Courses and units

The Student Exchange and Study Abroad programs at UWA allow you choose any unit which is part of a recognised degree program.

That unit (subject or class) can be chosen from any faculty except Medicine and Dentistry. You must also meet the University's prerequisites. You can however, design your own program of study and select units only available at UWA.

1. Before selecting units
2. Academic load
3. Approval of units and credit transfers
4. Enrolment / class registration
5. Method of instruction
6. Assessment and examinations

Before selecting units

Before selecting your units we recommend you:

• You will also find unit descriptions in UWA's Handbooks
• Check you meet the University's prerequisites
• Note UWA's Guidelines for Assessment

Some notes on unit selection [RTF, 314.6 KB]
Updated 22 Jul 2011

Notes on unit selection [PDF, 78.3 KB]
Updated 8 Jun 2011

Academic load

Most units (subjects) have a credit value of six points, although some units may have a value of 12 points. Study Abroad and Student Exchange students are expected to enrol in a full academic load of 24 points per semester. This generally works out to four units per semester. Most units are offered for a semester but some must be taken for a full year.

It may be possible to create 'special courses' from full-year units depending on your requirements, background, time of arrival and length of stay.

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Approval of units and credit transfers

It is your responsibility to satisfy your home college or university requirements, and understand and fulfil credit transfer requirements.

As final enrolment is subject to timetabling constraints and unit availability, we recommend that you obtain approval from your home university for more than the number of units required to fulfil a full academic load at UWA. This will allow some flexibility to change units if necessary. You may request a pre-approved study list from UWA prior to arrival. This selection may be changed after you arrive in Perth.

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Enrolment / class registration

Pre-enrolment is not available at UWA. Final enrolment takes place during orientation. Classes do not normally fill up, so if your chosen unit is available and you have been given approval to enrol in it, you will not have any problems.

You will be assigned a course adviser who can assist you during the enrolment session with your selection of units. Dropping and adding units will be explained during orientation.

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Method of instruction

At UWA the emphasis is on independent learning. There will be less direction from lecturers, greater expectations of individual study outside classes, fewer assessments and heavier weighting on assessments.

You will attend weekly lectures, which may be large, with sometimes more than 100 students. These will be complemented by weekly tutorials, seminars or laboratories and workshops, with smaller classes, where you will be expected to actively participate in discussion and debate. They may be compulsory and are often assessed.

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Assessment and examinations

You will take classes with, and be examined in, the same manner and to the same standard as other students at UWA.

All units are assessed and graded at the end of each semester. 

Final grades will be based on a combination of oral / written assignments and tests, project work, participation in tutorials and laboratories and final examinations. Multi-choice is not a common method of assessment. Although specific unit requirements will vary, generally, there is a greater emphasis placed on the final examination than you may be used to.

At the end of your period of study, an official academic transcript recording the units you enrolled in and the grades you obtained will be available. Performance is graded according to the following scale:

All examinations are conducted in English (except for language units) and the use of dictionaries is not permitted. Nor will additional time be granted if English is not your first language.

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