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4. Major, minor and specialisation design

4.1 Major design principles

  1. A ‘Major’ is an approved undergraduate sub-plan of 48 units that is a developmental sequence of courses taken to achieve depth in the discipline/area studies component of some programs
  2. Majors can be in a single discipline (e.g. mathematics), or multi-disciplinary (e.g. corporate sustainability).
  3. Majors exist independently of programs but may be referred to by the requirements of a specific plan.
  4. Majors must be listed in the orders of at least one plan. The establishment date of a new major cannot be before the effective date of amendment to the plan in which it is listed.
  5. A specific major must not be compulsory in a plan: the courses should be written out in full in the orders.
  6. Majors are listed on academic transcripts but not on testamurs.

Table 1a: Design principles for majors at AQF Levels 5 and 7

Award

AQF Level

Units

Diploma [concurrent only]

Bachelor

5

7

48

Structural Requirements

  • Consist only of 1000-level, 2000-level and 3000-level courses
  • A maximum of 18 units at 1000-level
  • A minimum of 18 units at 3000-level (more than 18 units is permitted)
  • A minimum of 24 units (4 courses) unique from other majors for distinctiveness
  • Self-contained except for instances where the major is only available in program/s in which any pre- or co-requisites not in the major are compulsory at program level
  • No admission requirements in addition to those at program level except for the Music Performance Major
  • No restrictions on double counting between a major and a program, or between a major and other subplans.

Table 1b: Design principles for majors at AQF Level 8

Award

AQF Level

Units

Bachelor Honours: embedded

8

48

Structural Requirements

  • Consist only of 1000-level, 2000-level, 3000-level and 4000-level courses
  • A maximum of 18 units at 1000-level
  • A minimum of 18 units at 3000-/4000-level
  • A minimum of 24 units (4 courses) unique from other majors for distinctiveness
  • Self-contained except for instances where the major is restricted to program/s in which any pre- or co-requisites not in the major are compulsory at program level
  • No restrictions on double counting between a major and a program, or between a major and other subplans

4.2 Minor design principles

  1. A ‘Minor’ is an approved sub-plan of 24 units that is constructed for students to achieve specific learning outcomes. It is distinct from and sits within a broader program. As such, a program of 24 units or less cannot include a Minor. Minors are not listed on testamurs, but for programs of at least 48 units are listed on academic transcripts and the Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement (AHEGS).
  2. Minors can be in a single discipline (e.g. mathematics) or multi-disciplinary (e.g. corporate sustainability).
  3. Minors exist independently of programs; only language minors may be referred to by the requirements of a specific plan.
  4. A specific minor must not be compulsory in a plan: the courses should be written out in full in the orders.
  5. Minors are listed on academic transcripts but not on testamurs.

Table 2: Design principles for minors

Award

AQF Level

Units

Undergraduate awards

Masters degrees: only language minors permitted

5-8

9

24

Structural Requirements

  • Consist only of 1000-level, 2000-level, 3000-level and 4000-level courses
  • Self-contained except for instances where the minor is restricted to program/s in which any pre- or co-requisites not in the minor are compulsory at program level
  • No admission requirements in addition to those at program level
  • Must be incompatible with any corresponding major, that is, both cannot be listed on a transcript and AHEGS
  • No restrictions on double counting between a minor and a program, or between a minor and other subplans.

4.3 Advanced minor design principles

  1. An ‘Advanced Minor’ is an approved undergraduate sub-plan of 24 units that indicates depth of knowledge equivalent to the completion of the corresponding major. It is distinct from and sits within a broader program. As such, a program of 24 units or less cannot include an Advanced Minor. Advanced Minors are not listed on testamurs, but for programs of at least 48 units are listed on academic transcripts and the Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement (AHEGS).
  2. An Advanced Minor is to be named as ‘Advanced [X] Minor’, where [X] is the wording of the corresponding [X] major.
  3. Advanced Minors exist independently of programs; only language advanced minors may be listed in the orders of plans.
  4. A specific advanced minor must not be compulsory in a plan: the courses should be written out in full in the orders.
  5. The word ‘Advanced’ is not to be used in the name of a minor that does not conform to these principles.
  6. Advanced Minors are listed on academic transcripts but not on testamurs.

Table 3: Design principles for advanced minors

Award

AQF Level

Units

Undergraduate Awards

Masters degrees: only language advanced minors permitted

5-8

9

24

Structural Requirements

  • an Advanced Minor has an identified corresponding major; the Advanced Minor and the major are incompatible with each other, that is, both cannot be listed on a transcript and AHEGS
  • has the same learning outcomes as the identified corresponding major
  • consists only of 2000-level, 3000-level courses, and, for embedded Honours, 4000-level, all of which must be available within the identified corresponding major;
  • has at least the same requirements for completion of 3000-level, or for embedded Honours, 4000-level, courses as the identified corresponding major
  • requires the student to take a placement test or alternative assessment of proficiency, the result of which is, at a minimum, an exemption from all 1000-level courses listed in the orders for the major (for a structured series of courses, this may be processed as a requisite waiver)
  • is self-contained, that is, it must be able to be completed by taking exactly 24 units of courses including all pre- and co-requisites necessary for completion
  • no restrictions on double counting between an advanced minor and a program, or between an advanced minor and other subplans.

