Bachelor of Science
at The University of Newcastle, New South Wales.
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 The University of Newcastle 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 | UAC |
| 2023 | ATAR cutoff not published | UAC |
| 2022 | ATAR cutoff not published | UAC |
No verified cutoffs are available. Confirm the latest figure on the official UAC 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 a structured science core: introductory chemistry, biology, physics or earth science, plus mathematics or statistics. Students typically test three or four disciplines before locking a major. Newcastle runs labs of 20 to 30 students with weekly three-hour wet-lab sessions in chemistry, biology and physics streams. Year two narrows to one or two majors (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Statistics, Geology, Geography, Environmental Science, Marine Science, Microbiology, Genetics, Neuroscience, Data Science). Year three carries 300-level discipline-specific units, a capstone research project or research-based literature review, and extended electives. Honours (year four) is the gateway into research. The BSc structure rewards students happy to run experimental work, write lab reports, and learn statistical methods using R or Python.
Example first-year subjects
- Chemistry 1A
- Cellular and Molecular Biology
- Biology 1A or Foundations of Life Science
- Calculus and Linear Algebra
- Physics 1A: Mechanics
- Introduction to Statistics
How you will be assessed
- Weekly lab reports and pre-lab quizzes in experimental sciences
- Mid-semester tests and final exams worth 40 to 60 percent
- Problem-set assignments in mathematics, physics and chemistry
- Research literature review or essay in upper-year units
- Field trip reports for geography, geology, marine and environmental science
- Honours year features a supervised thesis
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
- Laboratory analyst or technician in commercial or government labs
- Research assistant in university, hospital or CSIRO settings
- Environmental scientist or consultant
- Data analyst in finance, government and tech
- Quality assurance officer in food, pharma and manufacturing
- Field officer with NSW National Parks, Local Land Services and councils
Graduate starting salary
$60,000 - $75,000 per year
Source: https://www.qilt.edu.au/surveys/graduate-outcomes-survey-(gos). Last reviewed 2026-05-21.
After graduation
An Honours year (year four supervised research project of around 60 credit points) is the standard pipeline into research masters and PhD. Newcastle BSc graduates commonly pivot to professional masters such as Master of Teaching (Primary or Secondary STEM), Doctor of Medicine, Doctor of Dental Medicine, Master of Engineering or Master of Public Health. Combined bachelors with Advanced Studies (research stream), Engineering, Laws, Education and Computer Science are widely available.
Is this the right degree for you?
You probably thrive here if
- Students who enjoyed Year 12 science and want laboratory work
- Those happy to do long experiments and write structured lab reports
- People considering research, medicine or postgraduate STEM
- Students with strong maths foundations who enjoy quantitative problem solving
- Those willing to switch majors after year one if a stream clicks better
It is probably not for you if
- Students who dislike laboratory work or fieldwork
- Those wanting a single clear vocational outcome from day one (consider engineering, health)
- Anyone who struggled with senior maths and chemistry foundations
Sources
Course details are summarised by ExamExplained, not copied from the university. Confirm course content and ATAR cutoffs on the The University of Newcastle handbook and on UAC before applying. Page generated at https://examexplained.com.au/uni/newcastle/bachelor-of-science.