The Third Way to do Science

Using Computer Modelling to Understand the Real World

The Bachelor of Computational Science (Honours) degree is an elite four-year, research-focused program for exceptional students who want to pursue

• A career based in the computational modelling of the real world;
• A research orientated career in government, commerce and industry;
• Or postgraduate research leading to a higher degree.

Increasingly, mathematical models and computational techniques are being used to simulate real world events. In many branches of science, computation is given equal weight to theory and experiment. From financial modelling to car crash analysis, from drug design to earthquake prediction, and from medical imaging to oil recovery, all these and many more areas need people with mathematical, computing and science skills. The ANU Bachelor of Computational Science (Honours) degree provides you with the key mathematical, computing and science skills to excel in this new environment of computer modelling of the real world. In addition each student will be assigned an academic mentor who will help to guide their program. In addition you will have the opportunity to use a range of advanced computing systems, including the fastest computer in Australia, which is part of the APAC National Facility. Consult our Jobs and Career page to see some of the other diverse and exciting careers in this area.

Why the ANU

The Australian National University offers you one of the best research and teaching environments in Australia with a philosophy dedicated to the pursuit of scientific excellence. In a report from the US Institute for Scientific Information, the ANU was ranked the top university in Australia for its demonstrated impact on scientific research and The Times Higher Education supplement in the UK recently bracketed the ANU with institutions such as Harvard, Oxford, Cambridge and Sorbone (Paris). The nexus between the teaching and research arms of the university, the Faculties of Science and Engineering and Information Technology, and the various Research Schools in the Institute of Advanced Studies, enriches our courses and research and gives our students some of the best facilities and opportunities in Australia. The computer resources at the ANU that are unsurpassed in Australia. The ANU campus plays host to the Australian Partnership for Advanced Computation (APAC) national facility supercomputer, the fastest computer in Australia and ranked within the top 50 in the world.

Program Core Courses

The degree program is built on a core of advanced mathematics and computer science courses linked with a specialist area of science. These core courses provide the training in the formulation, analysis, modelling and simulation of problems in science, engineering, commerce and industry. Typical areas of specialisation are physics, chemistry, biology, geology, geography, environmental sciences, applied mathematics, astrophysics, economics, finance and computer science. In this way the general mathematical and computing skills obtained from the core courses can be applied in a sophisticated manner in a specialisation area. Students will take two computational science extension activities which aim to introduce students to the application of computational science to scientific and industrial problems. The core courses of the Bachelor of Computational Science (BcomptlSci) degree provide practical mathematical and software engineering training. You will be able to formulate, model and analyse problems in science, engineering, commerce and industry. In addition you will be introduced to modern computing languages, software engineering best practice, and the technical knowledge required to ensure optimal use of high performance computers.

Mathematics and Modelling

• Differential equations
• Mathematical Methods
• Numerical and Computational Techniques
• Simulation and Modelling
• Large Scale Matrix Computations

Computing and Software Engineering

• Programming and Algorithms
• Software Engineering
• High Performance Scientific Computing
• Distributed Systems

Application Specialisations

The balance of BComptlSci degree consists of completing a science major. Typical majors are:

• physics
• chemistry
• bioinformatics
• genetics
• environmental modelling
• mathematics (fundamental and applied)
• computer science

You may produce your own programs as long as they satisfy the BComptlSci degree rules. In this way the general mathematical and computing skills obtained from the core courses can be applied in a sophisticated manner in a specialisation area.

Honours Program

Moreover your degree provides options for an additional honours year, and access to higher degrees. Students from other universities are encouraged to apply for admission to the Computational Science Honours Program. Scholarships are available for outstanding students through the general ANU Honours Scholarships and the ANU/APAC Computational Science Honours Scholarships.

Combined Degrees

At present it is not possible to undertake combined degrees with the BComptlSci degree. To undertake a combined degree, it is suggested that students enrol in a BSc combined degree, but still undertake the courses prescribed in the BComptlSci rules. This allows entry into the 4th year honours program of the BComptlSci degree. It is possible to take a wide range of combined degrees with the BSc degree. Common choices are BSc/Engineering, BSc/Software Engineering, BSc/Economics, BSc/Law.

Related Programs

There are a number of related programs available at the ANU.

• Graduate Diploma in Scientific Computation
• BioInformatics Program within the Bachelor of Science
• Software Engineering
• Engineering
• Bachelor of Photonics
• Graduate Diploma (eScience)
• Masters of Information Technology (eScience)

Link to ANU Research Groups

Advanced computational modelling is undertaken in many areas at the ANU. We have research groups working in the areas of

• Bioinformatics
• Chemistry
• Condensed Matter Physics
• Data Mining
• DNA Chips Design
• Environmental Modelling
• Geophysics
• Mesoscale Physics
• Plasma Physics