Bachelor of Science (Flexible)

Study Science at UTS

If you're looking for a degree that puts you in charge, the UTS Bachelor of Science is for you. Whether you want to discover a whole universe of options or hone your experience for your future career, this qualification allows you to craft your own major in Life and Environmental or Maths and Physical Science streams, giving you the opportunity to design your own ideal degree.

As one of Australia's foremost science faculties, UTS will help you get the edge on tomorrow. Benefit from our leading academic team, industry connections, internship options and world-class facilities, all of which ensure you receive a hands-on, up-to-date education and graduate ready to succeed in any sector, role or industry.

Part of the Faculty of Science.

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EXPLORE

Bachelor of Science (Flexible)

CODE

UTS: C10242 (version 4)

CRICOS: 040705B

UAC: 607001 Flexible (Autumn Session, Spring Session)

LOWEST SELECTION RANK

76.00 (Flexible)

Don't have the ATAR?

See pathways

DURATION

3 years full time
6 years part time

INTAKE

Autumn Session 2025
Spring Session 2025
Autumn Session 2026
Spring Session 2026

View important dates

COURSE FEES

Domestic (FT)

LOCATION

City campus

What you’ll study

You’ll take core subjects designed to help you critically analyse the ways in which science can help solve global problems. Undertaking either the Life and Environmental Sciences or the Maths and Physical Sciences stream, you’ll study subjects relating to your area of interest and build essential knowledge in areas like chemistry, mathematics, physics, biology or evolution.

Enhance your learning with your choice of units, crafting your own degree or meeting prerequisites for specialised employment. Electives, including a Transdisciplinary elective, will broaden your experience and develop your collaborative skills.

Typical course program

The outline below shows an example program for the Flexible Bachelor of Science based on a full-time study load. Please note that your exact program may differ based on your unique circumstances, such as your commencement date, subject selections and recognition of prior learning.

Course structure

8

core Life and Environmental Science or Maths and Physical Science subjects
8-12

flexible major and sub-major subjects
3

electives
1

Transdisciplinary elective

First year

You'll start your studies by completing the Scientist's Tool Kit stream of your choice in either Maths and Physical or Life and Environmental sciences. This will allow you to develop fundamental capabilities in areas relating to your degree path, such as chemistry, anatomy or physics.
Second year

This year, you'll build on your foundations and begin designing your own major in your area of choice. Students in the Maths and Physical Sciences stream will also get to choose a sub-major in chemistry, engineering or mathematics.
Third year

In your final year of study, you'll round out your education with any remaining major or sub-major units, preparing for graduation. You'll also undertake your electives, enhancing your learning experience with subjects from other disciplinary areas.

First year

You'll start your studies by completing the Scientist's Tool Kit stream of your choice in either Maths and Physical or Life and Environmental sciences. This will allow you to develop fundamental capabilities in areas relating to your degree path, such as chemistry, anatomy or physics.

Second year

This year, you'll build on your foundations and begin designing your own major in your area of choice. Students in the Maths and Physical Sciences stream will also get to choose a sub-major in chemistry, engineering or mathematics.

Third year

In your final year of study, you'll round out your education with any remaining major or sub-major units, preparing for graduation. You'll also undertake your electives, enhancing your learning experience with subjects from other disciplinary areas.

See typical course program in the UTS Handbook

Course highlights

In this course, you'll get the chance to build a comprehensive array of advanced scientific competencies in your chosen area of specialty. What's more, UTS' focus on practical learning and world-class science facilities will mean you'll get a hands-on education, helping you acquire future-ready skills for your career.

