University of Sydney - Academic Programs

Teaching system - Units of study - Workload - Choosing units - Approval of unit choice - Academic advice - Enrollment - Assessment - Grades - Credit by home institution - Transcript (marks sheet) / Results - Course summaries

Teaching system
The University of Sydney teaching system comprises large-group lectures combined with seminar and tutorial groups. The basis of teaching, for example, in Arts and the Humanities, is the tutorial (i.e. seminar). Teaching staff meet with small groups of students to discuss selected readings and questions. Tutorial groups usually contain between 8-15 students but may be larger in language classes. In addition, most units of study (subjects) have large-group lectures in which staff provide essential information and the framework for tutorial discussion.

Australian students are required to be self-directed in their study skills and to submit a considerable amount of written work in assignments and seminar / tutorial papers. Students often receive quite lengthy reading lists and are expected to read "around" their subjects. Science units include lengthy laboratory sessions and, routinely, field-trips and excursions.

Students are advised to attend all lectures and tutorials for each unit of study. Some units have specific attendance requirements. With a few exceptions, the full-time load for an Australian student taking an Arts and Humanities unit of study would involve 12 hours of class contact per week each semester. Students in vocational areas (such as Engineering or Science), however, have higher class contact hours. Arts and Humanities place particular emphasis on self-directed learning. For this reason, face-to-face teaching loads in some may be lower than in your home institution, but students at Australian universities are expected to spend a greater proportion of their time in preparation for tutorials, essays and assignments.

Units of Study
A unit of study is the class (subject) in which students enroll. The credit point value of units of study varies. Some units may be worth 2 credit points, others may be 12 credit points. Generally, units with the same credit point value have comparable workloads.

Workload
Student visa regulations require international students to undertake a full-time study load.

A normal full-time load for Study Abroad students falls between 22 and 24 credit points per semester which is the same number taken by Australian students. The minimum full-time load is 18 credit points per semester. Study Abroad students are not permitted to enroll in more than 24 credit points per semester. A full-time load at the University of Sydney is determined by the number of credit points, not the number of units of study.

Choosing units of study
Most Study Abroad students select Second or Third Year units in areas that they have already studied at their home institution. These units would, for example, be equivalent to Senior or Upper Division units at a university in the United States. First Year units of study are similar to Freshman or Lower Division units.

You should choose units which suit your background and areas of interest. Study Abroad students who intend to take units requiring assumed knowledge (i.e. prerequisite units) in disciplines such as Engineering, Language, Mathematics, Music or Science, are asked to submit detailed information about their previous studies so the relevant department can assess their suitability.

Language departments generally offer two levels each year: one for students with a basic knowledge of the language, usually acquired through high school study (stream A), and one for beginners with no knowledge of the language (stream B). Sometimes a third, intermediate level is offered in first year: AB units are designed for students with some knowledge of the language. Entry to different levels may be determined by a placement test conducted at the beginning of each semester.

Approval of units of study
Certain mandatory units of study that you list on your application may require approval before you are allowed to officially enroll in them. Prior to enrollment, the relevant department must approve units of study in the following areas: Agriculture, Architecture, Arts and Humanities (approval required only for units of study in Languages, Linguistics, Music, Sociology and senior units of study in Gender Studies), Conservatorium of Music, Economics, Education, Engineering, Health Sciences, Koori Center, Law, Medicine, Music, Nursing, Science, Veterinary Science and Visual Art (Sydney College of the Arts). Approval requirements are listed in the units of study catalogue.

The University Study Abroad office will seek to receive these approvals for international students at the time of application.

Academic advice during Orientation
The Orientation program is usually held two weeks before the start of semester. This gives you time to get settled in before you commence class. The Orientation program is compulsory and provides newly-arrived students with information about various University and community services and assists students to prepare for study.

During the Orientation program there are opportunities to meet with academic staff and other international students at the University. You can discuss with lecturers the differences in assumed knowledge, unit of study content, and assessment requirements.

Enrollment
Enrollment into your chosen and approved units of study normally takes place during Orientation. Study Abroad students are not disadvantaged by enrolling in courses at this time. All newly-commencing students at the University of Sydney enroll just before the commencement of semester. You do not have to finalize your selection of units until enrollment. You are also able to change your units (add or drop) within the first two to three weeks of the semester.

Assessment
In Australian universities, including the University of Sydney, much emphasis is placed on the completion of written assignments and examinations as the major form of assessment. Generally, an 8-credit-point unit of study will require 4,000 words of written assignment in addition to a 3-hour examination or equivalent. However, this form of assessment may vary between departments, particularly in language units, and you should consult the relevant department for details about specific unit assessment requirements.

Grades
The University of Sydney uses a four level passing grade system and the majority of students are expected to achieve a Pass or Credit grade. The following table is a guide only:

Credit for University of Sydney studies by home institution
At the end of your studies you will be sent a University of Sydney transcript (marks sheet). A copy of the transcript is also sent to your home institution. While University of Sydney units of study have wide acceptance overseas, it is a matter for your home institution to decide what credit will be given.

Examination results
Results are generally released two weeks after the official end-of-semester date. Once they become available, we make every effort to send them by courier to the students within three weeks. Please remember that examination results are shown on the Intranet web-site, but you must have your login and password in order to access your results.
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