Undergraduate courses offered by the Faculty
Bachelor of Science (Hons)/Master of Nanotechnology (SZHSNT) – Melbourne (Bundoora)
Nanotechnology is an emerging field of endeavour, which aims to understand and exploit the science of the very small. It covers a wide range of areas including semiconductors where it is hoped that very small components will continue the increase in computational speed predicted by Moore’s Law. Nanotechnology is expected to provide sophisticated sensors for the detection of chemicals at low concentrations with applications to biological systems. Biologists seek means of manipulating and sensing biological processes within cells.
This double degree program is offered by the Departments of Physics, Chemistry and Biochemistry, and enables completion of a Masters level nanotechnology degree in combination with a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree focused on the disciplines that underpin nanotechnology. It provides nanotechnology students with a direct path from first year through to a Masters level qualification. Graduates with qualifying grades will be eligible for entry into a PhD in a relevant discipline area at La Trobe University. The double degree structure is chosen for the teaching of nanotechnology, as it requires knowledge of a broad range of supporting sciences and time to develop the required specialisation.
Graduate from this degree will be eligible for accreditation with the Australian Institute of Physics. Those students completing the Nanostructured Materials Stream will also be eligible for accreditation with the Royal Australian Chemical Institute.
Course structure
This double degree is of five and a half years’ full-time or equivalent part-time duration and requires the completion of 660 credit points overall. Students may complete the program in five years as part of an accelerated study program.
The course features streams in nanostructured materials and bionanotechnology. These incorporate core studies in physics, chemistry or biochemistry, biology and mathematics together with specialised studies in nanotechnology at all year levels; subjects include nanochemistry, scanning probe microscopies, synchrotron science and technology, imaging and materials characterisation, nanomaterials and fabrication, sensors and devices and a nanotechnology research project. The final year features an advanced program considering materials behaviour and unique processes occurring only at the nanometre scale, together with a half year equivalent nanotechnology masters thesis project hosted by a leading research group and, in some circumstances, in partnership with an external organisation.
This is an advanced program requiring students to achieve minimum average grade of 65% each year across all subjects to continue in the Masters program. Students not achieving the required grade or those electing to do so may revert to the Bachelor of Nanotechnology/Bachelor of Science double degree or the Bachelor of Science single degree at any time.
First year (130 credit points)
Core subjects (115 credit points)
| Teaching period | Subject name | Subject code | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | Issues in Nanotechnology A | NAN1ISA | 5 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Principles of Physics A | PHY1SCA | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Calculus and Number Systems | MAT1CNS | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | General Principles of Chemistry | CHE1GEN | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Organisation and Function of Cells and Organisms | BIO1OF | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Applications of Chemistry | CHE1APL | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Calculus and Linear Algebra | MAT1CLA | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Issues in Nanotechnology B | NAN1ISB | 5 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Principles of Physics B | PHY1SCB | 15 |
Elective (15 credit points)
An elective may be chosen from any first year subject offered by any discipline in the University.
Second year (145/135 credit points)
Students undertake one of the following specialised streams of study.
Nanostructured Materials Stream:
Core subjects (145 credit points)
| Teaching period | Subject name | Subject code | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | Issues in Nanotechnology A | NAN2ISA | 5 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Fundamentals of Chemistry | CHE2FND | 20 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Modern Physics | PHY2MOD | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Optics | PHY2OPT | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Vector Calculus | MAT2VCA | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Developments in Chemistry | CHE2DEV | 20 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Electromagnetism and Modern Materials | PHY2EMM | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Nanochemistry | CHE2NAN | 10 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Imaging and Materials Characterisation | PHY2IMC | 10 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Issues in Nanotechnology B | NAN2ISB | 5 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Linear Algebra | MAT2LAL | 15 |
Bionanotechnology Stream:
Core subjects (135 credit points)
| Teaching period | Subject name | Subject code | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology A | BCH2BMA | 20 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Issues in Nanotechnology A | NAN2ISA | 5 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Fundamentals of Chemistry | CHE2FND | 20 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Modern Physics | PHY2MOD | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Optics | PHY2OPT | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology B | BCH2BMB | 20 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Electromagnetism and Modern Materials | PHY2EMM | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Nanochemistry | CHE2NAN | 10 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Imaging and Materials Characterisation | PHY2IMC | 10 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Issues in Nanotechnology B | NAN2ISB | 5 |
Third year (135/145 credit points)
Nanostructured Materials Stream:
Core subjects (135 credit points)
| Teaching period | Subject name | Subject code | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | Issues in Nanotechnology A | NAN3ISA | 5 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology A | BCH2BMA | 20 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Advanced Chemistry A | CHE3ADA | 30 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Advanced Synchrotron Science and Technology | PHY5SYA | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Advanced Scanning Probe Microscopy | PHY5SPA | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Issues in Nanotechnology B | NAN3ISB | 5 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Advanced Chemistry B | CHE3ADB | 30 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Mechanics | MAT2MEC | 15 |
Bionanotechnology Stream:
Core subjects (145 credit points)
| Teaching period | Subject name | Subject code | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 3A | BCH3BMA | 30 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Issues in Nanotechnology A | NAN3ISA | 5 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Advanced Synchrotron Science and Technology | PHY5SYA | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Vector Calculus | MAT2VCA | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Issues in Nanotechnology B | NAN3ISB | 5 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 3B | BCH3BMB | 30 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Linear Algebra | MAT2LAL | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Mechanics | MAT2MEC | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Advanced Scanning Probe Microscopy | PHY5SPA | 15 |
Fourth year (120 credit points)
| Teaching period | Subject name | Subject code | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | Atomic and Nuclear Physics | PHY3ANP | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Issues in Nanotechnology A | NAN5ISA | 5 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Advanced Nanomaterials and Fabrication | PHY5NFA | 15 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Physics of Quantum Matter | PHY3PQM | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Electromagnetic Theory and Plasma Physics | PHY3EPP | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Issues in Nanotechnology B | NAN5ISB | 5 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Nanotechnology Research Project | NAN3PRJ | 20 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Advanced Sensors and Devices | CHE5SEA | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Thermal and Statistical Physics | PHY3TSP | 15 |
Fifth year (130 credit points)
Core subjects (70 credit points)
| Teaching period | Subject name | Subject code | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | Issues in Nanotechnology C | NAN5ISC | 5 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Nanotechnology Masters Thesis A1 | NAN5THA | 30 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Issues in Nanotechnology D | NAN5ISD | 5 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Nanotechnology Masters Thesis B1 | NAN5THB | 30 |
Key: 1 Nanotechnology Masters Thesis A and B (NAN5THA and NAN5THB) completed across two semesters may be substituted with the Nanotechnology Masters Thesis Extended (NAN5THX) completed in one semester to accommodate special circumstances and non-standard enrolments with the approval of the Nanotechnology Course Coordinator.
Electives (60 credit points)
The remaining 60 credit points must be chosen from the subjects listed below.
| Teaching period | Subject name | Subject code | Credit Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| TE-SEM-1 | Bioinformatics | BIO5INF | 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 | Quantum Mechanics and Electrodynamics | PHY4QME | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Surface Science | PHY4SSC | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | X-ray Science | PHY4XRY | 15 |
For a full description of subjects, including the subject name, subject code, credit points, campus/location, subject coordinator, class requirements, assessment, prerequisites and readings, students should access the Subject Database at www.latrobe.edu.au/udb_public.