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Your course components
There are different components that make up the structure of courses at the University. It’s important to understand what they are and how they fit together when planning your studies.
Many components are common across our undergraduate courses, however there are some variations and exceptions.
To complete each component of your course, you'll need to complete a series of units of study, which is the name we give to individual subjects.
Common degree components
While each degree at the University has its own unique structure there are some components common to most of our undergraduate courses.
Your handbook explains the specific components required for your course, the units of study that make up each component, and how many of each you'll need to complete (we refer to this as the number of credit points).
| Degree core and compulsory units | These are units of study that you must complete as part of your specific degree. |
| Selective units | These are units where you have a limited set of options to choose from. You might need to complete a certain number of selective units for your degree, as well as for your major and minor. |
| Major | A major is a sequence of units that develop your expertise in a field of study (e.g. history, biology, finance). If your degree requires a major, you'll be prompted to select yours when you enrol. You’ll need to select one that’s offered by your faculty or school. Majors are worth 48 credit points and are made up of first, second and third-year units. Most degrees require at least one major (although there are exceptions for some specialised or professional degrees). Depending on your course, you may also be able to complete a second major, chosen from your own faculty/school or from another faculty/school. |
| Minor | If you don’t complete a second major, many degrees require you to complete a minor instead. A minor is a sequence of units that develop your expertise in a field of study, but it’s shorter than a major, worth 36 credit points. |
| OLE units | Open Learning Environment units help you build novel skill combinations and extend your knowledge by exploring other fields of study. They’re worth either 2 or 6 credit points. Generally your handbook will specify the minimum number of OLE units you’ll need to complete, however you may be able to complete more depending on your other enrolment choices. |
| Electives | These are units that are part of a broad list of choices available to you. Often you’ll be able to choose electives offered by your own faculty/school as well as those offered by a different faculty/school. Generally your handbook will specify the minimum number of elective units you’ll need to complete, however you may be able to complete more depending on your other enrolment choices. |
Some degrees offer a program (e.g. Program in Psychology, Program in Economics) These are a combination of units that develop expertise in a multidisciplinary domain or a professional or specialist field.
Programs include your major and are up to 84 credit points (counting degree core units).
Some degrees are separated into different streams. If you’re enrolled in a stream, it will be included in your degree title. For example, Bachelor of Engineering Honours (Aeronautical Engineering), Bachelor of Applied Science (Speech Pathology) etc.
The rules for streams are specific to the stream you’re enrolled in, so you’ll need to check your handbook. Some streams include a major or minor, while others do not.
Specialisations are available in the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) and require a stipulated number of units to be completed, as listed in the handbook.
In limited cases, students in some degrees will study a compulsory list of units, and won’t be able to make their own selections (e.g. Doctor of Medicine, Oral Health).
If you’re enrolled in a combined Bachelor of Advanced studies degree, you’ll complete 4000-level units after you’ve completed the third year of your other bachelor degree.
Honours is an additional qualification where you can build on your undergraduate studies by completing a supervised research project and disciplinary or research-focused coursework.
There are different types of honours programs. Some degrees include honours as part of the course, while for others you'll need to apply towards the end of your degree.
In a combined degree (e.g. Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws) you complete two degrees and can count a specified number of units of study towards the requirements for both award courses, resulting in a lower volume of learning than if the two degrees were taken separately.
In a double degree (e.g. Bachelor of Arts and Doctor of Medicine) you complete two qualifications under one set of award course resolutions, with no cross-crediting of units of study between the qualifications.
Last updated: 16 May 2025
