Handbook 2008

Bachelor Studies: A General Guide

The following information should be read in conjunction with Study at Murdoch: a General Guide in this Handbook.

Courses

Course descriptions and requirements are set out in the Courses section of this Handbook. Further information can be obtained from Faculty Student Administration or the Prospective Students’ and Admissions Centre.

Structure of the Undergraduate Bachelor Degree

The minimum period of study for completion of a bachelor’s degree is generally three years of full-time study. A full-time student normally enrols for 12 credit points in each semester, or 24 credit points in each academic year, accumulating 72 points in three years to meet the points required for the degree.

Part I

The bachelor degree comprises two parts.

Part I is the first academic year of the degree: for a full-time student, it occupies the first two semesters. Part I introduces students to university-level studies and gives them an opportunity to develop their interests before making a final commitment to Part II of their chosen major. It also provides a basis upon which studies in Part II are built.

Part I Requirements

In order to complete Part I a student must:

pass a University Foundation unit

Exemption from the requirement to complete a University Foundation unit will be given only if a student has been granted 18 or more points of credit on the basis of previous studies elsewhere. Part I students must pass a Foundation unit and be credited with 18 points before they can enrol in any Part II unit.

pass the Part I Required Units of the major(s) in their course (as listed in the Courses section of this Handbook), and
complete a total of 24 points (which includes any credit the student may have been awarded for previous studies).

Part II

Part II comprises the balance of the degree and consists of more specialised study. In order to complete Part II a student must

complete the Part II unit requirements of the major(s) in the course in which the student is enrolled, and
be credited with the total points required for the degree for which the student is enrolled.

Admission Requirements

School Leavers

For the purpose of the admissions exercise, a school leaver is a person who is under 20 years of age on 1 March in the year of admission, and who has not previously attempted (whether successful or not) any part of a qualification at a recognised tertiary/post-secondary institution. For the mid-year admissions exercise, the age requirement becomes under 20 years of age on 1 August in the year of admission. School leavers will be considered on the basis of secondary education from Western Australia, interstate or overseas. An applicant who is not a school leaver should see admission requirements for Non-School Leavers.

Western Australian School Leavers

A school leaver who has completed studies at a Western Australian secondary school will be expected to meet each of the following requirements in order to gain admission into a Commonwealth-Supported place:

be able to demonstrate competence in English, by achieving a standardised moderated numerical school assessment or standardised Tertiary Entrance Examination (TEE) mark of at least 50 in TEE English or English Literature. Students whose first language is not English may instead meet this requirement by obtaining a sufficiently high score in Year 12 ESL, or an overall band score of at least 6.0 (with no less than 6.0 in any subsection) in the IELTS (available through Curtin University of Technology)
obtain a sufficiently high Tertiary Entrance Rank (TER), calculated from subjects sat over a maximum of three years. The TER required to gain admission to a particular course varies according to demand. Rankings for past years can be found at http://www.choose.murdoch.edu.au/

The TER is a number between 0 and 99.95 that reports a student’s rank position relative to all other students of Year 12 school-leaving age in the state. The TER is derived from the Tertiary Entrance Score (TES), and is valid for admission for up to 10 years.

A TER calculated in Western Australia takes into account the number of students with a TES and the number of people of Year 12 school-leaving age in the state. For details on how the TES is calculated refer to the TISC Guide or ‘Admission Requirements for School Leavers’, available from the Prospective Students’ and Admissions Centre.

Interstate/International School Leavers

Applications will be considered from any applicant who has completed an equivalent final year of secondary school interstate or overseas (for example, Malaysian STPM, GCE ‘A’ levels). There are no quotas on interstate/overseas students. Recognised interstate/international secondary school leaving qualifications are valid for admission for up to 10 years.

Applicants with qualifications from overseas will be required to provide satisfactory evidence of their competence in English via an approved examination.

Non-School Leavers

Applications are welcomed from non-school leavers who can present evidence demonstrating an acceptable level of competence in English and capacity for tertiary study.

