Course Catalogue

Diploma of Science (YSCI02)

2026

Course Structure

The Diploma of Science includes one common unit, five specialist elective units and two elective units.

The common unit is designed to assist you to gain the academic skills required to make the successful transition to higher education. The focus is on developing the practical skills required for university study. These include: assignment writing, reading and thinking critically, referencing, researching, IT skills, teamwork and communication.

Specialist elective units enable you to study biology, chemistry, ecology, environmental science, earth science, physics, mathematics, geographic information science, indigenous environmental management and knowledge, and statistics. It is possible for students with a Bachelor's degree in another discipline to take a selection of first-year, second-year and third-year units if upskilling in a new science discipline. Alternatively, by selecting the units from the first year of the Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Environmental Science, full credit for the first year of those degrees can be gained.

A candidate must successfully complete units totalling 80 credit points (cp) as detailed below. All units are valued at 10 credit points unless otherwise indicated.

Unit type	Credit Points	Specific requirements
Core Units (1 unit)	10cp	Select one unit from the list of units detailed below: LAL100 Language, Literacy and Sustainability (replaces CUC100 from 2024) OR CUC106 Design and Innovation: Communicating Technology OR IAS201 Cultural Capabilities (replaces CUC107 from 2024)
Specialist Elective Units (5 units)	50cp	Units totalling 50 credit points selected from the list of available units detailed below: The following streams are provided as a guide for selecting units that align with your future study or career orientation. Students may choose all their specialist electives from a single discipline area or take a mix of specialist electives across a number of science discipline areas. When selecting specialist electives, choose units at a suitable level. The first number in each unit code indicates the year level at which the subject is taught. Undergraduate units are coded at 100 to 300 level, therefore units coded as SBI1xx, SBI2xx and SBI3xx would be first, second and third year units respectively. Many second and third units have assumed knowledge and pre-requisite requirements. Students without any previous university level study typically take 100 level/first year units matching one of the streams in Group A. Group A Units (50cp) The following Group A streams are recommended for students without a previous Bachelor degree who may in future transfer to the Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Environmental Science. For transfer to Bachelor of Science (General Science) (50cp) SCH101 Chemical Concepts (intensive) OR SCH104 Introductory Chemistry SPH141 Concepts of Physics OR SMA104 Concepts of Mathematics OR SMA101 Mathematics 1A ENV101 Earth Systems ENV102 Diversity of Life SBI209 Design and Analysis of Biological Studies For transfer to Bachelor of Science (Chemistry) (50cp) SCH101 Chemical Concepts (intensive) SPH141 Concepts of Physics OR SMA104 Concepts of Mathematics OR SMA101 Mathematics 1A SCH102 Organic and Inorganic Chemistry ENV101 Earth Systems SBI209 Design and Analysis of Biological Studies For transfer to Bachelor of Science (Ecology) (50cp) SCH101 Chemical Concepts OR SCH104 Introductory Chemistry SPH141 Concepts of Physics OR SMA104 Concepts of Mathematics OR SMA101 Mathematics 1A ENV101 Earth Systems ENV102 The Diversity of Life ENV204 Ecosystems, Evolution and Biodiversity For transfer to Bachelor of Science (Geographic Information Science) (50cp) SCH101 Chemical Concepts (intensive) OR SCH104 Introductory Chemistry SPH141 Concepts of Physics OR SMA104 Concepts of Mathematics OR SMA101 Mathematics 1A HIT137 Software Now ENV101 Earth Systems ENV102 The Diversity of Life For transfer to Bachelor of Science (Landscape Restoration) (70cp) SCH101 Chemical Concepts OR SCH104 Introductory Chemistry SMA101 Mathematics 1A ENG151 Statics ENV101 Earth Systems ENV102 The Diversity of Life ENV206 Environmental Physiology (no longer available 2026) IAS144 Indigenous Land and Resources For transfer to Bachelor of Environmental Science Complete the following: IAS201 Cultural Capabilities (replaces CUC107 from 2024) PLUS EITHER LAL100 Language, Literacy and Sustainability (replaces CUC100 from 2024) OR CUC106 Design and Innovation: Communicating Technology Plus all of the following specialist electives (60cp): ENV101 Earth Systems ENV102 The Diversity of Life ENV103 Environmental Issues IAS144 Indigenous Land and Resources ENV208 Geographical Information Systems and Spatial Thinking SBI209 Design and Analysis of Biological Studies [If transferring into the Bachelor of Environmental Science, no other electives are available in the Diploma of Science] Group B Units (50cp) The following units in Group B are recommended for students with a previous degree undertaking studies in science disciplines. Units have been grouped in discipline areas to guide unit selection. Biology ENV101 Earth Systems ENV102 The Diversity of Life ENV103 Environmental Issues ENV201 Introductory Ecology ENV204 Ecosystems, Evolution and Biodiversity ENV206 Environmental Physiology (no longer available 2026) ENV207 Fire Ecology and Management in North Australia ENV209 Flora and Fauna Survey and Monitoring ENV210 Aquatic Ecosystems Chemistry (unit title change 2022) ENV300 Wildlife Management ENV301 Tropical Invaders and Biosecurity ENV302 Organisms and Environmental Change ENV303 Ecological Restoration and Conservation ENV315 Desert Field Ecology (intensive) ENV316 Exploring Ecosystem Dynamics: Field Studies in Northern Australia (intensive) ENV317 Natural Resources and Indigenous Livelihoods ENV323 Environmental Microbiology (intensive) MLS245 Medical Biochemistry SID300 Professional Practice in Science 1 (unit title change 2026) SID315 Professional Practice in Science 2 (new from 2026) SBI150 Cellular Biology SBI161 * Anatomy and Physiology 1 (replaces SBI171 and SBI172 from 2025 - see additional information below) SBI162* Anatomy and Physiology 2 (replaces SBI171 and SBI172 from 2025 - see additional information below) SBI183 Introduction to Microbiology (replaces SBI182 from 2025) SBI209 Design and Analysis of Biological Studies SBI282 Clinical Microbiology 1 SBI302 Clinical Microbiology 2 SBI384 Histology and Histochemistry (replaces SBI284 from 2025) Chemistry SCH104 Introductory Chemistry (if no chemistry background in senior high school) SCH101 Chemical Concepts (intensive) SCH102 Organic and Inorganic Chemistry (intensive) ENV210 Aquatic Ecosystems Chemistry (unit title change 2022) MLS245 Medical Biochemistry PHA311 Clinical Biochemistry (replaced by MLS313 from 2025) SBI209 Design and Analysis of Biological Studies SCH305 Advanced Chemical Concepts SID300 Professional Practice in Science 1 (unit title change 2026) ENV323 Environmental Microbiology (intensive) Environmental and Earth Science Units ENV101 Earth Systems ENV102 The Diversity of Life ENV103 Environmental Issues ENV201 Introductory Ecology ENV202 Introductory Remote Sensing ENV204 Ecosystems, Evolution and Biodiversity ENV206 Environmental Physiology (no longer available 2026) ENV207 Fire Ecology and Management in North Australia ENV208 Geographical Information Systems and Spatial Thinking ENV209 Flora and Fauna Survey and Monitoring ENV210 Aquatic Ecosystems Chemistry (unit title change 2022) ENV300 Wildlife Management (not offered 2025) ENV301 Tropical Invaders and Biosecurity ENV302 Organisms and Environmental Change ENV303 Ecological Restoration and Conservation ENV306 Environmental Monitoring and Modelling ENV313 Hydrology and Catchment Processes ENV315 Desert Field Ecology (intensive) ENV316 Exploring Ecosystem Dynamics: Field Studies in Northern Australia (intensive) ENV317 Natural Resources and Indigenous Livelihoods ENV318 Analysing and Synthesising Spatial Data ENV323 Environmental Microbiology (intensive) IAS225 Cultural Resource and Site Management IAS353 Indigenous Cultures and the Environment SBI209 Design and Analysis of Biological Studies Physics and Mathematics Units SMA101 Mathematics 1A SMA102 Mathematics 1B SMA104 Concepts of Mathematics SMA209 Mathematics 2A SMA212 Data Analytics SPH141 Concepts of Physics ENG151 Statics ENG175 Internet of Things (replaces ENG174) ENG221 Analogue Electronics ENG223 Electrical Circuit Analysis ENG247 Fluid and Thermodynamics ENG252 Dynamics ENG367 Hydraulics and Soil Mechanics (replaces ENG267 from 2026) SBI209 Design and Analysis of Biological Studies General Science units IAS325 Science, Technology, and Society (title changed 2026) SBI209 Design and Analysis of Biological Studies SID300 Professional Practice in Science 1 (unit title change 2026) SID315 Professional Practice in Science 2 (new from 2026)
Elective Units (2 units)	20cp	Select 2 units totalling 20 credit points from either the above units or any other units offered by the University. If transferring into the Bachelor of Environmental Science, no electives are available in the Diploma of Science.
	80cp	Total Credit Points

