Course overview
- Description
This course is for graduates who have diverse academic, personal and/or professional interests. It facilitates the interdisciplinary perspectives and skills required for addressing and designing solutions to complex or 'wicked' problems.
Students choose, in consultation with the course adviser, a unique and interdisciplinary combination of units offered by different schools and faculties that address their academic, professional and/or personal goals.
The course develops students' higher order thinking skills, knowledge and communication through the opportunity to consider complex problems and issues from the perspectives of multiple disciplines.
After completing four units (24 points) of optional breadth, students will nominate an area of disciplinary or cross-disciplinary depth in which they will take a minimum of four units (24 points) that will include a substantial research-based project, capstone experience and/or piece of scholarship. Other units may be selected from multiple disciplines to inform study in the area of disciplinary or cross-disciplinary depth and students are also encouraged to take one core unit (6 points) on interdisciplinary methodologies.
- Course title
- Master of Studies (coursework or coursework and dissertation)
- Award abbreviation
- MStud
- Course code
- 00500
- Course type
- Master's degree by coursework or by coursework and dissertation
- Status
- Current / 2025
- Administered by
- Office of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor Education
- CRICOS code
- 089501K
Course details
- Intake periods
- Beginning of year and mid-year
- Attendance type
- Full- or part-time (Student visa holders should read Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 for more information.)
- Credit points required
- 96
A standard full-time load is 24 points per semester. - Standard course duration
- 1.5 years full-time (or equivalent part-time) comprising 72 points of taught units and 24 points of admission credit, as recognised and granted by the School
- Maximum course duration
- 2 years full-time (or equivalent part-time) comprising up to 96 points of taught study (see Rule 5 for further information)
- Time limit
- 8 years
- Delivery mode
- Multi-mode
- Locations offered
- UWA (Perth), any other campus
- Domestic fee type
- Postgraduate fee-paying/FEE-HELP
- Available to international students
- Yes. For information on international student fees see 'Student Procedures: Fees'. (Enquiries: https://www.uwa.edu.au/askuwa)
- Course Coordinator(s)
- Dr Chantal Bourgault du Coudray
- Fees
- Visit the fees calculator.
Prospective students should see the Future Students website for details on admission requirements, intake periods, fees, availability to international students, careers information etc.
No study plans found for this course. See study plans for more information.
Specialisations
Course structure
Key to availability of units:
- NS
- non-standard teaching period
All units have a value of six points unless otherwise stated.
In consultation with the course adviser, students will initially complete 24 points (4 units) of breadth from elective units available in all faculties. At the completion of the first 24 points (4 units) of the course, each student will be required to nominate their area of disciplinary or cross-disciplinary depth within which they will take a minimum of 24 points (4 units) including units that enable them to to plan, and execute a substantial research-based project, capstone experience and/or piece of scholarship. Remaining units will be selected in consultation with the course adviser as electives to complement and inform study in the area of disciplinary or cross-disciplinary depth. A minimum of 50 per cent of units must be studied at Level 4 or 5. The interdisciplinary service learning SVLG5003 Wicked Problems is highly recommended for all Master of Studies students.
| Availability | Unit code | Unitname | Unit requirements | Contact hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NS | SVLG5003 | Wicked Problems |
| The unit is a 6 week intensive. Attendance at the service learning location is required every day for the first week. In the remaining weeks, students will work independently in project teams, with classroom time reduced to around 15-20 hours altogether. |
See also the rules for the course and the Student Rules.
Rules
Applicability of the Student Rules, policies and procedures
1.(1) The Student Rules apply to students in this course.
(2) The policy, policy statements and guidance documents and student procedures apply, except as otherwise indicated in the rules for this course.
Academic Conduct Essentials and Communication and Research Skills modules
2.(1) A student who enrols in this course for the first time irrespective of whether they have previously been enrolled in another course of the University, must undertake the Academic Conduct Essentials module (the ACE module) and the Communication and Research Skills module (the CARS module).
(2) A student must successfully complete the ACE module within the first teaching period of their enrolment. Failure to complete the module within this timeframe will result in the student's unit results from this teaching period being withheld. These results will continue to be withheld until students avail themselves of a subsequent opportunity to achieve a passing grade in the ACE module. In the event that students complete units in subsequent teaching periods without completing the ACE module, these results will similarly be withheld. Students will not be permitted to submit late review or appeal applications regarding results which have been withheld for this reason and which they were unable to access in the normally permitted review period.
English Language competency requirements
3. To be considered eligible for consideration for admission to this course an applicant must satisfy the University's English language competence requirement as set out in the University Policy on Admission: Coursework.
Admission requirements
4. To be considered for admission to this course an applicant must have—a bachelor's degree, or an equivalent qualification, as recognised by UWA.
Admission ranking and selection
5. Where relevant, admission will be awarded to the highest ranked applicants or applicants selected based on the relevant requirements.
Articulations and exit awards
6.(1) The following courses form part of an articulated sequence:
(2) A student who withdraws from the Master of Studies course before completing it, but after fulfilling the requirements of a lesser award in the above sequence, may apply for the relevant award.
Course structure
7.(1) The course consists of units to a total value of 96 points (maximum value) which include conversion units to a value of 24 points.
(2) Units must be selected in accordance with the course structure, as set out in these rules.
(3) Students who have completed a bachelor's degree with a major in any relevant discipline as recognised by the course advisor are granted credit for conversion units up to a value of 24 points.
Satisfactory progress
8. To make satisfactory progress a student must pass units to a point value greater than half the total value of units in which they remain enrolled after the final date for withdrawal without academic penalty.
9. A student who has not achieved a result of Ungraded Pass (UP) for the Communication and Research Skills module (the CARS module) when their progress status is assessed will not have made satisfactory progress even if they have met the other requirements for satisfactory progress in Rule 8.
Progress status
10.(1) A student who makes satisfactory progress in terms of Rule 8 is assigned the status of 'Good Standing'.
(2) Unless the relevant board determines otherwise because of exceptional circumstances—
(a) a student who does not make satisfactory progress for the first time under Rule 8 is assigned a progress status of 'On Probation';
(b) a student who does not make satisfactory progress for the second time under Rule 8 is assigned a progress status of 'Suspended';
(c) a student who does not make satisfactory progress for the third time under Rule 8 is assigned a progress status of 'Excluded'.
11. A student who does not make satisfactory progress in terms of Rule 9 is assigned the progress status of 'On Probation', unless they have been assigned a progress status of 'Suspended' or 'Excluded' for failure to meet other satisfactory progress requirements in Rule 8.
Award with distinction
12. To be awarded the degree with distinction a student must achieve a course weighted average mark (WAM) of at least 80 per cent which is calculated based on—
(a) all units above Level 3 attempted as part of the course that are awarded a final percentage mark;
(b) all relevant units above Level 3 undertaken in articulating courses of this University that are awarded a final percentage mark;
and
(c) all units above Level 3 completed at this University that are credited to the master's degree course.
Deferrals
13. Applicants awarded admission to the course are entitled to a deferral of up to 12 months, as per the University Policy on: Admissions (Coursework).