Faculty of Science

Overview

Victoria is a leading New Zealand centre of scientific teaching and research. Science Faculty staff and students participate in an extremely wide range of research programmes of national and international importance. We offer an exciting range of first degrees in over 20 different science disciplines, with the flexibility for you to study highly specialised science areas or create an excellent general degree in science. Increasing science enrolments at Victoria reflect our exciting programmes and career opportunities for our students. Our students also benefit from our location in Wellington, which has the largest concentration of scientists in New Zealand.

The Faculty of Science is extremely proud to be a founding member of three of the five new Centres of Research Excellence established in 2002. The School of Chemical and Physical Sciences is host to The MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, named for our distinguished graduate Professor Alan MacDiarmid, the 2000 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry. The School of Mathematics,Statistics and Computer Science is a partner in the New Zealand Institute of Mathematics and its Applications; and the School of Biological Sciences is a partner member of the Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution.

The Faculty has developed programmes to support all our students, including a mentoring programme for Maori and Pacific Nations students and additional language suppport for students who are speakers of other languages, careers sessions for all students, and scholarships to encourage well qualified students into further graduate study.

Most of all, we are proud of our science students, who each year expand their intellectual horizons and achieve beyond their expectations. By completing Science degrees at Victoria, these students gain excellent skills and contribute to a better future for New Zealand.

There are 5 schools in the Faculty of Science

School of Biological Sciences

The School of Biological Sciences conducts teaching and research across most biological disciplines. Our emphasis ranges in scale from the biochemical reactions that take place within cells to the ecological interactions of animals and plants with their environments. We teach a broad range of biological papers for two undergraduate and several graduate degrees. Postgraduate students conduct supervised research to doctoral level.

Our research is increasingly funded by external grants and contracts, and we collaborate with other VUW schools and with other science organizations nationally and internationally. Most of our activities take place on the Kelburn campus, and we also maintain a busy Marine Laboratory and research vessel ("Raukawa Challenger") on the Cook Strait coast at Island Bay.

Majors within the School of Biology Science

Cell & Molecular Bioscience

Biochemistry & molecular biology - the science of living organisms at the molecular level. Cell biology - the study of the structure, function and diversity of cells in animals, plants, and bacteria. Genetics - the processes and mechanisms of heredity, including the structure, function and regulation of the genetic material.

Ecology & Biodiversity

This major attracts students keen to work with animals and plants. Most are attracted by the prospect of outdoor work and are interested in conservation. A degree in Ecology & Biodiversity equips graduates for employment in areas that deal with understanding and management of living things and their interactions with people.

Marine Biology

Organisms that live in the world's oceans

How organisms interact with one another and their physical and chemical environment

The School of Biological Sciences has developed a major in Marine Biology, taking advantage of our location near Wellington Harbour, the Island Bay Marine Laboratory facing Cook Strait, and our research vessel Raukawa Challenger.

This major includes most papers in the Ecology & Biodiversity major, but also requires additional papers in introductory and field marine biology, marine ecology and marine animal resources.

Biology

The Biology major enables students to take an integrated selection of papers from the range offered by the School, provided that the appropriate prerequisite papers have been passed. Its value is that it allows students to take a mix of subcellular biology papers.

School of Chemical and Physical Sciences

The science and technology of chemistry and physics are the basis of the physical and biological world. They are fundamental to all natural physical, chemical and biological processes and to the development, operation and performance of all technologies, energy, the environment, manufacturing processes and consumer products in the world today. They play a vital role in the development, sustainability and advancement of national and international economies. The School has a high profile in the University and is a nationally and internationally recognised for its contribution to teaching and research in the exciting world of chemistry and physics.

