The University of New South Wales and the Office of the Board of Studies NSW are working together on an opportunity for high achieving secondary students to fast-track their tertiary study. The HSC University Pathways program gives students the opportunity to enrol in a first year university course while completing the requirements for their Higher School Certificate (HSC).
The program is available to students who have been accelerated in and successfully completed at least one of their HSC courses, achieving the highest level, (Band 6 or E4). Students must also have the endorsement of the Principal of their High School.
Course delivery
At UNSW, most HSC University Pathways courses are delivered via face to face teaching in Semester 1 each year (March to June). Some courses are also offered in Summer Term.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can apply?
HSC University Pathways is available for secondary students who have been accelerated in and completed or are expecting to complete at least one HSC course achieving Band 6 or E4.
What are the entry requirements?
Applicants must have been accelerated in and completed or expect to complete at least one HSC course relevant to the HSC Pathways course to which they are seeking admission. To be considered a result of Band 6 or E4 must be achieved. The School Principal must provide written support for the applicant and approval must also be received by the student’s parent or guardian. Students should ensure they are able to attend the course.
What courses are available?*
Courses available in Summer Term and Semester 1 are listed below. More courses may be included on this page in October 2011.
What times are they held?
Semester lectures and tutorials are scheduled throughout the week and most classes are held during the day. Some courses may require extra participation in fieldwork or practical classes.
Summer term courses are usually held in intensive mode.
Semester 1 timetable information will be available from November. You can access this from the online handbook. Click on the link for each course below and select the "see class timetable" option.
Is credit awarded to the student upon passing the course?
All courses are awarded 6 units of credits (UOC) towards a degree program at UNSW.
What is the cost of the course?
There is no charge for students applying for HSC University Pathways at UNSW.
How do I apply?
Completed applications must be lodged with the UNSW Admissions Office by 30 November 2011. An application form can be downloaded here.
Where can I get more information?
Telephone the Admissions Office on 02 9385 3228 or email ugadmis@unsw.edu.au.
HSC Pathways – Courses available Summer Term
UNSW reserves the right to cancel or change courses or requirements.
Measuring the Universe (GENS0450) (subject to approval)
Microscopes, telescopes, sextants, chronometers, computers, scales and the standard meter. Scientific instruments of the past influenced the evolution of all areas of science and many aspects of daily life. This course looks at topics ranging from Galileo's telescope to the development of barometers. Lectures are supplemented by the examination of items in a historical collection in the Faculty of Science and by visits to museums. The course is 'hands-on' with short written assignments and frequent feed-back in place of exams. Students will learn techniques for studying the history of science and technology and thier impact on cultural and economic development both internationally and in Australia.
Science Fundamentals/Science Foundations (SCIF1101)
What is science and how is it used? What is it to be a scientist? The political uses of expertise. The status and authority of science. Is technology applied science? This course brings together elements from History and Philosophy of Science, graduate skills development and project work, to enhance study skills, graduate attribute awareness, self reflection, scepticism and critical thinking, while contextualising these for students' own career development.
HSC University Pathways - Courses Available Semester 1 2012
Ecology, Sustainability and Environmental Science (BIOS1301)
School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science
Students engage in an introduction to ecology, sustainability and environmental science, looking at a range of biological topics and how scientists approach them to solve problems. Students learn to critically assess scientific information routinely debated by the public and by decision–makers. What are the current and future environmental problems and what is the role of science in finding solutions?
Note: This course averages 5 contact hours per week. Practical classes are not held each week during semester (total of 4 practical classes).
Environmental Systems and Processes (GEOS1701)
School of Biological, Earth & Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science
An introduction to the role of environmental processes in shaping the patterns of the physical environment and the operation of global environmental systems including earth, atmosphere and biosphere systems, weather and climate, water resources, soils and land degradation, fluvial and coastal processes and landforms, biodiversity and Australian biotic patterns. A major theme of the course involves the sustainable interaction of humans with their environment and the causes of environmental crises. Instruction is given on practical methods involved in applied geography and environmental sciences including mapping, analysis of aerial photography, field techniques and remote sensing.
