The BSc(Adv Chem) degree at Macquarie had the highest UAI cutoff of any science degree program in Australia in 1997 and 1998 and 2000-2006!
All students admitted to the BSc(AdvChem) program are automatically eligible for the Macquarie University Merit Scholar Program (up to $60,000 over 5 years).
The BSc(Adv Chem) was introduced in 1997 after many years of preparation. The TER (Tertiary Education ranking) cut-off for 1997 was very high (99.7) to allow only the very best students into this small elite program. The second year attracted twice as many students (TER = 97.3). In 1999, the TER was abandoned and a new index called the "University Admission Index" (UAI) was introduced. The UAI for entry into the BSc(Adv Chem) program has ranged between 96 and 99 in the last few years (98.4 in 2008). Students in this program can expect the best possible employment prospects offered in Science and are likely to progress to post-graduate degrees (eg PhD) or vocational disciplines such as Medicine or Law.A UAI is a percentile ranking of NSW High School Students so a UAI of 99 indicated that we took only the top 1% of students into the Program. Students from other States and overseas can be admitted on the basis of an equivalent ranking.
The UAC code for BSc (Advanced Chemistry) is 300509. Mark this as your first choice on your University Admission Form.
Please look at the template to see the full choice of subjects available to Advanced Chemistry students.
Each year all BSc(Adv Chem) students are offered vacation scholarships whereby students assist in the research of the Department of Chemistry. Apart from being paid (tax free), students will benefit from the experience of being involved in cutting edge research. The department also offers a number of scholarships and cash prizes that are typically won each year by Advanced Chemistry students.
Available as a separate fourth year BSc (honours) degree. Entrants to the BSc(Adv Chem), due to our selection criteria, are almost assured places in the Departments's Honours program.
Graduates of this program will find themselves well equipped for employment, especially because of their experience in working independently, or in small teams, in a research environment. The special opportunities available are designed to foster problem-solving skills and independent thinking. Thus, employment is not limited to the traditional fields of Science and Technology but open to many other areas that expect graduates of high calibre.
The program caters for students who are strong in chemistry and/or science and who are interested in pursuing a scientific career. It aims to encourage well-qualified students to reach their full potential among their peers.There are no additional obligations on students beyond those that apply to the BSc, but the program offers many additional opportunities. For example, in Chemistry there are special advanced units that are not available to other students and students have the opportunity to participate in the research activities of the School.
Studies in this area may be combined with physics, biology, computer science, mathematics, environmental sciences, earth sciences, psychology and even studies in non-science areas such as the humanities and financial studies.
Another benefit for you in the program is being part of small close-knit group with comparable ability and interests, while having other opportunities of mixing with the wider University community. The small size of the program (numbers are strictly limited) also allows students to get to know the academic staff and their research activities right from first year. Indeed, each student is assigned a mentor, a member of the academic staff that will take care of the students needs and interests throughout the course.
The advanced units in Chemistry cover material designed to build strong foundations for research, as well as some topics from the frontiers of chemical research. Students in these units engage in independent and investigative work to a level that is not possible in the normal chemistry units.