Think advanced science. Think QUT.

Study alongside a small cohort of high-achieving fellow science enthusiasts for four years. You'll be immersed in real-world research from your first year in authentic research environments, with leading QUT researchers and projects.


Shooting for the stars

'I chose to study a STEM degree, specifically science, because I have a passion for physics. It is my lifelong dream to contribute to the world of physics, mainly in astrophysics or atomic physics. The Bachelor of Science Advanced (Honours) allows me to gain the experience to pursue greater goals in the field of physics in the future. Being able to access the physics lab and complete practical lessons has not only helped me gain hands-on experience but it’s also fun and reinforces my enthusiasm and love for my field.'

James Taubert
Bachelor of Science Advanced (Honours) (Physics)

Solve the world's biggest challenges

'In physics, we need all different types of people. There’s this consensus that you need to be mathematically minded to do physics but that’s not true at all. We need creative thinkers, we need analytical thinkers, we need abstract thinkers… We need everybody to come together because it’s only when we all bring our different ideas and perspectives that we can solve the world's biggest challenges.’

Dr Sarah Walden
QUT physics and mathematics alumna
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Think advanced science. Think QUT.

Study alongside a small cohort of high-achieving fellow science enthusiasts for four years. You'll be immersed in real-world research from your first year in authentic research environments, with leading QUT researchers and projects.


Shooting for the stars

'I chose to study a STEM degree, specifically science, because I have a passion for physics. It is my lifelong dream to contribute to the world of physics, mainly in astrophysics or atomic physics. The Bachelor of Science Advanced (Honours) allows me to gain the experience to pursue greater goals in the field of physics in the future. Being able to access the physics lab and complete practical lessons has not only helped me gain hands-on experience but it’s also fun and reinforces my enthusiasm and love for my field.'

James Taubert
Bachelor of Science Advanced (Honours) (Physics)

Solve the world's biggest challenges

'In physics, we need all different types of people. There’s this consensus that you need to be mathematically minded to do physics but that’s not true at all. We need creative thinkers, we need analytical thinkers, we need abstract thinkers… We need everybody to come together because it’s only when we all bring our different ideas and perspectives that we can solve the world's biggest challenges.’

Dr Sarah Walden
QUT physics and mathematics alumna

Think advanced science. Think QUT.

Study alongside a small cohort of high-achieving fellow science enthusiasts for four years. You'll be immersed in real-world research from your first year in authentic research environments, with leading QUT researchers and projects.


Shooting for the stars

'I chose to study a STEM degree, specifically science, because I have a passion for physics. It is my lifelong dream to contribute to the world of physics, mainly in astrophysics or atomic physics. The Bachelor of Science Advanced (Honours) allows me to gain the experience to pursue greater goals in the field of physics in the future. Being able to access the physics lab and complete practical lessons has not only helped me gain hands-on experience but it’s also fun and reinforces my enthusiasm and love for my field.'

James Taubert
Bachelor of Science Advanced (Honours) (Physics)

Solve the world's biggest challenges

'In physics, we need all different types of people. There’s this consensus that you need to be mathematically minded to do physics but that’s not true at all. We need creative thinkers, we need analytical thinkers, we need abstract thinkers… We need everybody to come together because it’s only when we all bring our different ideas and perspectives that we can solve the world's biggest challenges.’

Dr Sarah Walden
QUT physics and mathematics alumna

Highlights

  • Designed for high-achieving students interested in a career in science research.
  • Bypass general science units to get straight into Physics.
  • Immerse yourself in real-world research from your first year – with authentic research environments and projects.
  • Study alongside other high-achieving students, with leading QUT researchers in the labs and facilities.
  • Specialised quantitative mathematics minor to build analytical skills needed to underpin your scientific research. 
  • Students achieving a minimum unadjusted ATAR of 98 may be eligible for QUT Excellence Scholarships, valued at $30,000.

