Faculty of Science

Community Access Program (CAP)

The Community Access Program (CAP) is a continuing education facility through which a rich diversity of degree subjects are made available to the public. Through CAP in the Faculty of Science, people not enrolled in degrees at the University of Melbourne can study a fascinating variety of subjects in a wide range of disciplines from biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics to botany, zoology, genetics, earth sciences, and information systems. CAP students enrol in science subjects for a variety of reasons, including professional development, preparation for further study and personal interest.

If you can't find the answers you're looking for on the Science web site, please contact the Science Student Centre CAP Officer for further information.

About CAP

The Community Access Program was established to open the University of Melbourne to the general public by allowing people to study individual subjects across the full range of disciplines offered at one of Australia's oldest and most respected institutions.

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Science subjects available

Most undergraduate science subjects are available via CAP and may be taken in an assessed or non-assessed mode. Some graduate coursework subjects are also available via CAP. The Faculty of Science offers CAP students a wide variety of subjects in study areas including biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics and statistics, botany, zoology, genetics, earth sciences, information systems and vision sciences.

Subject details can be found in the 'handbook' whilst Science-specific subject information is also available on the Faculty of Science course planning web page(s).

The level of a science subject is usually indicated by the 4th digit in the subject code e.g. 610-101 Chemistry 1 is a 100-level subject, while 654-302 Experimental Marine Ecology is a 300-level subject. 100-level subjects are usually undertaken by first year undergraduate students. This is the most common level for Science CAP study. Subjects that are 200-level often require pre-requisites from 100-level. Subjects that are 300-level are for advanced study in specific disciplines

If the subject code of a subject you wish to take starts with a number other than 6, you will need to submit your CAP application to the appropriate Faculty. Please refer to How and When to apply for information on where to submit your application.

For further information please the Faculty of Science, CAP Officer.

Selection criteria

Applicants would normally be expected to have successfully completed VCE (or equivalent).

All applications must be approved by both the Faculty of Science and the relevant subject coordinator. An application may be approved if:

The University and the Faculty of Science reserve the right to refuse any application without giving reasons. By submitting an application, the applicant acknowledges and accepts the right of refusal that may be exercised by the University or the Faculty of Science.

Unsuccessful applicants will be advised in writing by the Faculty of Science.

How & when to apply

How to apply

Prospective students to Science CAP are required to submit a CAP application form, complete with all supporting documentation, to the Science Faculty Office either by mail or in person. CAP application forms can be downloaded from the University CAP web site.

As each Faculty runs their own CAP program, it is important to determine which Faculty actually administers the subject for which you want to apply. Every subject offered at the University is identified with a six digit code (e.g. 610-104 Chemistry 1). Science Faculty subjects start with a 6.

If the subject you are interested in studying does not start with a 6, you will need to submit your CAP application for that subject to the corresponding Faculty (see the list below). If you are applying for multiple subjects and they each start with a different number, you will need to submit a separate application to each Faculty.

Starting number Corresponding faculty
1 Arts
2 Land and Food Resources
3 Economics and Commerce
4 Engineering
5 Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences
6 Science
70 Architecture
73 Law
74 Music
76 Arts

Please note: applications for breadth subjects (800- subject codes) should be submitted to the Faculty listed in the handbook entry for the subject.

When to apply

Application closing dates are as follows:

Supporting documentation - What to include

Applications which are not complete or which do not contain the original or certified documents listed below cannot be considered and will be returned to the applicant.

Certified evidence of citizenship &/or visa status

Federal Government legislation requires that every applicant to a tertiary position must supply evidence of Australian or New Zealand citizenship or permanent residency (such as a passport or birth certificate), or a valid student, humanitarian or visitor's visa if applicable. This includes past students of the University. Applications will not be processed without this evidence.

Certified copies of academic transcripts

If you have not attended the University before, you should include with your application, certified copies of any academic transcripts including VCE, high school, tertiary or other study results. If you are a current or past student of the University of Melbourne, you do not need to provide transcripts of the study you completed here.

Notice of sponsorship

If you are going to have your fees paid by a sponsor (for example your employer), you should indicate this on your application form. You must also provide a signed statement from your sponsor undertaking to pay fees. For further information on sponsorship arrangements, please refer to the Fees section.

Certified copies

A certified copy is a photocopy of the original document with the signature and official stamp of an appropriate authority (see list below). The person must make the following written statement on every page.

"I have sighted the original document and certify this to be a true copy of the original".

They should also print the date as well as their name, address and contact telephone number, and their profession, occupation or organisation. They should use the office stamp or seal of their organisation on the copy. They should also be able to be contacted by telephone during normal office hours.