The School offers an integrated suite of courses in pure and applied chemistry, physics, electronics, and materials science and technology for the undergraduate BSc – Bachelor of Science, BScTech – Bachelor of Science and Technology and BIT- Bachelor of Information Technology degrees, the graduate BSc (Honours) degree and the postgraduate research-based MSc and PhD degree programmes. There is a very strong culture of fundamental and applied research and technology development in the School with staff and their research groups being recognized internationally for their excellence. This is evidenced by the substantial publications staff have in high quality international refereed journals, invitations to international conferences and research workshops, patents and prestigious research medals. The staff work closely with scientists in Industrial Research Ltd, a Government owned research and development institution in close proximity at Lower Hutt, other Crown Research Laboratories and industry. Staff also collaborate extensively with colleagues in other New Zealand and overseas universities and research institutions.

The School has a major strategic focus on materials science research encompassing the collective expertise of staff in the relevant areas of chemistry, physics, electronics, materials science and technology spanning fundamental science through to applied science, technology development and potential commercialisation. The School has recently established and hosts the MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology. Industrial Research Ltd and the University of Canterbury are major partners in this Institute. It has been selected by Government as one of eight Centres of Research Excellence in New Zealand for special recognition and funding. It is the only Centre covering chemistry, physics and materials science. The Institute is named after Professor Alan MacDiarmid a Chemistry graduate in of Victoria University and recipient of the 2000 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his discovery and pioneering development work on conducting polymers. Professor MacDiarmid visits the School regularly and collaborates with various staff in their research programmes.

Research in materials science encompasses: condensed matter physics including the development of new high temperature superconducting materials, new colossal magneto-resistance materials for recording media, opto-electronic materials including blue light laser diodes and optically active glasses for X-ray imaging, theoretical studies of the interactions of electromagnetic radiation with matter, carbon nanotubes and nanoporous materials by ion beam implantation; soft materials physics including the characterisation and study of rheological materials, emulsions, liquid crystals, biological systems and natural and synthetic polymers by NMR and optical methods; functional materials including the development of new materials and technologies centred around novel functionalised silica and silicate-based materials, conducting polymers and conducting polymer – silicate composites, anticorrosive coatings, smart papers and packaging materials, photoactive and catalytic surfaces, highly specific catalysts for fine chemical synthesis, carbon nanotubes, sensors, high performance ceramics, and biomaterials.

The School also has a strong research focus on bioactive materials which extends partially into biotechnology. This includes the identification, isolation and characterization of organic molecules with potential bioactivity from marine sponges and collaborating with the School of Biological Sciences and external organizations to assess the nature and extent of any bioactivity. Current activities relate to the identification of the proprietary compound peloruside which is a potential anti-cancer agent isolated from a marine sponge, and the identification of algal toxins. The bioactives research also includes developing synthetic pathways for peloruside and other natural product bioactives, as well as synthesizing new molecules with potential bioactivity from carbohydrate precursors. Other organic chemistry synthesis research includes small strained organic molecules and organometallic catalysts.

Majors within the School of Chemical and Physical Science

Chemistry

Chemistry is everywhere. It is fundamental to all living beings, physical processes, materials, and the environment. Chemistry underlies all the functions of the human body, our food, the consumer goods we use, the buildings we live and work in, the energy we generate and consume, and the air we breathe. Understanding chemistry is the basis for understanding the function and structure of all of these, and also for developing new materials, pharmaceuticals, technologies, and processes to enhance our lives.

At Vic, you can start a degree in Chemistry at a level that suits you. If you're a novice, the School of Chemical and Physical Sciences offers an introductory chemistry course over the Summer trimester, CHEM 191.

Chemistry is a pivotal science, and at Vic a major in Chemistry or Chemistry and Technology for a Bachelor of Science [BSc], or studied within a Bachelor of Biomedical Science [BBmedSc] or a Bachelor of Science and Technology [BScTech], provides you with a comprehensive knowledge and skill base covering theory coupled with a practical laboratory and technological emphasis. The opportunities for people with a good understanding of chemistry are enormous.

