Coursework programs

Master of Nanotechnology – Melbourne (Bundoora) (SMNT)

The Master of Nanotechnology is a comprehensive two year course featuring both in-depth lecture subjects, seminars by leading speakers and a wide range of practical learning opportunities. Graduates are equipped with the broad range of the skills required to flourish in the rapidly developing field of nanotechnology. The course has a strong research focus, with high achieving students working in state-of-the-art research laboratories equipped with world class fabrication and characterization resources.

Admission requirements

Applicants must have the equivalent of an Australian bachelor degree containing a major in physics and at least two years of chemistry or equivalent. Applicants should have obtained a minimum average of 65% in the third year of their bachelor degree, or have reached an equivalent standard as judged by the Nanotechnology Course Coordinator.

There is a quota on the number of students to be enrolled at each course intake. As an understanding of physics, chemistry and biology is important for admission to this course, the best applicants will be selected, based on their provision of a curriculum vitae and their academic record.

Course intakes occur twice per year, at the beginning of the La Trobe University teaching semesters.

The Nanotechnology Course Coordinator will assist commencing students to develop and have approved a tailored program of study, matched to both their current academic achievements and future career directions.

Professional recognition

Satisfactory completion of the course may meet the professional level requirements for membership of the Australian Institute of Physics, depending on the subjects selected.

Course structure

The full-time course is of two years (four semesters) duration. Part-time enrolment is available. The duration of a part-time enrolment should be equivalent to four semesters of a full-time enrolment.

The course has two streams, an honours stream and a regular stream. The first year is common and comprises 120 credit points of coursework subjects. The second year of the regular stream comprises a further 120 credit points of coursework subjects. Students successfully completing 240 credit points in the regular stream graduate with a Master of Nanotechnology.

Students who achieve an average of 65% for all their subjects in the first year of the course and who demonstrate an aptitude for research and experimentation may be invited to join the honours stream. These students will undertake a 60 credit point masters research thesis (approximately 18,000 words) along with a further 60 credit points of coursework subjects, as a part of the second year. Students successfully completing 240 credit points in the honours stream graduate with a Master of Nanotechnology (Honours).

Graduation from the honours stream fulfils the requirements for entry into a PhD in a relevant discipline area at La Trobe University.

Students should note that they may take out the award of a Postgraduate Diploma in Science (SPSC) after successfully completing the first year of the Masters course only if they decide not to proceed to the second year of the Masters course.

Note that a maximum of 60 credit points from undergraduate subjects (Level 1, 2, and 3 including those listed in Group C) may be counted toward the degree.

First year (120 credit points)

Core subjects (60 credit points)


Teaching period	Subject name	Subject code	Credit points
TE-SEM-1	Issues in Nanotechnology A	NAN5ISA	5
TE-SEM-1	Advanced Synchrotron Science and Technology	PHY5SYA	15
TE-SEM-2	Issues in Nanotechnology B	NAN5ISB	5
TE-SEM-2	Imaging and Materials Characterisation	PHY2IMC	10
TE-SEM-2	Nanochemistry	CHE2NAN	10
TE-SEM-2	Advanced Scanning Probe Microscopy	PHY5SPA	15

Electives (60 credit points)

Choose a minimum of 30 credit points from Group A (Level 4, 5) subjects.

Choose a maximum of 30 credit points from Group B (Level 3) subjects.

Other undergraduate and postgraduate level subjects offered in relevant disciplines of the Faculty may be selected with the approval of both the Nanotechnology Course Coordinator and the department or area offering the subject.

Second year (120 credit points)

Students undertake one of the following streams of study

Regular Stream

Core subjects (60 credit points)


Teaching period	Subject name	Subject code	Credit points
TE-SEM-1	Advanced Nanomaterials and Fabrication	PHY5NFA	15
TE-SEM-2	Advanced Sensors and Devices	CHE5SEA	15
TE-SEM-1 or 2	Directed Study in Nanotechnology	NAN5DIR	15
TE-SEM-1 or 2	Issues in Nanotechnology Extended	NAN5ISX	10
plus one of the following subjects
TE-SEM-1	Issues in Nanotechnology C	NAN5ISC	5
TE-SEM-2	Issues in Nanotechnology D	NAN5ISD	5

Electives (60 credit points)

Choose further subjects from Groups A and B to a minimum value of 60 credit points. Group A subjects are recommended.

Honours Stream

Core Subjects (105 credit points)


Teaching period	Subject name	Subject code	Credit points
TE-SEM-1	Advanced Nanomaterials and Fabrication	PHY5NFA	15
TE-SEM-1 or 2	Nanotechnology Masters Thesis A	NAN5THA	30
TE-SEM-2	Advanced Sensors and Devices	CHE5SEA	15
TE-SEM-1 or 2	Nanotechnology Masters Thesis B	NAN5THB	30
TE-SEM-1 or 2	Issues in Nanotechnology Extended	NAN5ISX	10
plus one of the following subjects
TE-SEM-1	Issues in Nanotechnology C	NAN5ISC	5
TE-SEM-2	Issues in Nanotechnology D	NAN5ISD	5

NAN5THA and NAN5THB (completed across two semesters) may be substituted with NAN5THX (60 credit points) Nanotechnology Masters Thesis Extended (completed in one semester) to accommodate special circumstances and non-standard enrolments, with the approval of the Nanotechnology Course Coordinator.

Electives (15 credit points)

Choose a minimum of a further 15 credit points from Groups A and B. Group A subjects are recommended.

Group A (Level 4, 5) subjects

Most subjects have prerequisites


Teaching period	Subject name	Subject code	Credit points
TE-SEM-1	Quantum Mechanics and Electrodynamics	PHY4QME	15
TE-SEM-1	Mesoscopic Nanoscience	PHY4MES	15
TE-SEM-1	Molecular Nanoscience	CHE5MNS	15
TE-SEM-1	Proteomics and Genomics	BIO5PAG	15
TE-SEM-1	Bioinformatics	BIO5INF	15
TE-SEM-2	Surface Science	PHY4SSC	15
TE-SEM-2	X-ray Science	PHY4XRY	15
TE-SEM-1 or 2	Directed Study in Nanotechnology	NAN5DIR	15

Group B (Level 3) Subjects

Most subjects have prerequisites


Teaching period	Subject name	Subject code	Credit points
TE-SEM-1	Physics of Quantum Matter	PHY3PQM	15
TE-SEM-1	Atomic and Nuclear Physics	PHY3ANP	15
TE-SEM-2	Thermal and Statistical Physics	PHY3TSP	15
TE-SEM-2	Electromagnetic Theory and Plasma Physics	PHY3EPP	15
TE-SEM-1	Selected Topics for Joint Chemistry Major	CHE3ADA	30
TE-SEM-2	Materials & Methods for Joint Chem Majors	CHE3ADB	30
TE-SEM-1	Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 3A	BCH3BMA	30
TE-SEM-2	Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 3B	BCH3BMB	30

Subject offerings may change according to available staffing resources and because of the ongoing process of evaluation and updating of content. Additional information on subjects is available from the School’s course handbooks.

Advanced standing

Advanced standing may be available for previous tertiary studies, for subjects completed equivalent to fourth year level or the completion of a Postgraduate Diploma in Science majoring in Physics, Chemistry or a related discipline.