Undergraduate Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find out what courses I need to complete to meet the requirement of my degree?
The best place to start is to view your degree requirements listed in the UNSW Handbook.
What is a course?
A course is an individual study unit offered by a school over a single semester. These courses are listed in the UNSW Handbook.
Examples: ENGL1006 Imagining the City; SOCA1002 Australian Society
What are Units of Credit?
Units of credit (UOC) are allotted to each course, and students must complete courses totaling the required number of units of credit in order to satisfy the requirements for their program. Most undergraduate courses offered by the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences are equivalent to 6 UOC.
What is the difference between a Major, Minor and an Elective?
A major is: A specified sequence of study in an area of academic or vocational specialisation within a program. Majors require students to take an approved set of courses and units of credit. Courses may include core and elective courses. In some programs students have a choice of Major, and may be able study in two areas (a double major), or a Major and a Minor. In other programs, such as the Bachelor of Laws (LLB) the major is implicit – all students major in Law.
A minor is: A sequence of depth study in a second area of specialisation, available in some programs, comprising fewer units of credit than a major . For example, a student enrolled in a Bachelor of Arts might complete a major in History and a minor in English.
An elective is: A subject you can take which does not need to be in your major/minor course or study. The courses must be taken to ensure you complete enough credits for your degree, however it does not need to relate to your major/minor areas of study.
What majors and minors can I do in an Arts degree?
Students in the BA must complete either two majors or a major and a minor, with at least 84 UOC from Arts and Social Sciences.
What is the difference between an Arts degree and a Social Science degree?
A Bachelor of Arts program allows a student to select either two majors or a major and a minor, as described above. Students in the Bachelor of Social Science program undertake the Social Science and Policy core courses over the duration of their degree, as well as their choice of major from selected options.
For options view the Areas of Study page.
What other degrees are offered by the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences?
As well as the Bachelor of Arts and the Bachelor of Social Science degrees, the Faculty also offers a range of other bachelor degree programs, please visit our Undergraduate Degree page for further information. The requirements for each of these degrees can be found in the UNSW Handbook.
What is General Education?
Most undergraduate students are required to undertake General Education courses as part of the requirement for their degree. This requires students, from the second year of their studies, to complete 12 UOC (units of credit). General Education courses offered by the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (i.e. GENT courses) are not available to students enrolled in Arts and Social Sciences degree programs. All General Education courses are listed in the UNSW Handbook. They are worth either 6 UOC or 3 UOC. This means that students normally undertake two to four of these courses during their degree. Students who are completing combined programs do not have to complete General Education. For an outline of the rationale and objectives behind the University's General Education policy, see the UNSW Handbook.
What is part-time study?
Both UNSW and DEST (Department of Education, Science and Training) consider a student to be full-time, if he or she is undertaking a Commonwealth Supported load of 0.375 or above. A load of less than 0.375 is considered part-time. In terms of UNSW units of credit, a load of 0.375 is equivalent to 18 UOC per semester. It is important to note that full-time or part-time status is determined by your enrolment per semester, not per year. That is, you must have a load of at least 0.375 in a semester in order to be considered full-time in that semester. Note that your status (part-time or full time) is not determined by how many hours per week or how many days per week you attend classes.
What if I am an older student and want to apply?
The University Preparation Program (UPP) is available to students over 21 years of age whose current academic qualifications do not satisfy the minimum entry standard required for the University. The program includes a core course, University Orientation and Study Skills, and one General Education elective course. The UPP result can be considered in an application for admission into most faculties of the University. Most faculties, particularly the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, set aside places specifically for UPP students.
For more details on UPP click here.
Does UNSW have on-campus housing?
There is a variety of accommodation available through the university, on and off campus, catered and self-catered. For a full list of available accommodation both in colleges and also including information about private rental and tips for successfully renting privately, please see the accommodation website at http://www.housing.unsw.edu.au
What are the contact hours per course?
Most courses in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences involve 3 contact hours per week. A number of our courses are 4 contact hours per week. Depending on which courses you are studying within the Faculty you should expect to be at UNSW for 12-15 hours of classes each week. At UNSW a subject is deemed to constitute 10 hours per week of study including both class time and individual study. For more details please see the UNSW Handbook at www.handbook.unsw.edu.au
Do you offer courses by distance education?
We do not offer our programs through distance education or by correspondence. All of our courses have on campus commitments, although we do offer all of our programs part-time.
Can I view a sample timetable?
To get a sense of the times classes are scheduled, you can visit the online timetable
I want to study a language but I’m not sure what level to start at?
To ensure that students are placed classes appropriate to their level, we do have a placement test. Information about these tests is available online at http://languages.arts.unsw.edu.au/placement-procedures/ . You can retrieve the form for the appropriate language test from the same location.
How can I transfer into a Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences program?
Transfer (internal applicants)
It is sometimes possible to transfer between UNSW degree programs. Transfers are not guaranteed, and depend on a number of factors, including your Weighted Average Mark (WAM) for your courses, and your academic standing, among other considerations. For a full list of considerations, please see the website at https://my.unsw.edu.au/student/academiclife/program_transfer/InternalProgramTransfer.html
If you are a UNSW student looking to transfer, then you can apply internally at www.my.unsw.edu.au Click on the student profile, and on the left-hand side, there is the option to begin an internal transfer application.
Transfer (external applicants)
Admissions to UNSW are based on academic merit, and you will need to apply through the University Admissions Centre (UAC). The application process is available online, including application deadlines, at http://www.unsw.edu.au/futureStudents/undergrad/sad/howtoapply.html Questions about that application process are best directed to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. They can be contacted at: ugadmis@unsw.edu.au
Once you have been accepted for your program, you can apply to have previous courses credited towards your degree at UNSW. This is called ‘advanced standing’.
What is Advanced Standing?
If you transfer to an Arts or Social Sciences degree from another tertiary institution, or internally from another faculty at UNSW, you may be able to count some of your previous studies towards your degree. This is known as admission with advanced standing. Application for advanced standing is usually made when a student accepts an offer from the University. Applications must be accompanied by results, course descriptions and details of contact hours. Courses undertaken more than ten years ago cannot be taken into consideration.
For more information go to our credit transfer page
Where is the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences?
The Faculty Student Centre is located in room G1 on the ground floor of the Morven Brown Building. This building is located near the Library, at University map reference C20. The School of the Arts and Media is located in the Robert Webster Building (map reference G14). The School of Education is in the Goodsell Building (map reference F20).
Click here (PDF) (2 Mb)for a campus map
Where can I find out more information about studying as an International Student?
Visit the UNSW International Office at www.international.unsw.edu.au