Course Rules (unless otherwise indicated in the above course structure)

See the Higher Education Course Rules (Award Requirements) in the Units and Courses Policy.

COURSE CHANGES AND TRANSITIONAL ARRANGEMENTS - 2026

Common units have been merged into the core units

SID315 Professional Practice in Science 2 has been added as a Specialist Elective

ENG267 Hydraulics and Soil Mechanics has been replaced by ENG367 Hydraulics and Soil Mechanics.

Students who have completed ENG267 prior to 2026 are not required to complete ENG367.

COURSE CHANGES AND TRANSITIONAL ARRANGEMENTS - 2025

SBI171 Anatomy and Physiology 1 and SBI172 Anatomy and Physiology 2 have been replaced by SBI161 and SBI162 from Semester 1 2025.

Students who have completed BOTH SBI171 and SBI172 prior to 2025 do not need to complete SBI161 or SBI162.
Students who have NOT completed either SBI171 or SBI172 prior to 2025 should complete the two new units SBI161 and SBI162.
Students who have completed SBI171 only (and not SBI172) should complete SBI172 in 2025. Students should NOT complete the new unit SBI162.
Students who have completed SBI172 only (and not SBI171) should complete SBI171 in 2025. Students should NOT complete the new unit SBI161.

SBI171 and SBI172 will be offered for a final time in 2025 but will only be available to students who have completed either SBI171 or SBI172 prior to 2025.

Further Assistance

For further assistance please contact Student Central on 1800 061 963 (freecall) or student.central@cdu.edu.au. Student Central staff will assist you with applying for or enrolling in a course and provide assistance with timetables, fees, HELP (Higher Education Loan Program), external materials, enrolment changes and many other issues.

Unit Catalogue - provides general information about each unit including a brief description, the semester and mode offered as well as the fees for Commonwealth Supported places.
Timetables - provides information about individual class times for units offered internally. Timetables for the following academic year are published early in December each year.
Bookshop - if text books have been prescribed, recommended or ordered for units in this course, details are available by unit code through the Casuarina Campus Bookshop.