Skip to main content

Bachelor of Science / Doctor of Medicine

Course resolutions

The course resolutions detailed in this page apply to all courses included in the table below under section 1 (course codes).

These resolutions must be read in conjunction with applicable University By-laws, Rules and policies including (but not limited to) the University of Sydney (Coursework) Rule 2014 (the 'Coursework Rule'), the Coursework Policy 2021 (the 'Coursework Policy'), the Learning and Teaching Policy 2019, the Resolutions of the Faculty, University of Sydney (Student Academic Appeals) Rule 2021, the Academic Integrity Policy 2022 and the Academic Integrity Procedures 2022. Current versions of all policies are available from the Policy
Register: http://www.sydney.edu.au/policies

1 Course codes

Code Course title
BPSCIMED-01 Bachelor of Science/Doctor of Medicine

2 Attendance pattern

(1) The attendance pattern for the Bachelor of Science is full-time or part-time according to student choice.

(2) The attendance pattern for the Doctor of Medicine is full-time only.

3 Streams

(1) The Bachelor of Science in this double degree is available in the following streams:

(a) Medical Science

(b) Dalyell

(2) Completion of a stream is not a requirement of the Bachelor of Science. The requirements for the completion of each stream are as specified in Table A for the Bachelor of Science or, in the case of the Dalyell Stream, in Table D of the Shared Pool for Undergraduate Degrees and Part 6 of these resolutions.

(3) Candidates who qualify for the Dalyell Stream may complete that stream while also completing another stream.

4 Cross-faculty management

(1) Students in this course will be under the general supervision of the Faculty of Science until the end of the semester in which they complete the requirements for the Bachelor of Science. They will then be under the general supervision of the Faculty of Medicine and Health.

(2) The Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Medicine and Health shall jointly exercise authority in any matter concerned with this course not otherwise dealt with in these resolutions.

5 Admission to candidature

(1) Admission to this course is on the basis of a secondary school leaving qualification such as the NSW Higher School Certificate (including national and international equivalents) leading to the award of an Australian Tertiary Admission Ranking (ATAR) or equivalent.

(a) English language requirements must be met where these are not demonstrated by sufficient qualifications taught in English.

(b) Special admission pathways are open for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants, educationally disadvantaged applicants from low socio-economic backgrounds and applicants to other special admissions schemes approved by the Faculty of Medicine and Health, the Faculty of Science and the Academic Board.
Applicants are ranked by merit and offers for available places are issued according to the ranking. Details of admission policies are found in the Coursework Policy.

(2) Applicants are only eligible for assessment for admission to the first available course intake following the receipt of their final ATAR results or equivalent. Applicants are ineligible for admission to the course in subsequent years.

(3) Admission to this course requires the applicant to participate in an assessment process, including a written assessment and a panel discussion session. The result of this assessment will form part of the ranking of applicants.

(4) Admission to the Dalyell Stream requires achievement of a minimum tertiary admission rank (ATAR) set by joint agreement of all the faculties and University schools administering degrees offering the Dalyell Stream, or equivalent

6 Requirements for award

(1) The units of study that may be taken for the Bachelor of Science/Doctor of Medicine are set out in:

(a) Table A for the Bachelor of Science and the Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Advanced Studies; and

(b) Table S from the Shared Pool for Undergraduate Degrees; and

(c) Table O from the Shared Pool for Undergraduate Degrees; and

(d) The Table of units for the Doctor of Medicine from the Faculty of Medicine and Health.

(e) For students enrolled in the Dalyell Stream, Table D of the Shared Pool for Undergraduate Degrees

(2) To qualify for the award of both degrees, a student must successfully complete 336 credit points, comprising:

(a) 144 credit points to qualify for the award of the Bachelor of Science as specified in the resolutions for the Bachelor of Science, including:

(i) Science Degree Core: 12 credit points of units of study as set out in Table A Degree Core; and 12 credit points of 1000-level units of study as set out in Table A (excluding units present in Table A Degree Core); units used to meet the Degree Core requirement can also be used to meet the requirements for major(s) or minor(s); and

(ii) A major (48 credit points of units of study) or program defined in Section 7 below and listed in Table A; and

(iii) A minor (36 credit points of units of study) or second major (48 credit points of units of study) as defined in Section 7 below and listed in Table A or Table S; and

(iv) 18 credit points of foundational knowledge units of study for medicine offered by the Faculty of Science and

(b) For students not enrolled in the Dalyell Stream, a minimum of 6 credit points of units of study in the Open Learning Environment as specified in Table O.

(c) For students enrolled in the Dalyell Stream, a minimum of 12 credit points of Dalyell units of study as specified in Table D.

(d) Students previously but no longer enrolled in the Dalyell Stream who have completed at least 6 credit points of Dalyell units of study are not required to complete any units of study in the Open Learning Environment as specified in Table O.

(e) Where appropriate, Elective units from Table A, Table S, Table O, or for students enrolled in the Dalyell Stream, Table D; and

(f) If enrolled in a stream, the requirements for the stream as specified in Table A or Table D; and

(g) 192 credit points to qualify for the award of the Doctor of Medicine as specified in the resolutions for the Doctor of Medicine.

