Academic aims and objectives of the Faculty
The Faculty of Science, Technology and Engineering is committed to the attainment of excellence in all its scholastic and scientific endeavours, and to the way in which it interacts with its students and with its community.
The objectives of the Faculty include:
- to produce, from a diversified intake, graduates well rounded in science, technology and engineering, and capable of meeting the needs of society
- to be an internationally and nationally recognised centre for quality teaching, scholarship and research
- to ensure that the quality and range of the Faculty’s activities are recognised by prospective students.
Graduates of the Faculty will be expected to possess knowledge and skills in, and an understanding of, the broad conceptual and theoretical elements of their fields of specialisation. It is expected that a graduate will possess a technical competence in the application of skills required for practice in this discipline, be able to stay abreast of theoretical developments in the discipline, and have the ability to integrate theory and practice.
Faculty and course regulations
Completion of a subject includes attendance at such lectures and tutorial classes as prescribed and the completion of such exercises and laboratory work as shall satisfy the school concerned. Students who have not complied with the prescribed requirements may be refused admission to the annual examination in that subject.
Reasonable notice of the prescribed requirements will be given.
Students should ensure that their enrolment plan meets the rules associated with their course of enrolment, particularly all the core requirements. Students must pass prerequisite subjects before being permitted to enrol in relevant subjects at the next year level. Where the prerequisite subject requires the student to demonstrate competence in a set of procedures and/or practices, the subject must have been passed no more than three years prior to enrolling in the relevant subjects at the next year level.
English language requirement
Any person offered a place in a postgraduate course at La Trobe University may be required to sit an English language test. Applicants whose principal language of educational instruction was other than English must provide evidence of their proficiency in English. This is achieved by a satisfactory result in any VCE English examination or by achieving a minimum International English Language Testing System (IELTS) score of 6.5 or its equivalent.
For information on admission requirements, enrolment, tuition fees and visa requirements for International Students, please see the International Students section of the Handbook.
Language and academic skills assistance
The Language and Academic Skills Unit in the Faculty, LAS (FSTE), assists students at all stages of study to develop their writing, reading, oral presentation and study skills. Students are encouraged to contact the unit in Physical Sciences 1 Building, Room 213, near the Faculty office, or telephone (03) 9479 2432 to make an appointment for individual assistance or to enquire about resources. Major writing tasks like project reports, literature reviews, theses and articles for publication are the most common focus for learning. Please note that proof-reading is not the purpose of such sessions.
Non-native speakers of English should also contact the Language and Academic Skills (ESL) Unit, Room 417 on level 4 of the Humanities 3 Building, telephone (03) 9479 2788.
Health procedures and protective clothing
For laboratory classes, all students are expected to wear laboratory coats and shoes that adequately protect their feet. In chemistry laboratories students must wear safety glasses. Students are expected to comply with appropriate laboratory safety rules. Smoking, eating or drinking is not allowed in lecture theatres, laboratories or computer rooms.
The University recommends that agricultural science undergraduate and postgraduate students who will have contact with animals should be immunised against the following diseases:
- tetanus – all students
- Q fever – as advised by the Department of Agricultural Sciences.