UWA's three-year undergraduate courses each comprise 24 units. The units you study must include:

There are some limits you need to be aware of. You–

  • cannot include more than 12 units at Level 1; and
  • must pass at least 3 units at Level 3.

Beyond this you have great freedom to craft a course that best suits your interests. Read on to find out more.

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 (i.e. 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 International Student Support for more information.

Majors

A major is a structured sequence of units in a particular discipline or field of study. It provides you with the opportunity to develop the knowledge, understanding and expertise that will equip you to move into a rewarding career after graduation or to pursue further study in a similar area at postgraduate level.

Core units and options

Core units are the compulsory units in your major. Some majors are made up entirely of core units whereas others allow you to choose from a selection of options.

As you progress through the major, you will study your subject area in increasing depth and understanding. Units within majors are classified into three levels, representing increasing complexity and mastery of the subject area.

Major structures

There are single majors and double majors.

A single major consists of eight units from the same disciplinary field, normally in the following sequence:

  • two Level 1 units
  • two Level 2 units
  • four Level 3 units.

The structure of some single majors differ. A common alternative is:

  • two Level 1 units
  • three Level 2 units
  • three Level 3 units.

A double major consists of 14 units normally with:

  • two Level 1 units that provide the foundation for:
    • four Level 2 units
    • eight Level 3 units.

Degree-specific majors

Each three-year undergraduate degree has its own degree-specific majors, and you must complete at least one degree-specific major from your course:

Re-enrolling (pre-2018) students only

Second majors

If you want to study a second major, you can choose one from any of the above degrees.

 

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.

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 up to 12 electives. If you decide to study two majors there is still room for variety beyond your majors.

Credit points

Each of your units is worth a number of credit points. Most units are worth six points; a small number of project units are worth 12 points each. In order to complete your undergraduate degree you need to complete units worth a total of 144 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.

Examples of degree course structure

The following course study plan examples map the possible paths of your undergraduate degree course