Highlights

  • Designed for high-achieving students interested in a career in science research.
  • Bypass general science units to get straight into Physics.
  • Immerse yourself in real-world research from your first year – with authentic research environments and projects.
  • Study alongside other high-achieving students, with leading QUT researchers in the labs and facilities.
  • Specialised quantitative mathematics minor to build analytical skills needed to underpin your scientific research. 

Why choose this course?

QUT’s new Bachelor of Science (Advanced) will give you the passport to an international research career with an internationally recognised qualification.

This course is designed for those who have a passion for scientific inquiry and seek to pursue a career in scientific research. You’ll have successfully completed Year 12 Mathematical Methods and Physics. By meeting these prerequisites, you’ll be able to bypass general science units to get straight into your area of passion - in this case, physics.

You'll learn the fundamental concepts of physics which seek to describe, predict and explain phenomena at all scales—from the observable universe down to subatomic particles - and you'll learn how to think about scientific concepts and solve problems like a physicist.

This course is exclusively offered to a small cohort of high-achieving, driven students. This means you’ll receive dedicated support and opportunities, within that community of practice. You’ll study alongside other like-minded students, with leading QUT researchers in the labs and facilities; and immerse yourself in real-world research from your first year – with authentic research environments and projects. You’ll engage with the science research community and participate in QUT’s Science Research Symposium from your first year of studies – where scientific work is presented, critiqued and questioned.

You’ll have a personal desire to extend your studies in science through participation in extracurricular activities (for example, Vacation Research Experience Scheme (VRES), industry placements and research assistant positions), and you’ll be keen to take opportunities to continue your research career beyond undergraduate study.

Real-world learning

Research is the practice of science, and this course has been designed to give you access to authentic research environments, using state-of-the-art research facilities in cutting-edge research contexts from your first year. You'll receive mentoring from academic staff, existing HDR students and higher-level students in the Advanced Science program.

You'll receive an early entry into the QUT Science Research Community, which brings the opportunity to develop professional networks and connectedness to both your peers and potential employers. Your involvement in the student-led organisation of a research symposium will provide an authentic work-integrated learning (WIL) experience, and link to cutting edge research, not just at QUT but in a national and global context. You'll engage with current research, emerging topics and will experience the impact of scientific research on everyday life.

You will have opportunities to undertake embedded WIL experiences or internships throughout your studies, engaging with research groups, industry partners and translational research areas.

Learn from the best

QUT has a strong reputation for providing real-world courses with real-world outcomes. This isn’t just about securing a job – it’s about giving you the skills and knowledge you need to change the world and make a difference.

Our teaching teams are experts in science research, including climate change, food security, biodiversity, renewable energies - the current and emerging issues in science. This means you have access to the leaders in science research, both as lecturers and as mentors.

Explore this course

What to expect

In this new, embedded honours specialised course, you can expect to study alongside a small cohort of high-achieving fellow science enthusiasts for four years. You'll be immersed in real-world research from your first year in authentic research environments, with leading QUT researchers and projects.

Physics deals with the natural laws and processes, and the states and properties of matter, energy, space and time. Physics also underlies many of the recent advances in information technology, medicine and biotechnology. Areas of specialisation include mechanics, electromagnetism, lasers and optics, medical physics, computational physics, nuclear and radiation physics, astronomy and astrophysics, thermodynamics, nanotechnology, quantum mechanics and relativity. 

Physicists are involved in finding solutions to challenges facing our world, including developing instruments for environmental monitoring, computer models for climate change prediction, and developing solar and renewable energy systems. Physicists are also attempting to address the world’s ever-increasing appetite for information and information processing by undertaking research into quantum computers, nanotechnology, lasers and photonics.

Careers and outcomes

Careers and outcomes

As a graduate of Bachelor of Science Advanced (Honours), you will be an emerging research scientist, having played a significant role in designing, planning and executing an independent research project at the forefront of science and technology. Possessing advanced knowledge and skills in scientific research and analysis methods, you will have experience in applying these skills to design experiments and solve complex real-world problems. High-level communication skills will ensure you can present knowledge and ideas clearly and effectively, in both oral and written forms, to diverse audiences. You will be a critical thinker, able to apply judgement, develop new understanding, consolidate and synthesise new knowledge, and adapt readily to different contexts.