Australian Citizens/Permanent Residents of Australia and New Zealand Citizens

An Australian citizen/permanent resident of Australia or New Zealand citizen may demonstrate eligibility for admission to a Commonwealth-Supported Place by presenting evidence of attainment of any one of the following (attained within the stated period):

An acceptable record of previous postsecondary/tertiary study from a recognised institution. Completion of a Certificate IV, Diploma, or Advanced Diploma from an institution that is recognised within the Australian Qualifications Framework, over the previous 10 years is acceptable to be considered for admission.
Achievement of the requirements for school leaver entry within the last 10 years.
A sufficiently high ‘mature age’ Tertiary Entrance Rank (TER). This is derived from a Tertiary Entrance Score (TES), which is calculated by multiplying by 5.1 the average of the best two scores in the applicant’s Tertiary Entrance Examination (TEE) subjects. The ‘mature age’ TEE is identical to the school-leaver TEE except that only two TEE subjects are required, and a subject from both List 1 and List 2 is not required. (For further details, refer to the TISC Guide or the Summary of Undergraduate Admission Requirements for Mature Age Applicants, available from the Prospective Students’ and Admissions Centre.) A ‘mature age’ TER is valid for admission for up to 10 years. Applicants will be required to provide satisfactory evidence of their competence in English.
A Special Tertiary Admissions Test (STAT) score of at least 145 in the Written English test, and of at least 145 in either the Verbal or the Quantitative component of the Multiple Choice test. STAT scores are valid for admission for up to 10 years.
In addition to the preferred methods of admission above, applicants may apply on the basis of a detailed personal submission and résumé of their occupational, educational and personal experience as may indicate capacity for tertiary study. Please note that very few applicants gain admission by this method alone.

Applicants for admission to Veterinary Science, Law, Nursing, Psychology or Chiropractic Science, basing her/his application on a method of admission other than (b), are required to submit a personal statement of about one page with her/his application. It should address the following:

Why the applicant wishes to study the Murdoch course for which he/she is applying.
Why the applicant believes he/she is likely to be able to successfully study at Murdoch University.
What the applicant proposes to do with the Murdoch qualification after graduation.
If the applicant has any fails/late withdrawals from prior tertiary/post-secondary studies, what the reasons were for the unsatisfactory performance and how the circumstances leading to the unsatisfactory performance have changed.
Any other information that the applicant can provide that is relevant and would strengthen the application.

Other Non-School Leavers

Any applicant other than an Australian citizen/permanent resident of Australia or New Zealand citizen may demonstrate eligibility by methods (a), (b) and (e) above. Applications will be considered from any applicant who has completed a recognised final year of secondary school overseas (for example, Malaysian STPM, GCE ‘A’ levels).

Prerequisites

Aside from the English competency requirement, there are currently no Year 12 subject prerequisites for admission to undergraduate courses at Murdoch University. Some first year units, particularly in the Science area, assume successful completion of relevant Year 12 subjects; however, appropriate preparatory units are available if this is not the case.

Application Process

Domestic Applicants

Domestic applicants are applicants who are Australian citizens, permanent residents of Australia, or New Zealand citizens who are eligible for admission to a Commonwealth-Supported place. All other applicants should refer to International Applicants below.

For entry into first semester, an online application process is available through the Tertiary Institutions Service Centre (TISC), or hard copy application forms may be purchased from most newsagents.

Applications should be lodged with TISC generally by the last Friday in September of the year preceding admission. However, on payment of a late fee, applications will be accepted by TISC until the end of November, and still be considered in the first round of TISC offers, or accepted after that until late January in the year of admission and still be considered for the second round of TISC offers.

Only one application form can be submitted. Applicants may nominate in order of preference up to six courses at one or more of the participating tertiary institutions (Curtin University of Technology, Edith Cowan University, Murdoch University, University of Western Australia).

For entry into second semester, application forms may be obtained from the Prospective Students’ and Admissions Centre.

Readmission

Applicants who have previously been enrolled at Murdoch University (even if no unit was completed) and have been away from the University for two or more semesters must also apply through TISC. Murdoch graduates seeking admission to Graduate Law must apply through TISC.

