Undergraduate courses offered by the Faculty
Bachelor of Nanotechnology/Bachelor of Science (SZNTS) – 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 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. Graduates 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 four and a half years’ full-time or equivalent part-time duration and requires the completion of 545 credit points overall. Students may complete this double degree in four 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.
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 | Synchrotron Science and Technology | PHY2SYN | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Issues in Nanotechnology B | NAN3ISB | 5 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Scanning Probe Microscopy | PHY2SPM | 15 |
| 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 | Synchrotron Science and Technology | PHY2SYN | 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 | Scanning Probe Microscopy | PHY2SPM | 15 |
Fourth year (135 credit points)
Core subjects (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 C | NAN3ISC | 5 |
| TE-SEM-1 | Nanomaterials and Fabrication | PHY3NMF | 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 D | NAN3ISD | 5 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Nanotechnology Research Project1 | NAN3PRJ | 20 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Sensors and Devices | CHE3SEN | 15 |
| TE-SEM-2 | Thermal and Statistical Physics | PHY3TSP | 15 |
Elective (15 credit points)
Electives may be chosen from any subject offered by the University.
Key: 1 Nanotechnology Research Project (NAN3PRJ) and the elective may be substituted with the Extended Nanotechnology Research Project (NAN3PRX) (40 credit points) or the Extended Nanotechnology Research Project (NAN3PXA and NAN3PXB) (40 credit points) across two semesters.
Honours
Honours students are selected based on their performance in the final year of the pass degree. The Honours year and projects are carried out under the auspices of a department in the faculty but usually Chemistry, Physics, or Biochemistry. Approval must be given by the Supervising Department and the Nanotechnology Coordinator.
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.