UWA Handbook 2025

Note: This course is only available to re-enrolling students.

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.(1) 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, except as otherwise indicated in the rules for this course.

(2) Applicants presenting with the IELTS Academic require an overall score of at least 7.0 and no band less than 7.0.

Admission requirements

4. To be considered for admission to this course an applicant must have—

(a) a bachelor's degree, or an equivalent qualification, as recognised by UWA;

and

(b) the equivalent of a UWA GPA of 5.0;

and

(c) Demonstrated adequate knowledge in two of the following health and/or medical science areas at a tertiary level:

anatomy, human biology, physiology, pharmacology, genetics, microbiology, genetics, immunology, biological chemistry unit at a tertiary level.

Admission ranking and selection

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

(a) the admission requirements under Rule 4;

and

(b) an interview in which eligible applicants will be assessed based on the personal qualities considered desirable in podiatrists, with invitation to attend the interview based on Rule 4, in alignment with the interview quota for the year;

and

(c) the intake quota for that year;

and

(d) equal weighting of the GPA and interview.

OR

(e) assured pathway

OR

(f) Dean's List of Commonwealth Supported Places for the intake quota for that year including:

(i) Indigenous pathway

(ii) Rural pathway

(iii) Broadway

(iv) International agreements

(v) Applicants with Academic merit demonstrating financial need.

Articulations and exit awards

6. This course does not form part of an articulated sequence.

Course structure

7.(1) The course consists of units to a total value of 144 points.

(2) Units must be selected in accordance with the course structure, as set out in these rules.

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) The Faculty, on the recommendation of the Board of Examiners, may assign a progress status of 'On Probation' or 'Excluded' to a student who does not make satisfactory progress under Rule 8.

(2) Unless it determines otherwise in light of exceptional circumstances, and except as set out in (3), the Faculty, on the recommendation of the Board of Examiners, will assign a progress status of 'On Probation' to a student who fails to make satisfactory progress under Rule 8.

(3) Unless it determines otherwise in light of exceptional circumstances, the Faculty, on the recommendation of the Board of Examiners, will assign a progress status of 'Excluded' to a student who—

(a) fails to make satisfactory progress under Rule 8 and has previously repeated two years of the course; or

(b) fails to make satisfactory progress under Rule 8 in the same year of the course for a second time.

(4) A student who is assigned a progress status of 'Excluded' under (3) (a) or (b) will not be permitted to re-enrol in the course.

[Approved exception to University Policy]

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 are not permitted to defer admission to this course and are expected to commence their course in the offered intake only. Approved leave is not available during the first academic year of this course. Applicants seeking admission to an alternative intake must submit a new application for that intake.

Additional rules

Supplementary assessment

14.(1) Subject to (2) the Board of Examiners will provide an opportunity for supplementary assessment to a student who has obtained a mark of 45 to 49 inclusive in a unit.

(2) The Board of Examiners will not provide an opportunity for supplementary assessment to a student who—

(a) fails more than two units in any calendar year;

or

(b) fails a deferred examination.

Requirements of students on probation

15.(1) Students who have been assigned a progress status of 'On Probation' must—

(a) repeat all units that they have previously attempted in that year of the course;

and

(b) subject to (2), repeat all other units that they have previously attempted in that year of the course.

(2) Students are exempt from the requirement to complete one or more of the following units if they have a mark of at least 70 per cent in the unit(s) concerned:

PUBH4401 Biostatistics I

PODI4208 Research Methods

PODI5304 Podiatric Research Project

Leave and retention of credit

16.(1) Students may apply for a period of approved leave in accordance with University Policy.

(2) Following a period of approved leave of less than two years, students retain credit for all units previously passed.

(3) Following a period of approved leave of two years or more, full credit is unable to be retained and students must repeat the units comprising the most recently completed year of the course.

Requirements to attend and complete prescribed work

17.(1) Students must attend compulsory teaching and undertake practical and clinical work at the University Podiatry Clinic, and other institutitions as approved by the Faculty.

(2) Providing approval is granted, a student is permitted to take a maximum of 10 University days annually as leave. Leave can include compassionate leave, medical leave, personal/other leave.

(3) Leave is administered and managed as outlined in the UWA Division of Podiatrric Medicine and Surgery, Student Handbook.

(4) Students who are absent for more than 5% of their total clinical sessions, or 10 clincial sessions, whichever applies in an academic year, will be required to make-up/replace any further clinical session missed during the remainder of the year.

Entry from the Medical Sciences Major at the University of Western Australia

18. Subject to completing other admission requirements, in recognition of prior learning, students who have satisfactorily completed the Medical Sciences Major (MJD-MEDSC or MJS-MEDSC) may be granted up to 48 points credit towards year 1 of the Doctor of Podiatric Medicine

Advanced Standing

19. The Faculty may grant advanced standing for previously completed Podiatry units, if they were completed as part of a postgraduate Podiatry course recognised by the Faculty as equivalent to the Doctor of Podiatric Medicine of this University.