What you will study

Open Foundation is not like high school. You choose the courses to suit you and your study area of choice.

There are lots of courses to choose from, however they do vary depending on the location and delivery mode of your studies. To successfully complete Open Foundation, you’re required to complete 40-60 units of courses. Each course is worth 10 units.

Subject areas

It is important to consider the degree you’d like to study once you complete Open Foundation as the courses you choose help to prepare you. View the program handbook to see the full list of available courses.

Program Handbook

The courses shown above are a guide (from the 40-unit program), you should always refer to the program handbook for details of the complete program structure, course requirements and availability.

View the 40-unit handbook View the 60-unit handbook

In-class time

University is not 9am-3.30pm Monday to Friday.

Your face-to-face time varies between each course and is made up of the following:

  • Lectures
    Lectures are large classes taught by passionate academics and provide the theory of your area of study. It’s common for several hundred people to attend a lecture.
  • Tutorials
    Tutorials are classes that give you a chance to explore what you are learning and the opportunity to ask questions. Tutorials expand on the material in your lectures and provide help in an intimate group environment.
  • On-campus workshops
    (Flexible Online students only)  
    Meet and take classes with your Lecturers, Study Advisers, and fellow online/blended students. On-campus workshops are held at our Newcastle campus (Callaghan).

Your own study

At university, you’re in charge of your own learning, handing in your assignments and keeping on top of your work. To successfully complete Open Foundation you will need enough quality time in a quiet space to focus on your studies.

The amount of time you need to put in depends on the delivery method you have chosen. You’ll have to dedicate time to reading, preparing for classes, summarising, completing assessments, conducting independent research and preparing for examinations.

It’s important to think about how you will fit your own study into your life. You may find it a challenge at first, but you’ll get the hang of it in no time through commitment and organisation.

A student getting a book from the library shelf

Assessments

It’s natural to feel a degree of anxiety, stress or apprehension about university assessments, they are a normal part of university life. We understand that everyone performs differently in different situations and have a range of assessment methods throughout each course to help you succeed.

What to expect

Your assessments will be made up of the following:

  • Progressive Assessments

    Held throughout the semester, progressive assessments can include tasks such as written reports, essays, oral presentations, in-class or online quizzes, class tests, lab reports, blogs, etc.

    Ongoing assessments are a great tool to assess your learning and highlight where you may need revision or extra help prior to the formal exams.

  • Formal Exams

    To successfully pass a course, you may have to complete a face-to-face or online exam at the end of the semester. Each exam could be worth up to 50% of your final mark for the semester and runs for 2 hours. You will be assessed on the content you have learned during the semester.

    Not all courses have a formal exam.