Persons authorised to certify documents

Assessment & credit

Assessment

CAP students can choose to undertake subjects in an assessed or non-assessed mode. If you enrol as an 'assessed' student, you complete the same academic workload (essays, assignments, practicals, exams) as students who are taking the subject as part of an award course (e.g. Bachelor of Science), and you are entitled to request an official academic transcript for the subject.

Alternatively, CAP provides a 'non-assessed' study avenue if you have a passion for learning but do not wish to take on the demands of academic assessment. Non-assessed students attend lectures, follow any course-specific reading programs and in some cases may attend tutorials.

Credit

If you are admitted or re-admitted to an award course (e.g. Bachelor of Science) having successfully completed assessed Science CAP subjects, you may receive credit depending on the Faculty's credit policy, the prescribed time frame for the completion of the degree, and compliance with course requirements. For example, credit would not be awarded if the allowable maximum of 125 100-level points was to be exceeded.

A former student who has been suspended or has discontinued their course due to academic failure, may not complete the requirements of a Science course through the Community Access Program.

For more information on the Faculty of Science credit policy please refer to the Credit for Prior Learning section of the Faculty web site.

Fees

CAP fees are determined by the workload (or weight) of the individual subject and the fee band into which the subject falls. As some subjects are more expensive to operate than others, these fees will vary between Faculties. Fees will also vary depending on whether a subject is to be taken in an assessed or non-assessed mode.

CAP fees for subjects studied through the Faculty of Science in 2008 are as follows:

All fees must be paid prior to commencing studies, including fees for year-long subjects.

NB: a deferment of fees is not available.

Invoicing

You will receive an invoice for your CAP fees when your application has been approved and you have completed your enrolment on-line. Student Administration will then take over the management of your fees.

Bursaries

While some Faculties offer bursaries to students studying under CAP, these are not available through the Faculty of Science.

Sponsors

If you are going to have your fees paid by a sponsor (for example your employer), you should indicate this by ticking the appropriate box on the application form. You must also provide a signed statement from your sponsor undertaking to pay fees. Please note that if payment has not been made by your sponsor by the due date, as the enrolling student you will be liable for the unpaid fees.

Study through CAP cannot be used to meet the full-time study requirements of a Student Visa.

CAP & degree entry

Using CAP to fulfil degree prerequisites

The Community Access Program can be used to gather certain prerequisites necessary to enter a degree. For example, if you have completed VCE or another program, but you are lacking one or more of the requirements for entry into a Science course, you may be able to complete prerequisites by enrolling in CAP. The following prescribed CAP (assessed mode) subjects are available to meet the equivalent VCE Units 3 and 4 prerequisites:

For prerequisites VCE Units 3 and 4 which require a study score of 25, a pass (50-64%) in the corresponding first year CAP subject will be required to meet the prerequisite.

For prerequisite VCE Units 3 and 4 which require a study score of 35, a H2B (70-74%) in the corresponding first year CAP subject will be required to meet the prerequisite.

For more detailed information about using CAP as a basis for entry into a degree, please see http://www.futurestudents.unimelb.edu.au/aust/aug/nsl/cap.html.

Academic rehabilitation

Students who have been suspended from their course by the Academic Board can use the Community Access Program to demonstrate Academic Rehabilitation.

To be considered for re-admission to a degree course administered by the Faculty of Science, students will normally be required to demonstrate academic rehabilitation by completing a number of tertiary-level Science subjects within one calendar year, with strong results.

If the Faculty agrees that a suspended student has demonstrated academic rehabilitation and supports their application for readmission it will be referred to the Academic Board. The Academic Board will consider the Faculty's recommendation and then determine whether or not the student may be re-admitted.

For more information about Academic Rehabilitation, please contact the Faculty Office.

Applying for re-admission after discontinuation

If you discontinued your Faculty of Science degree course and wish to be re-admitted, you should submit an "Application to Resume Undergraduate Course" form, available at the Faculty Office.

Students will be considered for re-admission during each of the standard intake periods of November - January and May - July. For more information, please contact the Faculty Office.

Credit for CAP study

For information about credit for CAP study, please refer to the Assessment and Credit section.

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Contact the CAP officer

The Faculty of Science Community Access Program Officer. For further information about the program, CAP brochures, applications, issues with your CAP enrolment or any other query, he can be contacted in the Faculty Office five days a week (see below for details).

Ph: +61 3 8344-6404
Fax: +61 3 8344-5803
Email: science-queries@ unimelb.edu.au

Science Student Centre

Faculty of Science
Old Geology Building
University of Melbourne
VIC 3010

For information about CAP study in other Faculties, please refer to the Faculty Contacts page on the University of Melbourne's CAP web site.

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Student information/resources

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