M Sc and Graduate Diploma in Computational Chemistry.

Master of Science in Computational Chemistry.

Introduction.

The Master of Science in Computational Chemistry is a full fee-paying twelve-month full-time taught Masters degree. It has two innovative features, one of them probably unique:-

It is a joint universities degree. The degree is offered by the Northern Territory University, Swinburne University of Technology, and Monash University through the Victoria College of Pharmacy. Individual units will be supervised by staff from four universities using cross-institutional accreditation.

The course is taught in part by distance mode largely using the internet. This appears to be a unique feature of this course. The internet materials allow students to take responsibility for their own learning and to be self-paced.

This proposal is a development of the work carried out in four universities under the CAUT grant "Learning modules for computational chemistry over AARNET" (Project Leader: Ass Prof Brian Salter-Duke, Northern Territory University. Project Co-Leader, Dr Margaret Wong, Swinburne University of Technology. Project Team: Dr Brian Yates, University of Tasmania, and Dr Ted Lloyd, Victoria College of Pharmacy, Monash University). The project is now named the "Australian Computational Chemistry via the Internet Project" (ACCVIP).

The course is intended for Australian students on a fee-paying basis and for overseas students, from the South East Asia region and elsewhere. It is expected to play a useful role in staff development in the universities of the region. The course is expected to attract full-time students. Part-time students will however be accepted, although one part of the course, the residential component, must be carried out in a full-time internal mode.

The entry criterion is a B Sc degree in Chemistry, with two years of experience after a B Sc degree, such as an Honours degree in Chemistry, a postgraduate diploma in chemistry or work experience in relevent area. It is essential for students to have good access to the internet with the ability to browse the World Wide Web (WWW) with a graphics browser. Entry at any time of the year is possible, although applicants should note that the normal academic year in Australia runs from February to November.

Course outline.

The course will involve successful completion of six core topics and a choice of one from three elective topics. The elective topics are twice the weight of the core topics. After completion of these topics there is period of 4 months full-time study on a research project at one of the participating universities. The core and elective topics are covered by distance education using the internet, extending over a period of 8 months for full-time students and up do 20 months for part-time students.

There are nine course topics:-

Common core.

1. The Scope of Computational Chemistry.
2. Molecular Modelling.
3. Approximate Quantum Chemistry.
4. Basic Qualitative Structure Activity Relationships.
5. Ab initio Quantum Chemistry.
6. Molecular Mechanics and Dynamics.

Electives - One of:-

1. Advanced Molecular Modelling.
2. Advanced Ab initio Quantum Chemistry.
3. Advanced Qualitative Structure Activity Relationships.

You may wish to see details of precise course codes at each university and full details of each topic.

All students will be asked to carry out a few tasks from a web module "Introduction to the internet for chemists" before enroling. This will ensure that students have an adequate internet connection to the four universities and will give them insight to the scope of the course before finally committing themselves. This activity will not be assessed as part of the course. It should be seen as essential orientation. These materials will also be the entry point to the first core topic above,

Core topics 2 -6 are designed to provide a solid base in all the key areas of computational chemistry. Each is based on a web module, which contains interactive computational exercises and assessment. Access to part of the materials will be username and password protected. Students will have e-mail contact with the unit coordinator, the course coordinator, and each other. Where appropriate internet interactive discussions will be established. Students will be encouraged to interact with each other using the internet. Additional assignments and course materials will be sent by mail. Some assignments may be the development of new educational materials or improvements to our existing WWW materials. This will be particularly appropriate where the students are already lecturers in a university.

To use these materials, students will have to have access not only to the internet and a WWW browser, but to specialist chemical "viewer" programs. These are public domain and will be made available by FTP (file transfer protocol).

The four month period of full-time internal mode study in one of the participating universities allows the student to consolidate their knowledge and carry out a research project. The project will normally be supervised by one of the ACCVIP team. The project report will be examined by the supervisor and one other person. This will be assessed at one third of the total weight of the whole Masters course.

The successful graduating student would normally obtain the degree of the university where the research project is completed.

Graduate Diploma in Computational Chemistry.

For information on these web pages, please contact Brian Salter-Duke.

Last modified: 23 October 1996.