Deferred Admission

Provision exists for applicants who are offered an undergraduate place at Murdoch University to defer their place for one year. Applicants who defer will only have a place held for them in the original course offered. To take up the deferred place in the original course offered, or to request a different course of study, deferred applicants must re-apply through TISC the following year.

Contact details for TISC

Tertiary Institutions Service Centre
100 Royal Street
East Perth WA 6004

Telephone: (08) 9318 8000

Facsimile: (08) 9225 7050

http://www.tisc.edu.au/

International Applicants

International students may apply to enrol at the University as full-fee-paying students, paying the full cost of tuition for their chosen course. Most undergraduate and postgraduate courses are available for full-fee enrolment. Qualified students may apply to commence study in either Semester 1 (commencing mid February) or Semester 2 (commencing early August). Closing dates are 1 December and 1 June in the year prior to and the year of admission, respectively.

Further inquiries on tuition fees, eligibility and application procedures should be directed to Murdoch International.

Information on financial assistance can be obtained through Australian Government diplomatic posts overseas.

Majors

A major is a coherent grouping of units approved by Academic Council leading to an award. A major prescribes at least 24 Part II points and at most 12 Part I points, unless specific approval has been granted by Academic Council.

Each undergraduate bachelor degree comprises at least one major, except for General Arts, which comprises three minors.

Change in Terminology

Prior to 2002 Murdoch offered ‘programmes’, which had ‘streams’ in particular areas. Students who were enrolled prior to 2002 and complete these streams will have that recorded on their academic transcript, provided the student has completed the parent programme and degree, and has completed all the unit requirements of the stream with a grade of Pass or higher (or by being formally exempt from the unit).

Double Majors

Students may enrol in double majors. However, where units can be counted towards the requirements of two majors, the structure (core units plus specified elective units) at Part II level must ensure that at least 12 Part II points from each major cannot be counted towards the other, assuming that the choice of specified elective units has minimised this difference.

Where a pair of majors includes too few points of difference then students may not complete a double major in that combination. These ‘Excluded Double Majors’ are recorded under the relevant course description in the Courses section of this Handbook.

It is not possible for the teaching timetable to avoid all unit clashes, but it seeks to do so for the popular double majors.

Transfers Between Majors

An enrolled student is entitled to apply to transfer to any course and associated major that is not restricted by Academic Council. Where a restriction on admission to a major has been approved by Academic Council, a student may apply for admission to that major in accordance with procedures approved by the Council. Applications to transfer majors are considered at the end of each semester and follow the same procedures and deadlines as for transfer between courses.

Students may add and discontinue other, non-restricted majors that are not associated with their course at any time via MyInfo: for further information see Unit Sets in Study at Murdoch: A General Guide.

Changes to the Structure of Majors

When there is a change to major requirements, students already enrolled in the major are not subject to any additional requirements. However, they may elect to meet all the requirements of the new structure. This should be discussed with the Faculty Student Administration.

Minors

In undergraduate-level courses, a minor is a set of prescribed academically-coherent units that requires completion of fewer points than a complete major.

Where there is excessive overlap between a major and a minor, or between two minors, students are excluded from enrolling in that combination. These exclusions are listed in the Courses and Minors sections of this Handbook. Further details can be found in the University’s Commonality between Majors and Minors policy or by contacting the Faculty Student Administration.

Successful completion of minors is recorded on academic transcripts if the student has nominated the minor(s) before completion of the degree.

Students can manage their enrolment in most minors online via MyInfo: for further information see Unit Sets in Study at Murdoch: A General Guide.

For details of minors offered, see the Minors section of this Handbook.

Units

Part I Points in the Undergraduate Degree

Normally a degree includes 24 Part I points, but it must include at least 18 and no more than 30 Part I points. Students may enrol in one or more Part I units during Part II of their degree, provided the total number of Part I points (including credit) in the degree does not exceed 30. If the Part I enrolment exceeds this limit, only 30 credit points will be credited towards the course and degree requirements.

