Interesting Science Subject In Semester 2 (1 Viewer)

[stephenchow]

LF a low contact hour science subject to do that is somewhat interesting in semester 2.
I dont want to do physics, biology or chemistry as I had enough of them during high school.

 

[Danni07]

Psychology is always fun Or you could try some philosophy or history and philosophy of science, they're not as sciencey are physics or whatever if you want a change.

 

[stylish]

I'm trying to find an interesting (and not too hard) first year science at the moment too. I've been looking at PHIL1010, PHIL1011, HPSC and a FOOD subject, but I'm still trying to decide.

 

[stephenchow]

Psychology is always fun Or you could try some philosophy or history and philosophy of science, they're not as sciencey are physics or whatever if you want a change.

Im planning to do Psyc 1B after doing 1A

 

[Danni07]

Is psyc1A a pre-req for 1B? The two don'treally overlap much if I remember correctly... As in you dont need to know the stuff from 1A to do well in 1B. Basically, the only advantage to doing 1A before 1B is you spend more time in tutes learning how to write reports. If you give me a few minutes, I'll try and dig up the outlines for both courses.

 

[stylish]

Yeah there are no prereqs for PSYC1A or 1B which means you can quite easily study PSYC1B before studying 1A.

What are people's opinions about HPSC vs PHIL? Which is harder? More interesting?

 

[Danni07]

I did both phil and hpsc in first year. Personally, I enjoyed philosophy slightly more (and did better in it) however, you have to pick your courses carefully. In first semester I did ethics and society and I really enjoyed it. However when I did knowledge and reality in second semester I hated it. It's seemed really abstract and well kinda loony to the point that some questions being raised in lectures were like "how are we sure that the chair is really there and isn't just a collective perception." HPSC was good in first semester (cosmos and culture) provided a great outline of tthe historical development in science and was presented really well. The HPSC I took in second semester I didn't like and I failed because I just stopped turning up after 3rd week so I really cant comment.
If you'd like, I could try find the course outlines for those subjects as well, if I kept them...

 

[stylish]

Was the HPSC you took in second semester "Good, Bad and Bogus"?

I really want to take PHIL1010 Thinking about Reasoning, but I'll be missing one lecture a week because of a clash, so instead I'm thinking of doing "Minds Bodies and Persons".

 

[Danni07]

yes, that's right, "good bad and bogus". I got excited because it seemed like such a cool title.
I did neither of those Phil courses, but looking through the handbook descriptions I must say I'd definitely choose the "thinking about reasoning" above "monds, bodies and persons". The "minds..."one looks similar to the one I took that was very abstract. If you're used to science subjects, and do well in them, I'd say you'll find this course difficult, some of the ideas are really hard to wrap your head around.
Of course, this is all my personal opinion and if you think you'd enjoy the subject you should definitely try it out.
More often than not, you'll find that the lectures will have ilecture, and may have the notes online or at least in open reserve, so missing the lecture wouldn't be a big deal if you were willing to make up for it.

 

[Dumsum]

The PHIL1010 content is -really- easy. They're very nit-picky in the essays though, so watch out for that if you choose this subject (which is what I would recommend).

 

[stephenchow]

Would you guys know if it is necessary for me to do another science subject?

Like I plan to major in Psychology and so will i need to pick up another random science subject or can i do just 3 subjects without any penalty or needing to fulfil some prequisite? (Doing Com/Sci)

 

[Danni07]

I'm not entirely sure what you're asking, but looking through the handbook, I've found this http://www.handbook.unsw.edu.au/undergraduate/plans/2007/PSYCA13970.html indicating the plan you should follow in order to major in psych.
I also saw this in the handbook under the comm/sci program:

All students in the combined degree program must complete at least 12 units of credit of courses from Faculty of Business and at least 12 units of credit of courses from an approved Science program within the first 2 sessions of full-time enrolment (or within the first 48 units of credit of courses completed).

Within the first 4 sessions of full-time study (or the first 96 units of credit completed), all students must complete 36 units of credit of courses from an approved Science program and 36 units of credit of courses taught by the Faculty of Business, including compulsory courses listed above.

What this actually means for you I'm not 100% sure... Have you done any science electives this semester?
Also from the handbook:

3.2 Students must complete 24 units of credit and a maximum of 36 units of level 1 courses offered by Science schools. No more than 18 units of credits of level 1 can be from any one course area.

so overall, you will have to do at least 4 level one science courses. It's up to you whether or not you want to get them out of the way asap, but if you havent done any science subjects yet, you MUST do at least 2 in second semester in order to fufill the criteria of the first quote i posted.

I know you can enrol as of tomorrow, but you might want to go and talk to someone in commerce or science (the people down at the student science office are really helpful) departments to sort it out. Let me know if all this makes sense because I'm doing about 100 things at once

 

[stylish]

What do you plan to major in for Commerce?

I'm studying Commerce/Science too, with a major in Psyc. I suggest you complete the first year science component as soon as you can, otherwise you'll end up having to do them later in your degree (which is what I'm doing now) and it's really hard to timetable Level 2/3 courses with first year courses.

Anyway, I'm not really sure what you were asking as well, do you mean you only want to do 3 subjects this coming semester because you can't find another science to do?

 

[stephenchow]

Currently Im doing Acct1A, Mirco1, Maths1A and Psyc1A. Since I have no plans to major in maths, I dont want to do maths1b so would it be ok just to do Macro1, Acct1b and psyc1b?

And yes, I only want to do 3 subject because I have no interest in any other science subject.

EDIT: And I plan to major in Finance in commerce.

 

[stylish]

If you dont' want to do MATHS1b then don't do it, there's no need to. If you're wanting to do only 3 subjects because you can't find another science, just choose a commerce subject as your 4th subject. There is no requirement to do equal numbers of science and commerce each semester, as long as you complete 4 First year science courses by the end of your degree, and complete 2 science courses in your first year (which you would have already by the end of this session).

In my first two sessions, I completed 3 science subjects and 5 commerce, because I wanted to start working at my commerce majors first.

 

[stephenchow]

Is there any negative consequence with just choosing 3 subjects?

Because I cant really do another commerce subject because I dont have the prequisites unless there is one?

 

[stylish]

It's probably best not to underload unless you really have to because of work and that sort of thing. Otherwise if you want to finish in the 4 years, you'll have to overload in one of your sessions and it's hard to do.

There should be some first year finance courses you could do which have no prereqs.

 

[Rekkusu]

If I recall correctly, since you're doing a double-degree, you will only need to do one major for Science.

Though, be sure to check up the total UOC required for your double degree, most likely, these can be filled by electives from either the Faculty of Science (Check the B Sci outline to check for minors) or Faculty of Commerce/Business

 

[stephenchow]

Looks like I have to do another science subject because it says I have to do 24 units of level 1 science subjects (damnnnnn).

Looks Like Ill have to do maths again unless someone knows a mad science subject that takes less than 5 hours of my time at uni?

 

[stylish]

I suggest you do SESC1001 then.

I did it over summer school, and while it's not as easy as it looks, it doesn't take much time/effort.