On our website, “course” is used as a general term for degrees.
Our undergraduate courses are made up of units of study. A unit of study is a subject you complete during a semester. Each unit has assessments and exams you must successfully complete.
You usually study several units each semester, and over time they add up to your course.
Each unit of study has a credit point value. You complete your course once you've finished the required number of credit points.
Many undergraduate courses let you shape what you study through majors and minors. Some courses use programs or specialisations instead.
A minor is a secondary area of study. It’s a smaller group of related subjects that lets you explore another interest or develop additional skills alongside your major.
What this means for you
A minor adds breadth to your course and lets you explore an additional area of interest.
A program is a structured area of study within a course that brings together related subjects into a single professional or specialist focus.
Programs usually:
A specialisation is a focused area of study within a course. Some courses use the term specialisation instead of major or minor. In practice, it means you’ll concentrate on a particular subject area as part of your course.
Honours is an optional additional year or component of study offered in some undergraduate courses. It usually involves more advanced study in a specific subject area and may include a research or extended project.
What this means for you
Honours can be useful if you're interested in research, further study or developing advanced expertise in a particular area.
Not all courses offer Honours, and entry requirements vary.
For many undergraduate courses, you won't need to choose your major or minor when you apply. In most cases, you'll apply for your course first and confirm your major, minor, specialisation or stream later as part of enrolment or during your studies.
Undergraduate courses are usually strctured across years of study:
Most courses include a mix of:
You'll see a sample course plan in the Course Structure section on some course pages. It shows one example of how you could complete your course over time.
It is organised by year and semester. Each box is a unit of study, labelled to show whether it counts towards your core requirements, major, minor, elective or other course requirement.
Each unit has a credit point value. These add up towards the total credit points needed to complete your course.
These are a guide only. Your actual plan may vary depending on your study choices, unit availability and coarse rules.