Enrolment in Part II Units while a Part I Student

A Part I student may not enrol in a Part II unit, unless the student has completed 18 points (including any credit) and passed a Foundation unit, or is entering the fifth semester of continuous enrolment and has been credited with 12 points (including a Foundation unit and the Part I required units of the student’s major). Any other Part I student seeking to enrol in a Part II unit must obtain approval of their Program Chair via the Faculty Student Administration.

Foundation Units

The primary purpose of University Foundation units is to enable students new to the University to develop a range of generic learning skills in a context that develops a broad perspective. These units provide a foundation for subsequent university studies and a basis for the development of Murdoch University’s Graduate Attributes.

The Foundation units offered cover a range of topics, with each unit developing an interdisciplinary approach to a particular theme, problem or issue, and they draw on the resources and skills of staff from several disciplines.

Students are free to choose from the Foundation units available at the campus at which they are enrolled, and are encouraged to enrol in a unit in a subject area that is different from their major. No prerequisites are required for any of the Foundation units.

Students are required to take a Foundation unit in their first semester of enrolment. Part I students must pass a Foundation unit and be credited with 18 points, including the Foundation unit, before they can enrol in any Part II unit. A student shall not enrol in more than one University Foundation unit.

Each Foundation unit is worth 3 points and involves two hours of lectures and two hours of workshops/tutorials per week and includes online components. The assessment in each unit is based on a combination of written material (usually essays), tutorial participation (internal students only), an oral presentation (internal students only) and a two-hour final examination.

Foundation units facilitate the transition into university studies by helping to develop a range of skills, in particular communication and critical thinking skills. In line with the Graduate Attributes, all units will help student’s develop skills in the following areas:

Communication: speaking, listening, reading, writing, numeracy, and information and communication technology skills;
Critical thinking: summarising, critically analysing, and applying knowledge in exploring issues or themes;
Independent and lifelong learning skills: developing organisational and time management skills, research skills, and skills in preparing for assessments;
Social interaction: collaboration and negotiation (on-campus students only): the ability to participate in academic discussions in tutorials and to show tolerance and mutual respect;
Interdisciplinarity: demonstrating the beginnings of an understanding of the role of concepts and theories in the knowledge drawn from more than one discipline and applying this knowledge;
Social justice: analysing selected forms of social inequality and social justice, and developing an understanding of and respect and tolerance for opposing viewpoints;
Global perspective: demonstrating an understanding of the global implications of themes and topics in the unit.

The availability of Foundation units can be seen in the Units section of this Handbook.

Introduction to University Learning

The two units TLC120 Introduction to University Learning: Humanities and Social Sciences and TLC1201 Introduction to University Learning: Physical and Life Sciences are not Foundation units but Part I general electives, designed to develop generic learning skills that are essential for success at university. The units aim to develop students’ skills, confidence, and understanding of the requirements of university study, beyond what is covered in the Foundation Units. The content for both units is based on the concept of the self as a learner and the relationship between the self and the culture of the university. Students are provided with guidance to develop important language and academic skills for university study and also to enhance their learning in other units.

TLC120 examines critical thinking, communicating at university, concepts of the self, and the changing university culture.

TLC1201 examines scientific method, data and representation, scientific communication and concepts of science.

Students enrolled in Foundation units, who feel they would benefit from additional learning skills support or who are concerned about their academic skills and understanding, are strongly recommended to enrol also in TLC120 or TLC1201. These units will complement and extend the skills and understanding necessary for successful university study developed in Foundation units. Ideally, students should enrol concurrently in both the Foundation unit and TLC120 or TLC1201, but TLC120 or TLC1201 can also be taken in the following semester.

TLC120 and TLC1201 begin in week 3, to give students the opportunity to ‘try out’ university before they enrol in the additional unit. Students may enrol directly into TLC120 or TLC1201 or they may be referred to the units by Foundation Unit tutors, Unit Coordinators or the Faculty Student Administration.

TLC120 is offered in both semesters on the Murdoch and Rockingham campuses. TLC1201 is offered in both semesters on the Murdoch campus and in Semester 1 on the Peel campus.

For further details, see the unit descriptions.