Course handbook FAQs

The Handbook is where you can find important information about the requirements to complete your course. It will include the subjects you need to complete, any minors, majors or specialisations offered, the order in which you should take your subjects, and any other requirements or rules specific to your course.

You need to follow and complete the requirements of the handbook from the year you commenced your course.

If you commenced your course in 2021 (or later years):

• Use the new handbook to view the requirements of your course, subjects, and any minors, majors or specialisations.

If you commenced your course prior to 2021:

• To view handbooks for years prior to 2021, you can use the old Handbook. You will still need to use the New Handbook to find information about your subjects that is specific to the year and session you take the subject.

Handbooks from before 2021 will remain available for students. Handbooks prior to 2009 are available in the University Library Digital Archives.

Subjects can change over time and the Course Handbook will keep a record of all the different versions. When looking at a subject page in the Handbook, check the year and session information (e.g. Autumn session) is the same as the year and session that you are going to enrol in. Keep in mind that versions of subjects for future years may not always be available.

All subjects have a subject code that contains a number. The numbers indicate the level of subject in terms of its academic content and design. Undergraduate subject codes are levels 100 to 400 and postgraduate subject codes are 800 or 900 level. It is usual for course design to have lower level subjects at the start of a course and for the levels to increase as you progress in the course. For example, most first year undergraduate subject are 100 level, whereas final year subjects are 300 or 400 level. Courses often have rules that specify how many of each level subjects you should take and in what order. Details can be found in your course handbook and on handbook subject pages.

Contact askuow@uow.edu.au or your Academic Program Director for assistance.

The course handbook’s advanced search function has an Areas of Study filter, this where you can find the complete list of Minors, Majors and Specialisations offered at UOW. The left-hand menu allows you to narrow the search results using a number of different filters.

The Handbook advanced search and other UOW webpages may also reference Study Areas. This is referring to an academic field or discipline more generally, such as Education or Law. You can use these terms to explore all the different study options for a particular discipline offered at UOW.

Your course may allow you to complete a minor from the general schedule. To find the General Schedule of Minors, navigate to the advanced search in the Handbook, select the Areas of Study and then choose the General Schedule of Minors which is located under the Schedules filter on the left-hand menu. The search results will display all the minors that are included in the General Schedule of Minors.

If you commenced your course before 2021, navigate to your course in the old handbook and the relevant General Schedule of Minors will be listed.

Your course may allow you to complete elective subjects from the General Schedule. To find subjects on the General Schedule of Electives, navigate to the advanced search in the Handbook, select Subjects and then choose the General Schedule which is located under the Schedules filter on the left-hand menu. The search results will display all the subjects that are included in the General Schedule.

Your course handbook page will say if your course allows for electives and what kind of electives you can choose from. Your course handbook may list the elective subjects available to you or refer to a particular subject schedule from which you can choose electives. To find subject schedules navigate to the advanced search in the Handbook, select Subjects and then Schedules from the left-hand menu.

Sometimes your course handbook will advise you to contact an academic in the Faculty to assist you in your subject selection. If you aren’t sure who to contact, email: askuow@uow.edu.au for help.

Visit the current students Managing Your Enrolment website for information about subject enrolment. 

Visit the current students Timetables and Classes webpage. Here you will find information about your subject timetable and classes.

To find subjects delivered at your campus navigate to the advanced search in the Handbook, select Subjects and then Delivery Location from the left-hand menu.

If you started your degree prior to 2021

You should have found your subject requirements for your course in the course handbook for the year you commenced your degree. Once you have the subject codes that you’re planning to take written down, you’ll need to go into the New Handbook to see up to date information about when and where the subjects are running. Type the subject code in the advanced search bar (see below) to find the subject information page and then follow the steps below.

If you started your degree in 2021 or 2022

You’ll use the New Handbook to view the requirements of your course, subjects, and any minors, majors or specialisations. When you’re on the subject information page follow the steps below to see when and where the subject is running.

Find out when and where my subject is running

1. Make sure you are viewing the 2023 version of the Handbook.

2. Click the filter on the top right of the page and a list of all the sessions and campuses the subject will be offered will appear within the year you have searched.

3. Click which campus you are planning to study at.

4. Scroll down the subject information page and under the Delivery heading you’ll see whether the subject is being offered and the session dates. If the subject is not being delivered in the session or campus you were after, you’ll need to contact the AskUOW team.