Admissions information

This course is tailored for aspiring scientists eager to address global challenges such as pandemics, climate change, and antibiotic resistance. Choose the UTS Bachelor of Science to become a leader in creating a resilient future for humanity and the planet.
The course offers unparalleled flexibility, with eight majors and a variety of electives allowing you to customise your educational journey. Starting with a foundational 'scientist's toolkit', you'll learn to critically apply scientific solutions to worldwide issues.
What sets this course apart is the blend of theory and hands-on experience. You'll work in top-tier facilities, using industry-grade equipment, and engage in real-world applications through internships, fieldwork, and global exchanges.
You'll gain not only scientific expertise but also vital professional skills such as inquiry, innovation, and communication, equipping you for a dynamic career.
Learning is interactive and practical. Expect to engage in laboratory work, field studies, and professional placements that translate academic concepts into tangible skills, preparing you for the scientific workforce.
What you'll study

Students can choose from eight majors from the Mathematical and Physical Sciences or Life Sciences stream and build specialist skills in their chosen scientific discipline.

Mathematical and Physical Sciences
- Chemistry: UTS Chemistry graduates are recognised within industry for their laboratory skills. This major emphasises the translation of theoretical learning into hands-on lab-based practice. In this major, students explore chemistry in all its forms, from organic and physical to analytical, inorganic and medicinal, and upskill in a secondary discipline with a choice of sub-majors in Mathematics, Physics, Biotechnology, Environmental Science or Medical Science. They emerge with depth of experience and breadth of expertise, ready to make their mark in a range of careers.
- Mathematics: This highly applied major challenges students to translate their mathematical knowledge into real-life applications. Learning in this major spans linear algebra, optimisation, statistics, complex analysis, programming foundations and regression, along with a choice of sub-major in Mathematics (Extension), Physics, Biotechnology, Environmental Science, Medical Science or Chemistry. The content inspires students to get hands-on with real-world challenges in statistics, modelling and industrial optimisation; gain the skills to tackle unstructured datasets; and prepare for a vast range of professional opportunities in post-graduation life.
- Physics: The Physics major is focused on the fundamental phenomena that make up the universe. With an emphasis on materials and fabrication, this major introduces students to the theories that underpin transformational technologies like optical fibre and satellite communications, solar energy, battery technology, green energy and more. Students can tailor their qualification with a choice of three sub-major in Mathematics, Chemistry or Engineering and work on real-world research projects in professional science laboratories, including the world-standard Microstructural Analysis Unit.
- Flexible: This major gives students massive scope to design their own science degree. They can choose subjects from across the Mathematical and Physical Sciences domain, indulging their interests with a broad selection or building deep expertise in a particular discipline area. This major is a great option for students who aren’t quite sure which areas of science to focus on, as well as for those who have a career in mind that requires specific prerequisite knowledge. What’s more, by enrolling in Summer School subjects, students can fast-track their completion and kickstart their science career ahead of schedule.
Life Sciences
- Biotechnology: This highly customisable major combines subjects in medical and environmental biotechnology, preparing students to drive new innovations in human and planetary health. Using their extensive subject choice options, they can build deep expertise in their chosen discipline or build a broad knowledge base that spans the breadth of the biotech field. As well as getting hands-on with emerging technology, students engage with course content that goes beyond scientific and technical skills development with subjects in biobusiness and intellectual property commercialisation.
- Environmental Sciences: This major combines terrestrial, marine and urban biology subjects, equipping students with a broad skill set that prepares them to respond to pressing environmental challenges. Course content combines theoretical learning and lab-based pracs with extensive fieldwork opportunities in locations such as the Blue Mountains, Manly Dam and Royal National Park. Students develop a strong focus on ecosystem preservation, with subjects that emphasise urban resilience, Australian wildlife conservation, environmental protection and management, and molecular biology – an emerging priority area in environmental conservation.
- Medical Science: Students can explore their interests in pathology and medical and health-related sciences with this broad-based major. Pathology subjects are focused on understanding, detecting and treating disease and infection, while medical and health-related content introduces students to the human side of health care. The curriculum spans pharmacology, immunology, haematology and pathophysiology to immunology, microbiology, biochemistry and molecular biology, as well as chemistry and biotech. With an extensive choice of options available, students can design a study plan that reflects their future goals.
- Flexible: This major gives students massive scope to design their dream science degree. They can choose subjects from across the Life Sciences domain, indulging their interests with a broad selection or building deep expertise in a particular discipline area. This major is a great option for students who aren’t quite sure which areas of science to focus on, as well as for those who have a career in mind that requires specific prerequisite knowledge. What’s more, by enrolling in Summer School subjects, students can fast-track their completion and kickstart their science career ahead of schedule.
Your Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) is a score between 0.00 and 99.95. It shows you how you rank compared to all the students in your year group in New South Wales. A selection rank combines your ATAR with any other adjustment points that make up your overall university entrance score. Your selection rank may differ from university to university, depending on the adjustment points granted to you at each institution.
Employers tell us the skills our graduates acquire from undertaking a Transdisciplinary Elective sets them apart from the crowd. That’s why we have embedded this program into every undergraduate degree.