These transferable skills will make you highly valued as a STEM professional and are applicable across multiple industries. Those skills, together with your depth of knowledge in your specialist study area, will provide countless employment opportunities.

Professional recognition

Graduates are eligible for membership of the Australian Institute of Physics, dependent on choice of study options.

Research pathways

This honours-level qualification has a strong focus on research pathways in STEM and provides you with a more specialised degree, for a particular science discipline. As a graduate, you will be ideally prepared to enter a PhD program.

Possible careers

  • Astrophysicist
  • Banking and finance professional
  • Business analyst
  • Consultant
  • Data analyst
  • Entrepreneur
  • Geophysicist
  • Health physicist
  • Innovator
  • Laboratory manager
  • Medical imaging technologist
  • Medical physicist
  • Meteorologist
  • Quantum physicist
  • Research fellow

Details and units

To meet the course requirements of the Bachelor of Science Advanced (Honours), you must complete a total of 384 credit points, made up of:

  • Core units - 24 credit points
  • A Major – 240 credit points, which includes Advanced Research units (72 credit points)
  • QUT You - 24 credit points

Physics major students are also required to complete the following complementary studies components (minors) -

  • Mathematics for Physics minor (48cp)
  • and one minor (48cp) chosen from:
         - Astrophysics minor
         - Advanced Science minor

Please note, students are expected to have a minimum GPA of 5.5 prior to entry to Honours level units in year 4. Students who do not meet this requirement will liaise with the Course Coordinator to discuss strategies for completion.

To meet the course requirements of the Bachelor of Science Advanced (Honours), you must complete a total of 384 credit points, made up of:

  • Core units - 24 credit points
  • A Major – 240 credit points, which includes Advanced Research units (72 credit points)
  • QUT You - 24 credit points

Physics major students are also required to complete the following complementary studies components (minors) -

  • Mathematics for Physics minor (48cp)
  • and one minor (48cp) chosen from:
         - Astrophysics minor
         - Advanced Science minor

Please note, students are expected to have a minimum GPA of 5.5 prior to entry to Honours level units in year 4. Students who do not meet this requirement will liaise with the Course Coordinator to discuss strategies for completion.

Requirements

ATAR/selection rank threshold
88.00
Additional entry requirements
Yes

These thresholds are the lowest adjusted scores to which QUT made an offer in Semester 1, 2025.

Don't have a ATAR/selection rank?

Find out other ways you can apply

Course code
ST20
QTAC code
418072
CRICOS code
102820D
Duration
4 years full-time
Duration
4 years full-time
Entry
February
Entry
February
Deferment

You can defer your offer and postpone the start of your course for one year.

Assumed knowledge

Before you start this course, we assume you have sound knowledge of the subject/s listed below. If you don't have the subject knowledge, you can still apply for the course but we strongly encourage you to undertake bridging studies to gain the knowledge:

  • Specialist Mathematics (Units 3 & 4, C)

At least one of Agricultural Science, Biology, Chemistry, Earth and Environmental Science, or Marine Science (Units 3 & 4, C).

More about assumed knowledge

Prerequisites

Before you start this course, you must have obtained the required result for the Queensland year 12 subjects (or equivalent senior subjects) listed below within your Year 12 studies.

  • English, or Literature, or English and Literature Extension, or English as an Additional Language (Units 3 & 4, C); and

  • Mathematical Methods (Units 3 & 4, C); and

  • Physics (Units 3 & 4, B).

Assumed knowledge

Before you start this course, we assume you have sound knowledge of the subject/s listed below. If you don't have the subject knowledge, you can still apply for the course but we encourage you to undertake bridging studies to gain the knowledge:

  • Specialist Mathematics (Units 3 & 4, C); and

  • At least one of Agricultural Science, Chemistry, Earth and Environmental Science, Marine Science or Physics (Units 3 & 4, C).

