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Plan your degree
Before you enrol you need to plan for your degree. This will help you to know which courses to study and to draft your timetable. This section will walk you through each step and includes important information about your degree and course selection.
Make sure you have:
- Accepted your offer
- Activated your student account
- Have your log in details ready
Key terms
Program + Course
Program refers to the degree in which you are enrolled. For example, the Bachelor of Science is a program.
Course is a subject. For example, BIOL1002 is a course in the Bachelor of Science program.
Program Handbook + Program Planner
Your Program Handbook details the rules and structure of your program, including the number and type of courses you need to complete, and the maximum amount of time allowed to complete your program.
Program Planner details the structure of your program and provides you with a recommended enrolment plan. We recommend you use this to plan your progress and ensure you stay on-track to meet the requirements of your degree.
Course codes
Every course is given a code, made up of four letters and four numbers .
The letters are an abbreviation of the subject area, and the four numbers are used to uniquely identify the course and the course level.
For example: BIOL1002 – ‘BIOL’ is an abbreviation of Biological Sciences, ‘1001’ is a unique identifier and because it starts with a ‘1’ we know that it is a first level course.
Course levels
The first number in a course code indicates the course level and how difficult the course might be.
Generally, first-year undergraduate students enrol in courses that begin with a ‘1’, and postgraduate students enrol in courses that begin with ‘6’.
1000 – First level undergraduate (introductory)
2000 – Second level undergraduate (intermediate)
3000 – Third level undergraduate (senior)
4000 – Fourth level undergraduate or honours (advanced)
5000 – Fifth level undergraduate or honours (advanced)
6000 – Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma or Masters
It is not unusual to enrol in a mixture of levels at some point during your studies. For example: you might decide to enrol in a 1000 level elective in your third year of study.
Course types
Programs usually have courses you must complete as part of your degree or major, as well as elective courses. The amount of flexibility you have will depend on your program.
Core course - A program-level compulsory course (i.e. you must do this course as part of your program)
Compulsory course – a compulsory course for your major, minor, or specialisation
Directed course - a course chosen from a list of program, major, or minor courses
Elective – a course that can be chosen from all courses available at the University of Newcastle that do not have any other conditions (such as a program requisite*) applied to them
* A requisite (or prerequisite) is a criteria that must be met to enrol in a course. Learn more here.
Full time or part time
The number of units you enrol in each term determines whether you are full-time or part-time.
Most courses are 10 units each and the general guideline is that you will need to allow 10 hours per week for study (including class time) for each 10-unit course, but this may depend on the student and the course.
Full-time study load to complete in minimum duration | Full-time study load | Part-time study load | |
Semester | 40 units | 30 units | 20 units or less |
Trimester | 30 units | 20 units (with a total of at least 60 units per year) | 20 units or less (with a total of less than 60 units per year) |
Summer or Winter term | 10 units is considered full-time | ||
International students with a student visa must study 100% full-study load and follow their Program structure.
Additionally, some programs must be studied full-time, for example: Bachelor of Physiotherapy (Honours).
Key support staff
Program Convenor – your Program Convenor is an academic staff member with overall responsibility for the management and quality of your program. They’re a good person to contact for advice on academic matters, including career advice and course recommendations to suit your interests and study plans.
You can find out who your Program Convenor and Program Advisor is here.
Program Advisor – your Program Advisor will provide support and enrolment advice throughout your studies. They are here to assist you make the most out of the University’s free support with success planning and help you stay on track in your degree. If you'd like to speak with your Program Advisor, you can contact AskUON.
Course Coordinator – Course Coordinators are responsible for designing, planning, and teaching a course.
Credit
Have you studied before? You may be eligible for credit or recognition of prior learning. Check out our dedicated Credit page for more information.
Complete your to do list
Before you enrol, you will need to log into myHub and complete your Mandatory To-Do List. This ensures important information like your contact details and HECS or FEE-HELP information is complete and up to date.
The University of Newcastle acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands within our footprint areas: Awabakal, Darkinjung, Biripai, Worimi, Wonnarua, and Eora Nations. We also pay respect to the wisdom of our Elders past and present.