UWA Handbook 2025

Title

1. These rules are the Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) Course Rules.

Terms Used

2. The Glossary provides an explanation of the terms used in these rules.

Applicability of the Student Rules, policies and procedures

3.(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 module

4.(1) Except as stated in (2), a student who enrols in an undergraduate degree course of the University 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), Communication and Research Skills (the CARS module) and Indigenous Studies Essentials (the ISE module) in the teaching period in which they are first enrolled.

(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.

(3) A student who has previously achieved a result of Ungraded Pass (UP) for the ACE module, the CARS module or the ISE module is not required to repeat the relevant module.

English Language competency requirements

5. 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

6.(1) To be considered for admission to this course an applicant must have—

(a) achieved an ATAR of at least 98, or equivalent as recognised by UWA;

Admission ranking and selection

7. Where relevant, admission will be awarded to the highest ranked applicants or applicants selected based on—academic performance.

Transfer Requirements

8.(1) A student enrolled in an undergraduate degree course at UWA may apply to transfer into this course if they satisfy the following conditions:

(a) the student has successfully completed 48 points of study and a WAM of at least 75 in their current course;

and

(b) the course transfer is undertaken within the specified transfer windows in each academic year; and

(2) have met any subject pre-requistes for their intended majors ; and

(3) transfer offers will be awarded, having regard to the quota of available places, to the highest ranked applicants. Ranking will consider the student's WAM in their current course, as well as the balance of transfer places awarded across UWA's undergraduate course offerings.

and

(3) The student must have completed a minimum of 48 points in another undergraduate degree at UWA.

(4) Transfer to the Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) is by invitation only. Eligibility according to Rule 8 (1), (2), or (3) does not guarantee entry.

Course structure

9.(1) The Bachelor of Philosophy consists of 192 credit points (normally 32 units), comprising:

(a) 144 credit points (normally 24 units) of an undergraduate component, including:

(i) no more than 72 credit points (normally 12 units) at Level 1; and

(ii) at least 72 credit points (normally 12 units) at Level 2 and Level 3, including at least 18 credit points (normally 3 units) at Level 3; and

(iii) at least 24 credit points (normally 4 units) outside the student's degree-specific major to provide breadth of study; and

(iv) a degree-specific major chosen from the offered courses leading to the award of a Bachelor's Degree at UWA; and

(v) any relevant foundation units; and

(vi) at least one of the units in the Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) degree course must normally involve the study of a language other than English; and

(vii) Students are normally required to undertake a residential program approved by the Academic Board before the Level 1 units are completed; and

(viii) A semester of study outside Australia or on a WA regional campus or location (that may include a research placement) must normally be undertaken after the level 1 units are completed and before the Level 3 units are completed.

and

(b) 48 credit points (normally 8 units) of an Honours component, including:

(i) at least 24 credit points (normally 4 units) at Level 4 and/or Level 5; and

(ii) at least 24 credit points (normally 4 units) of Dissertation or equivalent units at Level 4 and/or Level 5; and

(iii) at least 12 credit points (normally 2 units) of the 48 credit points are undertaken at Level 4.

(2) Students may choose to undertake up to two majors and/or up to two minors, provided the student will be able to complete all nominated majors and minors within the 144 credit points of the undergraduate component.

(3) Students must also:

(a) complete the units GCRL1000 Global Challenges, Research and Leadership and GCRL2000 BPhil Research Placement;

and

(b) complete at least one Language Other Than English (LOTE) unit;

and

(c) an approved period of student exchange/study abroad/study in a regional campus.

(4) Students must attend the Summer Residence in the February of their commencement year.

Satisfactory progress

10.(1) To make satisfactory progress a student must pass all units in which they remain enrolled after the final date for withdrawal without academic penalty and maintain a course weighted average mark of at least 75.

(2) A student who has not achieved a result of Ungraded Pass (UP) in any one or more of the ACE module, the CARS module or the ISE module when their progress status is assessed will not have made satisfactory progress.

(3) A student who fails a unit twice is not permitted to enrol again in that unit unless the relevant board approves otherwise.

Progress status

11.(1) A student who makes satisfactory progress is assigned the status of 'Good Standing'.

(2) A student who does not make satisfactory progress in terms of Rule 10(2) is assigned the progress status of 'On Probation'.

(3) Unless the relevant board determines otherwise because of exceptional circumstances or (2) or (4) applies, a student who does not make satisfactory progress is assigned the progress status of 'Excluded'.

(4) A student who has a weighted average mark below 75 in their first academic year but who, in the opinion of the Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) Selection Group of the Curriculum Committee, has a reasonable prospect of attaining a cumulative weighted average mark of 75 by the time their progress is next assessed, is assigned the progress status of ‘On Probation' and appropriate conditions are applied to allow close monitoring of the student's progress in the next period with a view to course transfer if appropriate.

(5) To be awarded the Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) a student must achieve an Honours classification of 2A or above.

(6) A student who is awarded an Honours classification below 2A is awarded the degree to which their degree-specific major belongs with the relevant classification of Honours.

Deferrals

12. Applicants awarded admission to the course are entitled to a deferral of up to 12 months, as per the University Policy on: Admissions (Coursework).

Final honours classification

13. The final honours classification is awarded in accordance with the University Policy on: Assessment.

Additional rules

Honours Classification

14. The Honours Classification is determined by the 4 dissertation units and 4 coursework based units of the honours year.