Additional entry requirements

You must be a 2025 Year 12 student or a recent Year 12 student returning from up to two gap years.

Adjustments to your ATAR/selection rank

Elite Athlete Scheme adjustments do not apply to this course. Any other adjustments you receive to your ATAR or selection rank will be applied to this course.

Find out if you're eligible for an adjustment to your ATAR or selection rank

Offer guarantee

If you achieve an ATAR or selection rank of 88.00 or higher (including any adjustments) and satisfy all other admission requirements, you are guaranteed an offer for this course.

Deferment

You can defer your offer and postpone the start of your course for one year.

More about deferring your offer

Offers we made to school leavers in Semester 1, 2024

The figures listed in the tables below reflect the offers that were made to recent ATAR students. The entry thresholds box at the top of this page shows the lowest adjusted ATAR/selection rank required to receive an offer for all applicants for the most recent January QTAC offer round.

Excluding adjustments Including adjustments
Highest ATAR/selection rank
to receive an offer
Selection rank 99.85
Selection rank 99.95
Median ATAR/selection rank
to receive an offer
Selection rank 92.25
Selection rank 98.25
Lowest ATAR/selection rank
to receive an offer
Selection rank 82.65
Selection rank 88.65

You can find out more about your fellow students’ backgrounds with this course’s student profile.

Other admission options

If you are of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent, you may be eligible for admission through our Centralised Assessment Selection Process (CASP).

Entry requirements

You must be a current Year 12 student or a recent Year 12 student returning from up to two gap years.

Prerequisites

Before you start this course, you must have obtained the required result for the Queensland year 12 subjects (or equivalent senior subjects) listed below within your Year 12 studies.

  • English, or Literature, or English and Literature Extension, or English as an Additional Language (Units 3 & 4, C); and

  • Mathematical Methods (Units 3 & 4, C); and

  • Physics (Units 3 & 4, B).

Minimum English language requirements

We accept English language proficiency scores from the following tests undertaken in a secure test centre. Tests must be taken no more than 2 years prior to the QUT course commencement.

English Test
IELTS Academic / One Skill Retake
Overall 6.5
Listening 6
Reading 6
Writing 6
Speaking 6
Cambridge English Score
You must share your results with QUT through the Candidate Results Online website.
Overall 176
Listening 169
Reading 169
Writing 169
Speaking 169
PTE Academic
Overall 58
Listening 50
Reading 50
Writing 50
Speaking 50
TOEFL iBT
Overall 79
Listening 16
Reading 16
Writing 21
Speaking 18
English Test Overall Listening Reading Writing Speaking
IELTS Academic / One Skill Retake 6.5 6 6 6 6
Cambridge English Score
You must share your results with QUT through the Candidate Results Online website. 		176 169 169 169 169
PTE Academic 58 50 50 50 50
TOEFL iBT 79 16 16 21 18

We offer English language programs to improve your English and help you gain entry to this course.

When you apply for this course, we will recommend which English course you should enrol in.

Applying for this course

Applicants with recent secondary education

Find out more if you are an international applicant

Applying for this course

Applicants with recent secondary education

Find out more if you are an international applicant

Fees

Your actual fees may vary depending on which units you choose. We review fees annually, and they may be subject to increases.

2026 fees

2026: Fee available from October

2026 fees

2026: Fee available from July

2025 fees

2025: CSP $8,300 per year full-time (96 credit points)

2025 fees

2025: $43,600 per year full-time (96 credit points)

Student services and amenities fees

You may need to pay student services and amenities (SA) fees as part of your course costs.

Find out more about undergraduate course fees

HECS-HELP: loans to help you pay for your course fees

You may not have to pay anything upfront if you're eligible for a HECS-HELP loan.

Find out more about government loans

Scholarships

You can apply for scholarships to help you with study and living costs.

Browse all scholarships

You may also be eligible for

Centrelink payments

Other courses you might be interested in

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