All you need to do is choose the Elective that inspires you the most.

Transdisciplinary Electives integrate knowledge from multiple disciplines, allowing you to approach complex problems from a range of perspectives.

By combining methods and insights from various disciplines, transdisciplinary learning often leads to breakthrough ideas and creative innovations that may not be possible within the confines of a single discipline.

If you find yourself rapt by the world of innovation – you can pair your core degree with a Diploma in Innovation, graduating with two qualifications in the same timeframe.

In both instances, you’ll work on a real-world challenge presented by an industry partner organisation – partners who often create career pathways for our graduates.

* Excludes students concurrently enrolled in the Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation.

Find more Science courses

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Entry schemes and pathways

Learn more

UTS Early Entry program

If you've excelled in Year 11, our Early Entry program rewards the hard work you've put into your studies. Successful applicants receive a provisional offer before their HSC/IB exams.

Elite athletes and performers

If you're an elite athlete or performer who has represented your school or state at a national level, and your studies have been affected, this scheme is for you.

InpUTS

If you've experienced long-term disadvantages that have affected your education, you may be eligible for selection rank adjustments through inpUTS.

Completing a recognised TAFE or VET provider qualification

With a VET qualification, you're eligible to apply for certain courses. Take the next step in your education.

Jumbunna Admissions Program

If you're Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, Jumbunna is an alternative application process for our courses that emphasises diverse pathways to success.

Changing from another undergraduate course

You can apply for our courses using your previous study. You may even be eligible for recognition of prior learning, so you won’t need to repeat subjects.

Learn more

Careers

Your future career

Whether you're looking to land your dream job or simply want to follow your interest, this flexible degree will give you a comprehensive, up-to-date toolkit of advanced knowledge and skills in your chosen area, setting you up for a vibrant future in chemical, environmental, life or physical science.

As a graduate, you'll be ready to discover opportunities in research, academia, private industry, government policy, consulting and more. With your unique degree and backed by UTS' global reputation, you'll have everything you need for a successful, exciting professional science career.

Career options

“Studying science at UTS is fun, hard, and immensely rewarding if you give yourself a chance.”

Grace Peters

Bachelor of Science (Flexible)

Where you’ll study

Our world-class facilities support your future-focused learning and high-impact research. They enable effective partnerships with industry and provide services to our community.

See more facilities

Female and male students in white lab coats working on science demonstration in UTS Super Lab. — Conduct breakthrough research in the Super Lab.

UTS Central, Building 2, CB02, Tower, Building 1, CB01, Building 10 at day. — Our campus is a base for your academic, professional and social life.

UTS library Reading room. — Find your perfect study spot and enjoy the quiet away from the campus bustle.

Why UTS?

Why study Science and Mathematics at UTS

With a science and maths degree at UTS, you'll learn how to answer the big questions of tomorrow and make a positive social impact. We offer practical, relevant and innovative programs that enable you to work across multiple fields.

Study in world-class facilities, including Australia's first Super Lab, and look for trace in our forensic crime scene labs or explore speciality maths, computing, and quantum physics facilities stocked with the latest industry equipment.