Science, Technology and Engineering

Nanotechnology

Bachelor of Nanotechnology/Bachelor of Science (SZNTS)

Overview

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 Nanostructure Materials Stream will also be eligible for accreditation with the Royal Australian Chemical Institute.

Course structure

Our Nanotechnology / Science double degree program aims to provide students with a broad education in disciplines that will underpin the science and technology, in particular nanotechnology, in the coming years. Our double degree course structure provides full coverage of subject areas, avoiding the compromises of shorter niche degrees where the supporting sciences are reduced to include the nanotechnology units.

This double degree is of four and a half years’ full-time or equivalent part-time duration and requires the completion of 540 credit points overall. Students may complete this double degree in four years as part of an accelerated study program.

Tailoring the degree program with study streams

Our degree program allows students to specialise in areas central to current developments in the field of nanotechnology. The study streams offered are:

• Nanostructured Materials; and,
• Bionanotechnology

Students select a study stream at the end of first year, which provides a focus for core science studies while retaining the full range of nanotechnology units.

The B. Nano. / B. Sci. course structure is available in PDF format on-line at: www.latrobe.edu.au/nanotechnology/assets/downloads/structure

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.

Comprehensive course information

The La Trobe Undergraduate Handbook includes full details of our course structures. The Handbook is available on-line at: http://www.latrobe.edu.au/handbook/

Unit offerings may change according to available staffing resources and because of the ongoing process of evaluation and updating of content. For the most comprehensive descriptions of units, students should access the La Trobe Unit Database on-line at www.latrobe.edu.au/udb_public.