Graduates ready for a changing world
Australian and international employer groups and professional associations continually emphasise their need for graduates who have not only developed specific discipline knowledge, skills and understanding, but who have also acquired a broader suite of 'transferrable' skills that prepares them employment in a changing world.
To achieve this broader education you must complete at least four units that are designated as broadening units. Broadening units fall into two categories - A and B, and students can take up to two Category A broadening units within their areas of knowledge.
Your 'area of knowledge' is determined by your chosen degree-specific major within your degree.
Students who started their course before 2018 and are unsure about these changes should consult their assigned Faculty Student Office for guidance on their broadening requirements.
Area of knowledge units
Units which are broadening for you
Outside the area of knowledge of your major
Inside the area of knowledge of your major
Category A broadening units
Category A broadening units come from a pre-determined list and have as their main focus some aspect of the globalised and culturally diverse environment – this may include units studied as part of the UWA Exchange Program provided they are not within your degree-specific major area of knowledge.
To satisfy broadening requirements you must include at least one Category A broadening unit in your course. Category A broadening units are defined by the area of knowledge pertaining to a degree-specific major, not by the degree. You can count up to two Category A broadening units offered in your degree-specific major's area of knowledge as broadening units.
For example, if you are taking a Music Studies major in the Bachelor of Arts course, your degree-specific major's area of knowledge is 'Design and Creative Arts'. You can therefore include up to two Category A broadening units from those listed in the Design and Creative Arts knowledge area.
Your remaining broadening units, however, must be selected from units offered only in other areas of knowledge: Management and Commerce; Life and Health Sciences; Society and Culture; and Mathematical and Physical Sciences. You can take additional Category A broadening units from those offered in your degree-specific major's knowledge area (if you have space to take them as electives), but they won't count towards meeting your broadening requirements.
The list of broadening units will identify which, if any, Category A broadening units are offered in your degree.
Category B broadening units
Category B broadening units can be chosen from any discipline outside the knowledge area of your degree. For example, if you are studying a Genetics major in the Bachelor of Science course, your area of knowledge is Life and Health Sciences, so you must choose Category B broadening units from the areas of Management and Commerce; Society and Culture; Design and Creative Arts; or Mathematical and Physical Sciences.
Broadening units can be stand-alone electives or form part of a major (as long as they meet the broadening rules). Remember, any unit you choose can count towards more than one of your degree requirements.
If you need further advice on choosing broadening units and how to incorporate them into your course, search the study plans for suggestions or contact a student adviser from your assigned Faculty Student Office displayed on studentConnect (login required).
Broadening your study will give you a global perspective that will make you a more well-rounded graduate and more attractive to employers.