Step 2: Understand course planning terms and resources

Key term

Definition

Advanced standing

Advanced standing is acknowledgement of prior study granted towards your current degree. If credit is granted, this can reduce the number of subjects you need to complete in your degree.

Breadth

A breadth subject is an undergraduate subject from outside your home faculty. Through breadth, you will develop a broader range of skills and can explore interests that may not traditionally be available within your degree.

Core/compulsory subjects

Subjects that must be completed to meet the requirements of your course or major.

Course requirements

Each course has individual rules that you need to meet to be eligible to graduate that are detailed in the Handbook entry for your course.

Credit points

Indicate the value or weighting of a subject. A standard subject is 12.5 points, but there are some subjects with different credit point values.

Disciplines

Study areas that are offered within a particular course (e.g., creative writing is a discipline in the Bachelor of Arts).

Elective subjects (or 'optional subjects')

Discipline subjects within your degree or major. Electives may contribute to your major or come from a range of disciplines to meet your overall credit point requirements.

Handbook

The Handbook is the University of Melbourne’s official source of course and subject information.

Major

A major refers to a sequence of subjects that equips you with specialised knowledge in a specific field of study (see more below). Each degree has a different set of majors for you to explore.

Prerequisites

Prerequisites are subjects (or other requirements) that must be successfully completed before you begin a more advanced subject. If a subject has prerequisites, completing the prerequisites will ensure that you have sufficient background knowledge to cope with its content.

Students who complete the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) will be automatically recognised as meeting any VCE (or equivalent) prerequisites set on University of Melbourne subjects. If you completed a non-VCE qualification and you can’t enrol, upload your transcript in an Enrolment Assistance form.

Subject codes

Identify the subject discipline and level. The first number in the code indicates the subject level (eg MAST10012 is a level one mathematics and statistics subject). The course progression rule requires you to pass at least 50 points at one level before progressing to the next year level.

Subject key dates

Know the Handbook subject key dates, and understand the implications if you decide to withdraw from a subject after the census date.

Study load

Study load refers to the total number of credit points you enrol in for each half-year period. A standard full-time study load is 50 points per half-year period. If you are a student visa holder, a full-time study load is essential to meeting your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) and visa requirements.