7 Programs, majors and minors

(1) Completion of a major from Table A is a requirement for this double degree.

(2) Completion of a minor or second major from Table A or Table S is a requirement for this double degree.

(3) Students have the option of completing a program with an embedded major from Table A provided that the total credit point value of the program and the degree core does not exceed 78 credit points.

(4) The programs and majors available as first majors in the Bachelor of Science are as specified in the resolutions for the Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Science/Bachelor of Advanced Studies and in Table A.

(5) The minors and majors available as second majors in the Bachelor of Science are as specified in Table A and Table S.

8 Satisfactory progress

(1) Progress within the Bachelor of Science:

Students must achieve the requirements below in addition to the common triggers used to identify students not meeting satisfactory progress (as set out in the provisions in the Coursework Policy):

(a) Complete all requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Science, including the designated foundational knowledge units of study for medicine offered by the Faculty of Science specified in (6)(2)(a)(iv), within three years (or four years if students take an appended honours component through the Bachelor of Science (Honours) excluding any authorised periods of suspension, in order to progress to the Doctor of Medicine degree.

(b) Achieve an Annual Average Mark (AAM) of at least 65 in each year of study in the Bachelor of Science to continue in the double degree, this being the minimum achievement required for admission to candidature for the Doctor of Medicine.

Failure to maintain the minimum progression will result in students being transferred from the double degree program to a Bachelor of Science degree with full credit for all units of study successfully completed. 

(2) Progress within the Dalyell Stream:

(a) With the permission of the Dalyell coordinator, students in the Dalyell Stream may attempt units of study at higher levels than the usual sequence.

(b) Students must achieve a Cross-Semester Average Mark (CSAM) at a level determined by joint agreement of all the faculties and University schools administering degrees offering the Dalyell Stream in each year of study or over each 48 credit point block to continue in the Dalyell Stream.

(c) Students who do not maintain a CSAM at the level determined by joint agreement of all the faculties and University schools administering degrees offering the Dalyell Stream may continue in any other major, minor, program, or stream into which they were admitted, but will not remain in the Dalyell Stream.

(d) Students enrolled in the Dalyell Stream who do not satisfy requirements for the Dalyell Stream but who otherwise meet requirements for the award course in which they are enrolled will graduate from the award course without the Dalyell Stream.

(3) Progress within the Doctor of Medicine: 

Progression within the Doctor of Medicine is as specified in the resolutions for the Doctor of Medicine.

9 Requirements for the award with Honours

(1) Honours in the Bachelor of Science is available to meritorious candidates who have completed requirements for the Bachelor of Science degree, by suspending candidature, with the permission of the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Medicine and Health, in the double degree for one year, enrolling in the Bachelor of Science (Honours) and taking an appended Honours component in an additional year of full-time study.

(2) The grade of Honours in the Bachelor of Science (Honours) will be determined by an Honours mark calculated from work in the appended Honours component as specified in Table A and the Resolutions of the Faculty of Science, and the Coursework Policy.

10 Award of the degrees

(1) The Bachelor of Science is awarded at Pass level. Honours in science is taken by enrolling in the Bachelor of Science (Honours) and completing an appended honours component.

(2)  Students who attempt the Bachelor of Science (Honours) who do not meet the requirements for Honours but who meet the requirement for the pass degree, may be awarded the relevant degree or degrees at pass level for which they fulfil requirements.

(3) The Doctor of Medicine is awarded as a Pass grade.

11 Domestic cross-institutional study

Cross institutional study is not available in this double degree course.

12 International mobility

(1) While undertaking the Bachelor of Science:
The Faculty of Science encourages candidates in this course to participate in international exchange and global mobility programs as set out in the Resolutions of the Faculty of Science while undertaking the Bachelor of Science provided that the progression requirements and timelines of the course Resolutions can be met.

(2) While undertaking the Doctor of Dental Medicine:
      Candidates should refer to the course Resolutions for the Doctor of Dental Medicine.

13 Course transfer

(1) A student may abandon the double degree program and elect to complete the Bachelor of Science in accordance with the resolutions governing the degree. Completion of the Doctor of Medicine in the future will require a new application for admission to that course and completion in accordance with the resolutions governing that degree.

(2) With the permission of the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Medicine and Health, suitably qualified students may, after completing requirements for the Bachelor of Science, defer progression to the Doctor of Medicine and undertake an appended Honours component in the Bachelor of Science (Honours), and, upon completion, continue to the Doctor of Medicine.

(3) A student who has suspended enrolment in the double degree to enrol in the Bachelor of Science (Honours) may, with the permission of the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Medicine and Health, abandon the Bachelor of Science (Honours) and enrol in the Doctor of Medicine.

14 Credit for previous study

Students will not be granted credit for tertiary studies undertaken or completed prior to enrolment in this course, apart from exceptional circumstances at the discretion of the delegated authority in the Faculty of Science and the delegated authority of the Faculty of Medicine and Health.

15 Transitional provisions

(1) These resolutions apply to students who commenced their candidature after 1 January 2024

(2) Students who commenced their candidature prior to 1 January 2024 should complete the requirements in accordance with the resolutions in force at the time of their commencement.