Understanding units

A course is made up of a number of units of study and most units are worth 10 credit points. Macquarie's courses allow you to select your units so you can schedule your time around uni and other commitments.

Unit load

I want to …

Domestic student
International student

Study full-time

Enrol in 30 – 40 credit points (generally 3 – 4 units)

Enrol in 40 credit points (4 units)

Study part-time

Enrol in 10 or 20 credit points (generally 1 or 2 units)

You will need to submit a "Reduce study load" form via AskMQ if you wish to enrol in less than 40 credit points (4 units),

Study more than full-time load
(ie 50 credit points in S1 or S2)

Apply for Credit overload

Apply for Credit overload

Take a break from studies

Apply for Leave of Absence before the Census date

Apply for Suspension of Studies before the Census date

Notes:

  • Session 3 is an intensive and non-compulsory study period, full time is considered 20 credit points.
  • Students studying term-based courses (eg. MQBS Graduate Certificates, Graduate Diplomas, MAF and MBA students) a full–time load is considered 20 credit points (2 units) per term.
  • To estimate your workload, a standard unit of study (10cp) at Macquarie will take approximately 10 hours of study time each week. This study time includes the time you spend in classes, online interaction, placement hours and your own independent study.

Unit levels

Generally, our unit levels are:

  • Undergraduate level = 1000 level (1st year)
  • Undergraduate level = 2000 level (2nd year)
  • Undergraduate level = 3000 level (3rd year)
  • Postgraduate level = 6000 level (foundation units), 8000 or 9000 level

Choosing units

Visit the Handbook to view the full list of units.

Consider the following when choosing units:

  • That the unit meets your course requirements
  • Some units may only be available once a year, whereas others will give you a choice of when you can study them and where you can study them (on-campus, external or online). Refer to the handbook for unit availability.
  • For undergraduate students we recommend completing 1000 level units before 2000 or 3000 level.
  • Review the prerequisite requirements of the units within your course. You may find that you will need to complete specific units in your first session or year before you can enrol in some of your higher-level units. If you can demonstrate that you have sufficient prior knowledge to successfully complete a unit without meeting the prerequisites, you may be eligible to apply for a waiver.
  • Your unit load and personal commitments – full-time domestic undergraduate and postgraduate students may consider doing 2 or 3 units instead of 4 units if they have employment or family commitments.
  • Students on an international student visa must be aware of and follow the relevant International student visa requirements as set out in their visa.

Unit Offerings

A unit offering is composed of:

  • a study period
  • the attendance requirement
  • time requirement
  • frequency, and
  • a location of attendance (excluding online units)

Note: Some units are subject to a quota and limited places are available. Once the quota has been reached you will need to choose a different unit for that Session.

Attendance mode requirement

In-person
(internal mode)

A unit that has one or more learning activity that requires face to face attendance, may include in-person assessments including in-person exams

Online
(external mode)

A unit where all learning activities can be undertaken fully online. If in-person exams are required, this will be noted when selecting units (eg. Session 1-Online-Scheduled-In Person assessment)

Attendance time requirement

Scheduled

Unit learning activities need to be undertaken at specific times

Note: Choosing an Online/Scheduled offering means you will need to register for classes in eStudent.

Flexible

Self-paced, may include scheduled class assessment tasks

Note: Choosing an Online/Flexible offering means there will be no classes to register for in eStudent. You will need to refer to iLearn for further information on how the unit will be run.

Unit delivery frequency

Weekday

Monday to Friday, 8am to 10pm

Weekend

Saturday and/or Sunday

Intensive

Block classes, run back to back and span over a couple of days only

Infrequent

Non-regular weekly delivery of unit activities, some activities may occur on weekends

In-person assessment

In person attendance for the final assessment task is required (noted for online units only)

Placement
(On Location)

Placement activity (face to face) that may be scheduled but outside of the classroom

Fieldwork
(On Location)

Fieldwork that will be face to face but outside of the classroom

Contact us

Got questions? Contact Service Connect via one of the following methods:

  • Chat, found in the far-right corner of this page during business hours.
  • AskMQ
  • Phone on +61 (2) 9850 6410
  • In person on the Ground Floor, 18 Wally's Walk.