Frequently Asked Questions - Courses
- How do I find a course?
- What is an undergraduate/postgraduate course?
- How many cross-faculty subjects can I do for my degree?
- What is a combined degree?
- What is a double major?
- Can I study a language as part of my degree?
- Do courses have built-in industrial or professional experience components?
- Where do I find out more about course subjects?
- Are any of your courses accredited with professional organisations?
- What courses are available to international students at Deakin University?
- Can I study a course in my home country?
- How are courses taught?
- Can I study part-time?
Cannot find the answer or need more information? Contact us online.
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You can conduct an online course search of all Deakin University courses, including information on the course structure, duration and units of study for every course.
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Undergraduate
Undergraduate courses are tertiary-level courses which are usually completed following secondary school. They include certificates, associate diplomas, diplomas, associate degrees, bachelor degrees and honours degrees.Postgraduate
A postgraduate qualification refers to courses of study beyond bachelor level, including graduate certificates, graduate diplomas and higher degrees. Eligibility for entry to a postgraduate course normally requires the applicant to have completed an approved undergraduate degree.
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How many subjects you take from other faculties will depend on the type of course you are taking. For example:
- The Bachelor of Arts: course rules allow students to take up to 8 credit points of non-Arts course-grouped units. This means that students may study a unit or units offered by another faculty or other institutions (see cross-institutional arrangements).
- Bachelor of Commerce: Students may take up to 8 credit points from approved units offered by other faculties.
- Bachelor of Science: The remaining 8 credit points may be selected from units offered by any area of the University.
- Postgraduate degrees are generally more structured so are not geared towards students enrolling in units across two faculties. i.e. Master of Commerce, students will enrol in only Business and Law Faculty units.
Refer to the undergraduate/postgraduate studies handbook for more information.
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At Deakin, you can choose to undertake a combined degree where you complete courses in two complementary areas. Examples include:
- Bachelor of Arts and the Bachelor of Laws
- Bachelor of Commerce and the Bachelor of Laws
- Bachelor of Teaching and the Bachelor of Arts.
Undertaking a combined degree concurrently allows you to graduate sooner than if you were to take each course separately. It also means that, when you graduate, you are skilled and qualified in two discipline areas. At a later time you may chose to undertake a graduate program in an area of special interest to you to consolidate your skills in that area.
Combined degrees offer you great flexibility in your studies and allows you to gain the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in a wide variety of professional fields after you graduate.
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Certain Deakin courses allow students to take a double major, where students study two distinct streams. Some majors may be taken from outside the faculty. The choice of a double major may give you an advantage in the employment market.
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Yes. International students can study Arabic, Chinese and Indonesian as part of their Bachelor of Arts degree. Refer to the undergraduate studies handbook for further information.
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Yes. Many of our courses have a built-in work component, which consolidates and provides relevance to your learning experience while you study.
Refer to the undergraduate/postgraduate studies handbook for information on industrial experience for our courses.
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Depending on your level of study, the undergraduate/postgraduate studies handbook contains information on units of study (subjects) for all courses.
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Yes, many of our courses are accredited with professional associations, giving a practical relevance to your qualification. For example:
- Public Relations courses: accredited by the Public Relations Institute of Australia.
- Bachelor of Design (Architecture): designed to lead to professional recognition by the Royal Australian Institute of Architects and the Architects Registration Board of Victoria.
- Information Technology courses: accredited by the Australian Computer Society (ACS) at the Professional Level (highest level).
- Bachelor of Engineering: meets the educational and professional standards of Engineers Australia (stage 1 competency standards).
Refer to the undergraduate/postgraduate studies handbook for more information.
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International students can choose from a wide range of courses including:
- English language courses
- certificate and diploma courses at our partner institutions
- undergraduate degrees
- postgraduate degrees
- higher degrees by research
- courses as part of an exchange or study abroad program.
Subject areas are varied and range from traditional areas of study (e.g arts, commerce) through to emerging areas of relevance (e.g. criminology, environmental science).
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As well as on-campus courses, Deakin offers off-campus courses (or courses by distance education), which can be completed in your home country.
Off-campus courses are identical to on-campus courses except that, instead of attending lectures, tutorials and practical lessons in person, you study using a variety of other methods. These methods generally include the use of online technologies, including email, bulletin boards, computer conferencing and other interactive study methods and materials. They may also include specially developed printed study materials and guides complemented by audiovisual materials.
Deakin also offers offshore courses which allow you to study in your own country with an overseas partner institution.
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Students studying on-campus at Deakin usually receive a mix of lectures and tutorials. These may be supplemented by practical classes or fieldwork. Lectures are held in state-of-the-art lecture theatres with large groups of students. Lectures typically go for 1-3 hours and may involve note-taking, demonstrations and AV presentations, etc.
Tutorials usually follow lectures and give students a chance to discuss topics in detail. Tutorial groups are usually much smaller, to allow one on one interaction between students and with lecturers. On campus students studying a full-time load can usually expect to have around 15-20 contact hours (times when you must attend the university) per week as well as study time.
Assessment may take a variety of forms, including written work and tests undertaken in class, participation in class or laboratory sessions, and final examinations each semester. Fieldwork or practical experience can also form a large part of the content and assessment of some units.
All courses at Deakin are taught in English.
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For international students studying on campus in Australia, you must maintain full-time enrolment (normally 4 credit points, with a minimum enrolment of 3 credit points) as part of your visa requirements. You may enrol in less than three units only in your final semester.
Contact the Department of Immigration and Citizenship for more information.
Off-campus international students do not face such restrictions and can enrol in 1-2 units per semester.
