If you have any questions on how the ATAR works, is calculated or any questions about the QCE system, shoot it below!

Anyone is welcome to answer 🙂

Hehe, first question by meeee.

The QTAC preferences open tomorrow (AGHHH) and I need to know what to put down.

My plan was to put down Engineering at QUT first, but for my second preference I don't know whether to put a general science degree or a physics degree?

Could I please have an opinion, as I want to go from a first year science degree to second year engineering.

-jinx_58

    jinx_58

    Hey jinx_58,

    I mean it really depends on what you like but have you thought about putting a science degree then majoring in physics? You can even minor as well. I know you can do that for UQ but have a look at QUT as well if they provide anything similar. In terms of preferences, I would put the higher ATAR required ones (or your dream ones) in the first two and then the backups (usually bachelor of science) in the next few. As far as I know, I don't know of any degrees specific to physics because its usually "Bachelor of Science (Physics)" or something like that if that's what you want. Then again, my knowledge lies more in the medicine entrance field so getting a perspective from someone doing engineering or physics would be much better than me.

    Hope grade 12 is going great and good luck!

    • PP

      jinx_58

      Have you checked the course maps of some of the engineering courses? A number of unis have now made their first year a general year where you do physics and maths, covering all the basics you’ll need. This might help to not even need the course transfer at all and you still cover similar topics to what you would’ve done if you’d done a science/ physics degree.

        Lol I wasn't specific enough. Whoops 😅 What I meant was, my careers councilor told me I should put Engineering as my first preference, but if in the case that I don't get in, I should put a bachelor of Science as my second, as many students go from doing 1st year science to 2nd year engineering. My question was, when I put down my Bachelor of Science, should I generalise in science or go for specilisation in Physics? I'm just not sure what the similar units are between bach of science and engineering. Like the bachelor of science is more like an alternative pathway kinda thing if I can't directly get in.

        I'm just not sure if I should go for phys specifically or not

        -jinx_58

          jinx_58
          Normally BSc courses are quite flexible, in Vic we don't have to nominate our majors eg physics chem applied maths pure maths etc until the end of 1st year. I think postgrad eng courses require physics and maths units so do a lot of those units if you want to try out for postgrad/transfer after 1st year. Things might be different in QLD though

            jinx_58
            Ah right. Sorry about that misunderstanding!

            Having a quick look at the QUT courses, my guess is the physics specialisation is probably a more relevant choice for you, however it depends on where you’re taking it. Please take that with a heap of salt though, as I only know part of the picture and don’t know QLD’s system well. If you have the room, you can also put down both as preferences with physics in front.

            You can have a look at the unit guides (subject curriculum) by a simple search and search for prohibitions (or something similar). Prohibitions are units you can’t take because they have overlapping/ similar content with the unit you’ve selected. If the prohibited unit is an engineering unit, you know you would’ve covered similar content to engineering.

            Hope that helps and makes sense! 😀

            P.S. Have a look for units involving first year engineering maths, physics, Python and/or P Block. These are what I came across in my quick search of QUT’s engineering course, but these are not covered by the physics degree that well, apart from Physics (as expected) and some maths.

                Write a Reply...