Physics

Physics is the most fundamental of all the sciences. It aims to understand how nature is put together and how it works. Physics examines matter and energy in all their forms: from the kinetic energy of a speeding car to the nuclear energy released by fusion in the core of a star. The concepts you learn in physics can be applied to mechanical, electrical, magnetic, astronomical, chemical and biological situations. Its principles are essential in many applied disciplines such as engineering, architecture, environmental studies and information technology.

Victoria's School of Chemical and Physical Sciences is proud to host the MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, one of New Zealand's first Centres of Research Excellence. Research areas include condensed matter and materials science, astrophysics, geophysics, environmental and theoretical physics.

In addition to the Physics major in the Bachelor of Science [BSc], Physics courses are also required for the Bachelor of Science and Technology [BScTech] degree, and for the BSc major in Electronics and Computer Systems.

School of Mathematics , Statistics & Computer Science

Victoria University of Wellington is internationally recognised and its School of Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science (MSCS) has outstanding staff that make it among the top ranked in New Zealand for its research.

MSCS offers programmes in computer science, information technology, logic and computation, mathematics, operations research and statistics. Our computer laboratories are well resourced and supported by an excellent team of programmers. Postgraduates have dedicated office and computing facilities.

Each of the disciplines in our School has its own style, methodology and challenges but they are also strongly

Majors within the School of Mathematics , Statistics & Computer Science

Computer Science

Computer Science is the study of computing. This includes the engineering aspects of the design of complex systems, fundamental theories of computer science, and techniques and tools used in a range of applications. As society's dependence on the reliability and correctness of computer-based systems increases, so does the need for experts to design and build the systems.

Mathematics

Mathematics lies at the heart of much modern science and technology and has strong connections with philosophy and the humanities. It has its own rich history of ideas and problems and is a dynamic subject with many new and developing branches. Building on a core of algebra, geometry and calculus, students of mathematics may progress to more advanced courses in logic, geometry, analysis and calculus, algebra, combinatorics, applied mathematics and mathematical physics, and theoretical computer science.

Operation Research

Operations Research is concerned with quantitative decision making in business, industry and government. It is the application of mathematics and the scientific method to problems such as resource allocation, inventory control, scheduling, optimal design, and the operation of large scale systems. It involves the use of such techniques as mathematical programming, graph theory, computer simulation, forecasting, and queueing theory. A knowledge of statistics is required for operations research applications.

Statistics

Statistics is concerned with the collection, analysis and interpretation of data. The data typically arise from a designed experiment, or more frequently, as part of some observational study. The choice of good methods of analysis for any data set is often helped by selection and estimation of a model for that data. Informed inference about processes that could have generated the data is a common goal in statistics. Courses are offered in mathematical and applied statistics, probability, sample surveys, and multivariate methods.

School of Psychology

Welcome to Victoria's School of Psychology.

The School has a large group of postgraduate students who benefit in their coursework and research from our excellent facilities and the support of our highly experienced and dedicated staff. Current research by School staff and students reflects a diverse range of topics, including; social cognition, cross-cultural psychology, language and communication, gender, intergenerational relations and positive ageing, cognitive change associated with ageing, cognitive and social development, psychological measurement, memory, neuropsychology, visual perception, abnormal and criminal behaviour, addiction, drug effects on behaviour and cognition, reinforcement processes, and comparative cognition.

Wellington offers tremendous opportunities for academic and applied research and clinical experience in psychology. The School maintains excellent links with Capital Coast Health and its mental health units, the Department of Corrections, The Family Centre and senior psychologists in private practice and in the public sector. Also many researchers in the School maintain loose relationships with other groups within the university such as the School of Biological Sciences and the Institute of Criminology.

The School supports the Roy McKenzie Centre for the Study of Families, the Centre for Applied Cross-Cultural Research and the newly established Victoria Psychology Clinic.

