper research experience.

To be eligible for this subject, students are required to show aptitude for geoscience research throughout their Master of Geoscience degree (see subject Prerequisites). The Research Project in Geoscience is normally taken in the fourth semester of study, after completing GEOL90024 Project in Geoscience in the third semester. Students are encouraged to approach potential supervisors well in advance of commencing the subject. The Subject Coordinator can help students identify potential supervisors in their preferred areas of research.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject will give an overview of the tools required to operate successfully in an organisational environment. The focus of the subject is the internal workings of an organisation and specifically addresses three main areas: working with people, managing budgets and understanding basic accounting, and managing processes and projects.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject examines the workplace environment and the range of competencies needed to operate effectively. Communication is central to success in the workplace, from proposing projects, consulting and influencing colleagues, through to reporting. Students will gain a range of communication skills in writing, oral and presentation skills, and using graphics and statistics, to communicate science to others with whom they work.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Successful commercialisation of scientific discoveries and new technologies occurs in a unique business environment where scientific and business interests and personalities must productively interact.

The subject will develop a critical understanding of the context in which the commercialisation of science occurs, and the opportunities and challenges encountered. Topics covered within the subject will include the nature and types of intellectual property (IP), how it can be protected, valued, managed and strengthened, its use as a commercial tool, exploration of the barriers to commercialisation, what strategies can be used to exploit IP, how to develop a commercial plan and leverage finance for the commercialisation of IP.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Why is it essential that scientists learn to communicate effectively to a variety of audiences? What makes for engaging communication when it comes to science? How does the style of communication need to change for different audiences? What are the nuts and bolts of good science writing? What are the characteristics of effective public speaking?

Weekly seminars and tutorials will consider the important role science and technology plays in twenty-first century society and explore why it is vital that scientists learn to articulate their ideas to a variety of audiences in an effective and engaging manner. These audiences may include school students, agencies that fund research, the media, government, industry, and the broader public. Other topics include the philosophy of science communication, talking about science on the radio, effective public speaking, writing press releases and science feature articles, science performance, communicating science on the web and how science is reported in the media.

Students will develop skills in evaluating examples of science and technology communication to identify those that are most effective and engaging. Students will also be given multiple opportunities to receive feedback and improve their own written and oral communication skills.

Students will work in small teams on team projects to further the communication skills developed during the seminar programme. These projects will focus on communicating a given scientific topic to a particular audience using spoken, visual, written or web-based communication.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject is designed to provide students with detailed training in statistical methods as applied to the design and analysis of projects undertaken by postgraduate students, across all disciplines.

View detailed information in the Handbook

The basis for decision making in biotechnology is often the analysis of data. For these decisions to be reliable data must be correctly collected and analysed. To control costs data should be efficiently collected and it needs to be properly stored and managed. The interpretation of an analysis requires some knowledge of basic statistical ideas and techniques, and the results will often be communicated to a non-specialist audience who will make decisions based on the presentation. Alternatively, decisions may be made from the analyses and interpretations of others. This subject examines the whole process of data collection, analysis and decision making.

This subject is a core subject for Master of Biotechnology (MC-SCIBIT) and examples and curriculum are designed for MC-SCIBIT students.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Projects drive most modern science organisations. Learn how to plan and manage projects, and to relate to a client, team members, and to other stakeholders. The subject covers the processes and tools/techniques in project management as well as the ‘soft side’ of managing people in projects. The subject uses the project management body of knowledge (PMBOK) covering the competencies in project management including scope, time, cost, quality, resource, risk, communication and integration management.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Excellent scientific leadership is not only required in academic research groups, but also in technological industries and many areas of government. This subject will examine the nature and styles and consequences of leadership and decision making in academia, industry and government.

Students will examine, through a series of lectures, seminars and workshops, the roles of leadership in: motivation, ethics, risk and the development of a productive organisational culture drawing upon case studies, personal accounts from scientific leaders and their own personal experiences.

In addition, students will learn strategies to deal with staff and clients, build teams, make decisions, think strategically, develop self awareness, identify and manage conflict of interest, identify opportunity and value diversity.

View detailed information in the Handbook

AIMS

This subject introduces the fundamental concepts of computing programming, and how to solve simple problems using high-level procedural language, with a specific emphasis on data manipulation, transformation, and visualisation of data.

INDICATIVE CONTENT

Fundamental programming constructs; fundamental data structures; abstraction; basic program structures; algorithmic problem solving; use of modules.

The subject assumes no prior knowledge of computer programming and is not suitable for students with prior programming experience.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject involves completion of an 80-100 hour science or technology work placement integrating academic learning in science areas of study, employability skills and attributes and an improved knowledge of science and technology organisations, workplace culture and career pathways. The placement is supplemented by pre- and post-placement classes designed to develop an understanding of science and technology professions, introduce skills for developing, identifying and articulating employability skills and attributes and linking them to employer requirements in the science and technology domains. Work conducted during the placement will be suitable for a graduate level of expertise and experience. While immersed in a work environment, students will be expected to challenge themselves by accepting roles and responsibilities that stretch their existing capabilities. They will interrogate the requirements of specific careers and continually monitor their own progress towards developing the necessary knowledge, skills and attributes to thrive in these roles.

