Now that you know all about the Bachelor of Science at Monash, you might be wondering what your experience in this course will be like. Will you make a lot of friends? Is the work hard?
If you have any questions like this, you’ve come to the right place. We’ll be breaking down the pros and cons of a Bachelor of Science at Monash — you’ll learn what the course is like from Holly, a third year student majoring in Developmental Biology.
Let’s jump in!
Why should you study a Science degree at Monash?
Top 3 Pros of a Science Degree
Top 3 Cons of a Science Degree
Mistakes You Shouldn’t Make
Things to Know Before Starting Monash Science
What Makes this Degree Different
Motivations for Studying Monash Science
Potential Career Paths
Why should you study a Bachelor of Science at Monash?
“You can expect a well-rounded degree. You’ll have some autonomy and responsibility for yourself,” Holly said. “It is a very broad degree.”
A degree with many different majors means you can tailor your study to almost any kind of Science you’re interested in! Studying at Monash will give you a great, hands-on approach to your course.
The people at Monash are also a huge part of the appeal.
At Monash, you will get to learn under many lecturers who have vast Science knowledge and can teach you in both theory and laboratory settings.
Top 3 Pros of a Science degree
#1: Great facilities
Monash offers a Bachelor of Science primarily at the Clayton campus. Clayton has great study spaces and outdoor scenery for students to enjoy.
The uni has been increasingly modernised and has up to date technology for Science courses. There’s also some interesting facilities available at Monash for science students to enjoy.
“The uni has a zebrafish lab, where they do research,” Holly explained.
Because of the facilities, Monash has many opportunities to partake in a broad array of research, including into fruit flies and flatworms.
#2: Positive staff
Holly explained that by studying at Monash, you will be working under staff who are experts in their field. Many have PhDs or intense research into niche areas of Science.
On top of their expertise, the staff at Monash are highly approachable — they want to see their students succeed. Holly explained that being able to engage with teachers and ask questions makes a key difference to your study experience.
“The staff are all very supportive… they want you to learn the content,” Holly explained. Tutors are regularly available for students to ask questions or email them.
#3: All round great vibes
Sometimes you can’t quite explain why, but a place just makes you feel great. Monash seems to have that effect.
You probably gathered from our last article that Monash has a very supportive culture. Students can join the Monash Science Society or any of the more specific societies on offer. You can also meet people just from chatting in class or on campus.
Holly explained that if you want a social uni experience, it’s quite easy to make friends.
“You might have constant contact with the same people, but you’ll get to meet lots of different people. They’re all doing sort of different things, which is really interesting,” she said.
Combine great peers with a supportive faculty and a beautiful campus, and you’re bound for great vibes!
Top 3 Cons of a Science degree
#1: Crowded facilities
“Some of the lecture halls are a bit smaller and more cramped. They’re a bit older,” Holly explained.
Being in tight quarters with your peers can make learning challenging.
However, Holly also added that Monash has been actively updating its facilities. There’s now many new or refurbished lecture spaces on campus.
#2: Huge campus
“If you get lost, you could be a kilometre away from where you’re supposed to be and some rooms are quite hard to find,” said Holly.
Holly explained that in such a big campus, it takes 10 minutes to power walk from one side to the other!
“Your lectures will all be held in different buildings, so I can imagine that would be quite overwhelming for someone who is not used to the university yet.”
#3: Enrolment is complex
Holly explained that if you’re coming to Monash straight after high school, it can be hard to understand the enrolment system.
“There’s not going to be someone there to tell you what subjects to enrol in. You’re going to have to make sure your timetable doesn’t clash,” she said.
Monash uses a system called AllocatePlus. Students must log into this system, find what time they want to take subjects and arrange various classes to their preference.
“Say you have four units, each of those units will have a lab and a lecture series and workshops and you’ve got to coordinate your own timetable.
“For example, you’ll get a workshop and there will be four different time and day options… But you’ve got to account for the fact that you have other workshops and other labs to do as well.”
Sometimes, you may need to change the units you are taking each semester, as it can be impossible to get all your subjects to work on the same timetable. This system is easier to navigate once you understand it, but can be overwhelming at first!
Any regrets?
“I really don’t!” Holly said.
Holly knew that she wanted to go into this degree, as she had studied before at a previous university in a different degree. Because of this, Holly had a clearer understanding of what she was getting in for. She knew Science was what she wanted to do!
Holly’s lack of regrets for this degree proves that it’s often worth exploring a couple of options to find what suits you best. You don’t have to get it right the first time!
“There’s a lot of support at Monash and they give you a lot of information. There’s help there if you need it,” Holly explained.
What do you wish you had known before starting Science at Monash?
“I wish I’d known that it was going to be a lot less scary [than I thought it would be], because it’s a good, supportive university,” Holly said.
“I went in really quite defensive, a bit nervous and very self-prepared,” Holly said.
Many students have a lot of nervousness about starting uni. You know it’ll be different to high school, but you still don’t know exactly what to expect. It’s a big change.
However, Holly explained that lecturers and tutors go through all the information you need to know when starting a Bachelor of Science at Monash. You don’t have to figure it all out for yourself!
Chances are, you’ll also find uni less scary than what you might imagine.
What makes this degree different from the ones offered at other universities?
Holly has two key reasons that Monash is set apart from its competitors.
“The facilities are really good… Their online platform is also really well organised. A lot of universities want you to figure it out for yourself, whereas on Moodle, each of the units is quite well-organised and you can go through the content week by week.”
She also explained that the academia at Monash is a huge talking point.
“The number one thing is, you’re being taught by real scientists that have achieved real, amazing research outcomes and have done valuable research studies. [You’ll be taught by] lots of different types of scientists in the university all doing really amazing work. That’s something you can’t really replicate.”
What inspired you to choose Science at Monash?
“I was inspired to do a Science degree because when I was doing Design, everything in Design leaned toward a scientific outcome or concept… and I want to study Medicine eventually, so Science is a potential stepping stone into graduate Medicine,” shared Holly.
Holly also explained that Monash allows students to get into postgraduate medicine without sitting the GAMSAT. This is very competitive and thus unlikely, but it’s a great option to have up your sleeve!
“Monash is in a good position… in terms of geographic location,” Holly said. “Also, Monash has a great reputation.”
What are the possible career paths?
A Bachelor of Science is a very broad degree. However, it may take you into career paths such as:
- Public policy
- Occupational health and safety
- Food manufacturing
- Market research and product development
- Management, technical and environmental consulting
- Data analytics
- Science communication
- Journalism
- Teaching
Wondering what other roles you can dive into with a Bachelor of Science? Check out our article here!
That’s a wrap! Now that you know all the good and bad about a bachelor of Science at Monash, it’s time to start considering whether it’s the right degree for you. Remember, everyone will have a different experience so it’s important to examine what’s on offer.
Lucinda Garbutt-Young hopes to one day be writing for a big-shot newspaper… or maybe just for a friendly magazine in the arts sector. Right now, she is enjoying studying a Bachelor of Public Communication (Public Relations and Journalism) at UTS while she writes on the side. She also loves making coffees for people in her job as a barista, and loves nothing more than a sun shower.
