Bachelor of Science
at Charles Darwin University, Northern Territory.
A foundational science degree with majors in biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, geology, computing or earth sciences. Most providers permit two majors plus a research project in third year.
ATAR cutoff history
Published cutoff data for the Charles Darwin University Bachelor of Science. We never invent figures; entries marked "not published" mean the university or admissions centre has not released a verified cutoff for that intake.
| Intake year | ATAR cutoff | Admissions centre |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | ATAR cutoff not published | SATAC |
| 2023 | ATAR cutoff not published | SATAC |
| 2022 | ATAR cutoff not published | SATAC |
No verified cutoffs are available. Confirm the latest figure on the official SATAC cutoff release.
Prerequisite Year 12 subjects
Brush up on each prerequisite with our state-syllabus explainers and dot points.
What you will study
Year one is the broad science foundation: biology, chemistry, mathematics, biostatistics and a science communication or scientific method unit. CDU's Bachelor of Science is built around the College of Engineering, IT and Environment with strengths in Environmental Science, Aquaculture, Biological Sciences, Chemistry and Mathematics. The Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods (RIEL) is the major research home, with northern Australian tropical and arid ecosystems as the applied focus. Year two builds your chosen major (Environmental Science, Biological Sciences, Chemistry, Mathematics, or Aquaculture) alongside a minor or elective stream. Year three delivers advanced technical units, field trips into the Top End (Kakadu, Litchfield, Arnhem Land) or Central Australia, and a research project capstone often supervised by a RIEL researcher. Expect weekly wet labs and field practicals (4 to 8 hours), closed-book exams and substantial field-trip components for environmental and biology students.
Example first-year subjects
- Cellular Biology
- Chemistry 1
- Mathematics for Sciences
- Biostatistics
- Earth and Environment
- Scientific Methods and Communication
How you will be assessed
- Closed-book final exams (40 to 60 per cent weight)
- Weekly laboratory reports and prac write-ups
- Field-trip reports and species or sample identification tasks
- Group research-design projects
- Capstone individual research project in third year
- Scientific posters and presentations
Career outcomes
- Graduates work as laboratory scientists, environmental analysts and data scientists across industry and government.
- Many continue into Honours and PhD study, leading to research roles at CSIRO, universities and biotech firms.
- Common pathways include secondary teaching, science communication and graduate medicine programmes.
Typical first jobs
- Environmental officer (NT Department of Environment)
- Field ecologist or land-management officer
- Aquaculture or fisheries technician
- Laboratory technician in a research institute or NT Government lab
- Indigenous land-and-sea ranger support officer
- Secondary teacher (with a Master of Teaching follow-on)
After graduation
Strong students progress to a one-year Bachelor of Science (Honours) often anchored in environmental science, tropical ecology, aquaculture or Indigenous land management. From there research masters and PhD pathways through CDU and RIEL are common, with industry placements through NT Government science agencies (Department of Environment, Parks and Water Security; Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade Fisheries). Coursework masters pathways include the Master of Tropical Environmental Management, Master of Aquaculture and the Master of Teaching (Secondary) for science teaching.
Is this the right degree for you?
You probably thrive here if
- You enjoy lab and field-based work and northern Australian ecosystems
- You want a broad scientific foundation rather than a single career path
- You are interested in tropical, arid or Indigenous land-management research
- You can manage extended field trips (sometimes a week or more)
- You enjoy practical write-ups and closed-book exams
It is probably not for you if
- You dislike laboratory or field-based work
- You want a quick vocational ticket on graduation
- You expect a fully theoretical or desk-based syllabus
- You cannot manage week-long field trips into remote areas
Careers this leads to
Australian career pathways that name this Bachelor of Science as an entry route. Each page shows uni, TAFE and apprenticeship alternatives.
Sources
Course details are summarised by ExamExplained, not copied from the university. Confirm course content and ATAR cutoffs on the Charles Darwin University handbook and on SATAC before applying. Page generated at https://examexplained.com.au/uni/charles-darwin/bachelor-of-science.