UWA's four-year undergraduate Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) degree comprises 32 units. The units you study must include:

  • a degree-specific major
  • at least four units which satisfy the broadening requirements of your course (including GCRL1000 Global Challenges, Research and Leadership and a Language Other Than English (LOTE) unit
  • an honours program comprising eight Level 4 or Level 5 units – four coursework units coursework and four dissertation units
  • a research project leading to studies in research methods and project management in your second and third academic years (including GCRL2000 BPhil Research Placement)
  • an appropriate assessment to demonstrate outstanding skills in both spoken and written communication in your second, third and fourth academic years
  • an approved period of student exchange/study abroad

There are some limits you need to be aware of.

  • You can include no more than 12 units at Level 1.
  • You must pass at least three units at Level 3.
  • You must maintain a weighted average mark (WAM) of 75 or above

Beyond this you have great freedom to craft a degree that best suits your interests.

A standard full-time study load is four units per semester. The minimum number to be classified as full-time is three units per semester. You are welcome to study part-time (one or two units per semester) provided you complete your degree within 10 years. International students may be required to study four units per semester full-time in order to meet their visa requirements. Contact the BPhil (Hons) Office for more information.

Major structures

There are single majors, double majors and minors.

A single major consists of between 48 and 72 credit points of core and option units from the same disciplinary field, normally in the following sequence:

  • Level 1 units - at least 12 credit points
  • Level 2 units - at least 12 credit points
  • Level 3 units - at least 18 credit points

Some majors, for example Engineering Science, have varying requirements, including according to which area you specialise in. Be sure to check the requirements of your chosen major under its Handbook entry, or seek assistance from a course adviser.

A double major consists of between 84 and 108 credit points of core and option units, normally in the following sequence:

  • Level 1 units - at least 12 credit points
  • Level 2 units - at least 24 credit points
  • Level 3 units - at least 36 credit points

Degree-specific majors

Each three-year undergraduate degree course has its own degree-specific majors. Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) students have the freedom to choose a degree-specific major from any of these courses:

You must complete at least one degree-specific major.

Second majors

If you want to study a second major, you can choose one from any of the above degrees subject to any restrictions as dictated within individual course requirements.

Broadening requirements

The requirement to include broadening units in your course is designed to ensure that as a graduate you will be exposed to different ideas and ways of learning, which will prepare you for the challenges of a changing global world and workforce. To achieve this purpose, you must pass four units that satisfy the broadening rules.

Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) students must include GCRL1000 Global Challenges, Research and Leadership as one of their broadening units. GCRL1000 introduces research practices and principles from a variety of discipline perspectives. The unit is only available to Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) students.

You should also include GCRL2000 BPhil Research Placement, which is also only for Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) students, in either your second or third years.

Electives

Elective units provide you with the opportunity to explore a range of interests and new disciplines. If you structure your degree with one degree-specific major there is potential for at least eight electives. If you decide to study two majors there is still room for variety beyond your majors.

Credit points

Most units are worth six points, a small number of project units and some honours units are worth 12 points each. In order to fulfil the requirements of your undergraduate Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) course you need to complete units worth a total of 192 credit points. The credit points for each unit are listed in its Handbook entry.

Levels

All units are assigned a level which indicates the amount of prior knowledge or maturity of learning required to study the unit successfully. Undergraduate units are classified into three levels. Level 1 units are entry-level or introductory units. You can progress to Level 2 or Level 3 units as soon as you meet the prerequisites and any other unit rules.

Honours

An honours program is an important component of your Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) course. It will develop advanced research, project management and critical thinking skills that will prepare you for further postgraduate study and make you highly competitive within the workforce.

The BPhil honours course comprises:

  • four coursework units undertaken at Level 4 and/or Level 5; and
  • four dissertation units undertaken at Level 4 and/or Level 5

You may apply to undertake honours in any discipline or field of study in which you have completed a major (either as a degree-specific major or as a second major).

To be awarded the Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) degree you must achieve an honours classification of 2A or above. If you receive an honours classification below 2A you will be awarded the degree to which your degree-specific major belongs with the relevant classification of honours.

Study Abroad and language studies

As a Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) student you are normally required to include:

  • at least one Language Other Than English (LOTE) unit
  • an approved period of study outside of Australia (Study Abroad), undertaken after completing Level 1 units and before Level 3 units are completed

Satisfactory progress

Satisfactory progress in your Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours) course means you must maintain a weighted average mark (WAM) of 75 or above.

Examples of degree course structure

The following examples map the possible paths of your undergraduate degree course with the choice of a single major, double major or two majors:

Course study plan with a single major
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Course study plan with a double major
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Course study plan with two majors
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