4.4 Specialisation design principles

  1. A ‘Specialisation’ is a type of approved sub-plan of 24 units, except for +1 year Honours specialisations which are 48 units, that indicates depth of specialist knowledge of the discipline or field identified by the name of the specialisation and that is distinct from and sits within a broader program. As such, a program of 24 units or less cannot include a specialisation. Specialisations are not listed on testamurs, but for programs of at least 48 units are listed on academic transcripts and the Australian Higher Education Graduation Statement (AHEGS).
  2. A specialisation must be listed in the orders of at least one plan. The establishment date of a new major cannot be before the effective date of amendment to the plan in which it is listed.
  3. A specific specialisation must not be compulsory in a plan: the courses should be written out in full in the orders.
  4. To be listed in the program orders or referred to in any publicly available information about a program, a 24-unit specialisation must require completion of at least 18 units of courses that are not compulsory at program level.
  5. A 48-unit specialisation is available only in Honours plans that are one year following completion of a Bachelor degree.
  6. A 24-unit specialisation is available only in the program types specified in Table 2 within see Academic Accreditation Handbook Part 3 and consists of courses at the two most advanced levels, as indicated by numeric coding, that are available within the program type, including a minimum of 12 units at the most advanced level.
  7. Specialisations are listed on academic transcripts but not on testamurs.

Table 4a: Design principles for specialisations: AQF Level 7 Bachelor degree

Award

AQF Level

Units

Bachelor

7

24

Structural Requirements

  • Consists only of 2000-level and 3000-level courses
  • Requires a minimum of 12 units at 3000-level
  • Orders must include a global requirement of “a minimum of [X, at least 12] units of 3000-level courses”
  • Has an identified co-requisite major. Where there are 48 units of compulsory courses in the program that do not include any of the courses listed in the specialisation, this will meet the co-requisite requirement
  • The major/compulsory courses + specialisation combination must be self-contained
  • Has no admission requirements in addition to those at program level
  • No restrictions on double counting between a specialisation and a program, or between a specialisation and other subplans.

Table 4b: Design principles for specialisations: AQF Level 8 Bachelor +1 Honours

Award

AQF Level

Units

Bachelor (Honours): one year following completion of Bachelor

8

48

Structural Requirements

  • Consists only of 4000-level courses
  • Includes both research training and the application of that training in one or more projects or a thesis
  • Must be self-contained
  • Has formal admission requirements approved by Academic Board in addition to those at program level
  • A thesis cannot be double counted towards two specialisations, otherwise no restrictions on double counting.

Table 4c: Design principles for specialisations: AQF Level 8 Bachelor embedded Honours

Award

AQF Level

Units

Bachelor (Honours): embedded

8

24

Structural Requirements

  • Consists only of 2000-level, 3000-level, and 4000-level courses
  • Requires a minimum of 12 units at 4000-level
  • Orders must include a global requirement of “a minimum of [X, at least 12] units of 4000-level courses”
  • Must be self-contained unless restricted to programs where any pre- or co-requisites are compulsory at program level
  • Has no admission requirements in addition to those at program level
  • No restrictions on double counting between a specialisation and a program, or between a specialisation and other subplans.

Table 4d: Design principles for specialisations: AQF Level 9 (coursework)

Award

AQF Level

Units

Masters (coursework)

9

24

Structural Requirements

  • Consists only of 6000/7000-level (cotaught/not cotaught) and 8000-level courses
  • Requires a minimum of 12 units at 8000-level
  • Orders must include a global requirement of “a minimum of [X, at least 12] units of 8000-level courses”
  • Must be self-contained unless restricted to programs where any pre- or co-requisites are compulsory at program level
  • Has no admission requirements in addition to those at program level
  • No restrictions on double counting between a specialisation and a program, or between a specialisation and other subplans.

Information

 Printable version (DOCX)
Title accreditation Handbook Part 4 - Major, Minor & Specialisation Design
Document Type HandbookSection
Document Number ANUP_8742787
Version
Purpose
Audience Staff, Students
Category Academic
Topic/ SubTopic Teaching & Learning
 
Effective Date 19 Jan 2026
Next Review Date 19 Jan 2031
 
Responsible Officer: Pro Vice Chancellor (Education and Digital)
Approved By: Academic Board
Contact Area Division of Student Administration and Academic Services
Authority:
Delegations 0