Note: Students are required to take part in a one-day field trip and will incur personal costs. Details will be provided during the first week of the course.
Higher Chemistry 1A (CHEM1031)
School of Chemistry, Faculty of Science
Students build on a knowledge of chemistry equivalent to Year 12 chemistry to explore the quantum mechanical structure of atoms and molecules and the origin of periodic trends in the properties of atoms and apply this to understanding intermolecular forces. Applications in biology, pharmaceuticals, the chemical industry and corrosion are highlighted.
Note: Assumed knowledge: HSC Chemistry.
Higher Mathematics 1A (MATH1141)
School of Mathematics and Statistics, Faculty of Science
The study of complex numbers, vectors and vector geometry, linear equations, matrices and matrix algebra, determinants as well as functions, limits, continuity and differentiability, integration, polar coordinates, logarithms and exponentials, hyperbolic functions. The course also includes an introduction to computing and the Maple symbolic algebra package.
Note: Assumed knowledge: HSC Mathematics Extension 2
Introduction to Australian Politics (ARTS1840)
School of Social Sciences and International Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
This course examines core political institutions and processes of engagement, focussing on the dynamism in Australian politics. Despite the prevailing view that political participation in the 21st century in liberal-democratic systems of government is subdued, this course reveals complex interactions with political processes by a wide range of players. Students will discuss concepts of power as a framework for understanding the system. Key topics include the role of parliament, the role of the courts, the Constitutional framework, political parties, elections, the media, interest groups and social movements, how policy is made and Australian foreign policy.
Introduction to Criminology (CRIM1010)
School of Social Sciences and International Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Students encounter the key concepts and current debates in criminology. The course looks at issues such as the definition, measurement and explanations of crime, as well as societal reactions to crime, the treatment of offenders, the role of research and the influence of criminology on public policy.
Introduction to Sociology and Anthropology (ARTS1870)
School of Social Sciences and International Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
This course offers an introduction to the disciplines of sociology and anthropology. Ideas to be considered will include society, power, culture, belief. The course will look at the origins and historical development of the disciplines and students will engage with what sociologists and anthropologists do. The course serves as an introduction to the key classical and contemporary social theories. Throughout this course students will engage with how social groups interact with each other and negotiate change.
Knowledge and Reality: Introduction to Philosophy (ARTS1361)
School of History and Philosophy, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Students are introduced to classical and contemporary philosophical questions, puzzles and ideas about knowledge and reality. This is a course in two central areas of philosophy - epistemology and metaphysics. Philosophers could include Plato, Descartes, Berkeley, and Hume, along with many contemporary philosophers.
Topics may include:
(1) Metaphysics: personal identity, free will, good and evil, universals, essences, meaning of life, death;
(2) Epistemology: fallibility, truth, evidence, knowledge, empiricism, causation, rationalism, knowledge of other minds, knowledge of the external world, idealism, moral knowledge.
Media, Culture and Everyday Life (ARTS1090)
School of English, Media and Performing Arts, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Media and Everyday Life offers an accessible grounding in the traditions, perspectives and concepts of media studies. Starting with the familiar and the everyday, this course introduces students to the breadth of contemporary media studies from television and the tradition of mass media studies, to telephony and the study of networked media and communication technologies. With an eye on the way that television and telephony have adapted to changing realities over the decades, this course explains how media and communication technologies have transformed the rhythms of everyday life, the organisation of domestic space, the boundaries between private and public, and our sense of involvement with national and public collectivities. In addition, the course examines the concept of mediation by exploring how both television and telephony shape the experience of time, distance, immediacy and liveness.
Molecules, Cells and Genes (BABS1201)
School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Science, Faculty of Science
The course is concerned with the basic characteristics of all life. The chemistry of life is examined, with emphasis on the ways in which living things construct and break down macromolecules. The way in which the genetic code controls these processes depends to a great extent on the structure and function of cell components, and cell biology is a major component of the course. The final topic is genetics - the way in which the genetic code is inherited and the ways in which it can be modified.
Note: Assumed knowledge: Physics, or Chemistry, or Earth and Environmental Science, or Biology.
Laboratories commence in Week 1.