Majors within the School of Psychology

Psychology

How do we learn, think and remember? What is the relationship between thinking and behaviour? How do we perceive the world ...communicate ...fall in love? Do animals think? How do children acquire language and knowledge of the world around them? Why do adolescents (and adults) conform to peer-group pressure? How do individuals function in work situations? What does aging entail? What is the relationship between behaviour and the brain? How does disturbed or criminal behaviour develop, and what can be done to remedy it?

Psychologists use analytical methods and tools to study behaviour, and study of psychology spans the areas of both Science and the Humanities, and overlaps with other disciplines in which an understanding of behaviour is important--such as Anthropology, Architecture, Biology and Biomedical Science, Criminology, Education, Law, Linguistics, Management, Maori Studies, Marketing, Political Science, Sociology and Women's Studies.

School of Earth Science

Formed in 1997, the School of Earth Sciences now includes Geology and the Institutes of Geography and Geophysics, and is associated with the Antarctic Research Centre. SES people share a wide range of interests in the science of the deep earth, the earth's surface and atmosphere, the environment and people's interaction with it, and other geographical aspects of economic, social and cultural development. These interests focus particularly on New Zealand, the Pacific Basin, and Antarctica.

Majors within the School of Earth Science

Environmental Studies

If your interests in the natural world are diverse, and your passions for them are strong, a major in Environmental Studies is for you. You can study a range of topics from architecture to the science of the Maori, from Antarctica to urban land use.

Vic's major in Environmental Studies is a broad umbrella under which you can study almost anything to do with the environment, from a scientific, social, cultural or economic perspective. You can bring together courses from a range of disciplines to create a degree that is uniquely your own.

Environmental Studies courses can be put towards a major in Environmental Studies for a Bachelor of Arts [BA], or a Bachelor of Science [BSc]. They also form part of the BA major in Maori Resource Management, and will add an environmental element useful to many careers.

Geography

Geography at Vic is about the place we live, who we are, and how these two affect one another. In no country are there more important reasons to study the land alongside the people who inhabit it. At the same time, geography gives you a truly global knowledge base.

Vic's major in Geography reflects the social and scientific aspects of study - you can take it as a major for a Bachelor of Science [BSc] or a Bachelor of Arts [BA]. Study the natural environment and the interaction between its many aspects, or focus on human environments and the impacts of urbanisation and population growth.

Your study can follow one of five themes: Socio-economic and Cultural Systems, Biophysical Systems, Environment and Resource Studies, Regional and Development Studies, and Techniques for Geographic Analysis. The skills and techniques you learn will help you understand and solve contemporary problems with flair and confidence.

Geology

Earthquakes, mountain building, volcanic eruptions, dinosaurs, climate change, and the origin and evolution of life: all in a day's work for the geologist. Wellington is a natural laboratory for geologists. You can study tectonic plate shifts in a city that is built between two active faults on a major plate boundary.

Antarctica, the conservation and use of natural resources, the evaluation of natural hazards, and the social and environmental effects of global change can also be studied as part of this Bachelor of Science [BSc] major. Both Science and non-Science students will find value in the 100-level ESCI courses.

Geology at Victoria is about the fundamentals of our world. Graduates gather the techniques and the problem-solving abilities, the confidence and the leadership skills to embark upon careers in a diverse range of industries.

Geophysics

Geophysics uses the power of physics to explore the mysteries of the sky above us and the ground beneath our feet. Geophysicists work at understanding some of the biggest and most exciting physical phenomena we know, things like earthquakes, volcanoes, mountain building, the Earth's magnetism, gravity, and the deep structure of our land, New Zealand.

You can go in two directions at Victoria: up in the sky with Meteorology, the science of weather, or down inside the Earth studying Solid Earth Geophysics. You'll investigate the structure and properties of the Earth, earthquakes, the Earth's magnetism and gravity, volcanic and geothermal activity, and mineral and energy resources, the Earth as a planet, the structure of the Earth's interior, and dynamical and physical meteorology.

Geophysics is a Bachelor of Science [BSc] major where you'll use mathematical techniques to understand natural forces and to probe the Earth's interior and atmosphere.