Students will be responsible for identifying a suitable work placement prior to the semester. Application for credit need to be submitted via the Internships Portal at least 3 weeks prior to internship commencement and within the Key Dates mentioned on the website. More information is available on the subject webpage here: https://science.unimelb.edu.au/students/plan-your-study/internship-subjects. If you have questions on how and where to find internship, you should contact the Careers and Industry team in the Faculty of Science at hyperlink: https://forms.your.unimelb.edu.au/4747166?SID=a3xOY000000018z

On completion of the subject, students will have completed and reported on a course-related project in a science or technology workplace. They will also have enhanced employability skills including communication, interpersonal, analytical and problem-solving, organisational and time-management, and an understanding of career planning and professional development.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Learning in this subject is based around the examination of a number of use-cases for AI in the sciences, including such applications as data analytics, modelling, scientific discoveries and therapeutic devices. After conversations covering preliminary material on AI, Ethics, Law and Human Rights, these use-cases will be employed as basis for investigating the issues with particularly relevant themes drawn from the broader thematic domains.

Indicative themes to be covered:

• Trust
• Accountability, Transparency & Explainability
• Beneficence & Non-maleficence
• Fairness & Justice
• Autonomy
• Licensing
• Liability
• Privacy
• Legal Personality
• Regulatory approval

These themes will be applied to various applications of AI in the sciences, which could include for example, therapeutic zoomorphic robots in aged care, surveillance systems to prevent poaching, analysis of data derived from large scale sensor deployment for measuring pedestrian flow, weather modelling, 'lab in a box', and discovery of novel materials.

The subject is suitable for those with either science, quantitative, or legal backgrounds, with pre-class reading required both to promote the richest possible discussions during class contact time, and to address understanding of fundamental concepts for students of various backgrounds.

View detailed information in the Handbook

As a scientist, it is not only important to be able to experiment, research and discover, it is also vital that you can communicate your research effectively in a variety of ways. Even the most brilliant research is wasted if no one knows it has been done or if your target audience is unable to understand it.

In this subject you will develop your written and oral communication skills to ensure that you communicate your science as effectively as possible. We will cover effective science writing and oral presentations across a number of formats: writing a thesis; preparing, submitting and publishing journal papers; searching for, evaluating and citing appropriate references; peer review, making the most of conferences; applying for grants and jobs; and using social media to publicise your research.

You will have multiple opportunities to practice, receive feedback and improve both your oral and written communication skills.

Please note: students must be undertaking their own research in order to enrol in this subject.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Earth’s Surface and Interior explores the geological processes that take place on the surface and in the interior of Earth, as recorded in the rocks and minerals of Earth’s crust and upper mantle. It centres around petrography – the practical ability to read rocks, interpreting their histories and the stories they tell about Earth’s characteristics and evolution over time. Students will also develop their skills in technical and scientific communication, including the scientific reporting of rock specimens, and the analysis of outstanding problems in the scientific literature.

This subject is designed for students in the first year of their Master of Geoscience degree. In combination with the other first year core subjects, it allows all students to build the skills and understanding needed for advanced coursework subjects and research projects in the second year of the degree.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject will provide Masters-level training in some of the fundamental skills that will benefit the subsequent capstone projects in the Master of Geoscience. In particular, you will gain experience of applied research methods in environmental geology, hydrogeology, engineering geology, sequence stratigraphy, and economic geology. You will build on the fundamental skillset that you developed in Practical Earth Science A, developing a solid foundation of skills and understanding in these areas.

Learning is built around a series of assignments that are designed to review key concepts and to develop practical skills. The subject is self-paced, with teaching staff available to provide guidance and feedback.

View detailed information in the Handbook

Earth’s Dynamic Surface builds key geological field skills during field work at multiple locations in eastern Victoria. It links these skills with an appreciation of Earth’s geological history, and the wide variety of processes that shape today’s natural environments.

This subject is designed for students in the first year of their Master of Geoscience degree. In combination with the other first year core subjects, it allows all students to build the skills and understanding needed for advanced coursework subjects and research projects in the second year of the degree.

This subject involves the completion of a field trip, which will incur an incidental cost. Further information regarding any incidental field trip costs (as well as key information regarding the field trip) can be found via the School of Geography, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Field Trip website here: https://sgeas.unimelb.edu.au/study/field-trips

View detailed information in the Handbook

Earth’s sediments record over 4 billion years of environmental evolution and host our modern societies’ water resources. This subject gives a broad introduction to the sedimentary record of Earth’s history as well as groundwater systems in sedimentary aquifers. Topics covered include facies analysis and petrology of carbonate, terrigenous and chemical sediments; techniques used in stratigraphic analysis; sedimentary geochemistry and its applications; post-depositional processes, including diagenesis and weathering, that alter rocks after their formation; chemical interactions between minerals and groundwater in weathered rocks and weathering products; application of sedimentary geology to understanding sediment-hosted resources; characterisation of surface and groundwater systems; rock properties affecting groundwater flow; water balance; groundwater resource assessment; and groundwater supported ecosystems.

View detailed information in the Handbook

This subject will examine the role that geochemistry plays in Earth processes. It will begin with an exploration of the foundations of geochemistry, from the behaviour of elements to the analysis of elemental and isotopic compositions, integrating principles across chemistry and physics, and applying this to systems at all scales. We will explore the many ways in which geochemical data preserved in minerals, plants and animals can provide qualitative and quantitative insights into processes as varied as the formation of our planet, to the migration of past peoples, all the way to its use in modern forensics and medicine. We will see how geochemistry is applied across many contexts, including: paleoclimate reconstruction, green resource exploration, archaeological science, marine science and even medicine. The subject emphasises maturation of fundamentals and application to real-world scientific inquiry involving geochemical methods, e.g. critically evaluating several possible analytical approaches, and identifying/applying the most scientifically sound. Subject also refines student ability to navigate communication of highly specialised geochemical methods to scientific problems, simulating the experience of a modern working scientist in and outside academia.

View detailed information in the Handbook