University of Sydney Handbooks - 2017 Archive

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Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Arts – Degree structure

Degree structure

To be awarded the Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Arts, students must successfully complete units of study with a total value of 240 credit points (with no more than 96 credit points in junior (1000-level) units of study), comprising:

For the Bachelor of Commerce component:

  • 30 credit points in core units of study (five units), as set out in the Bachelor of Commerce section;
  • a major selected from the Table A and Table B subject areas, as set out in the Bachelor of Commerce section; and
  • a minimum of 96 credit points in units of study from the Business School's designated Table A and Table B subject areas, with a minimum of 48 credit points in senior (2000 and 3000-level) units.

For the Bachelor of Arts component:

* An Economics major can count towards either the Commerce or Arts (Table A) requirements but not both.

Requirements for the degrees with Honours

Both the Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Arts can be awarded with Honours. Joint honours degrees are also available.

Bachelor of Commerce (Honours)

For the award of the Bachelor of Commerce with Honours, meritorious students complete the Bachelor of Commerce and an additional honours year in their major area of study (48 credit points). The requirements for entry into and for the completion of the honours year can be found on the Business School website.

Bachelor of Arts (Honours)

For the award of the Bachelor of Arts with Honours, meritorious students must successfully complete the Bachelor of Arts and an additional honours year (48 credit points) in their major area of study (where honours study is available). For further details of requirements for honours in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, students should refer to the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Handbook.

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Majors and electives

Commerce majors and electives (Table A and Table B)

For the Bachelor of Commerce component, students must complete a major from the Business School's list of Table A and Table B subject areas (as set out under the Bachelor of Commerce section). A major consists of a minimum of 36 credit points in senior units of study (usually six 2000 or 3000-level units) in a single subject area. Senior units of study may only be counted towards one major, except where a unit is listed as compulsory for both majors, with the exception of FINC2011 Corporate Finance I which is compulsory for both the Banking and Finance majors.

For full details of the requirements for these majors, please refer to the Subject areas section.

Elective units can also be selected from these subject areas. Students must complete a minimum of 96 credit points in units of study from the Business School designated Table A and Table B subject areas, with a minimum of 48 credit points in senior units of study (including any units completed for a major).

Arts majors and electives

For the Bachelor of Arts component, students must complete an Arts and Social Science major (Table A subject areas in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Handbook). In the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, a major usually consists of a minimum of 36 credit points in senior units of study (six 2000 or 3000-level units). Students are normally required to complete at least 12 credit points in junior units of study (two 1000-level units) as prerequisites in order to progress to senior units of study (some majors require specific junior units). Senior units may only be counted towards one major.

Students are required to complete at least 72 credit points in senior Arts and Social Sciences (Table A) units of study including the units for their selected major.

Note: The Economics major and units of study can be used to count towards either the Commerce or Arts requirements (but not both).

For details of the requirements and availability of the Bachelor of Arts majors, students should refer to the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences Handbook.

Additional major and elective options available in this combined degree

Students may choose additional major/s and/or electives from any subject areas listed by the Business School in Tables A, B or C. Majors not offered by the Business School may differ in credit point value however, in most cases, a minimum of 36 credit points in intermediate and senior (2000 and 3000-level) units of study must be completed in that subject area.

Note: Students cannot meet Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC) requirements by completing a Psychology major (Faculty of Science major) under this combined degree. Only the Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Science and the Bachelor of Commerce (Liberal Studies) are APAC accredited.

Work Integrated Learning (WIL) electives



(i) Industry Placement Program (IPP)

Students who achieve a WAM of 65%+ across two semesters of full-time study (a minimum of eight units of study – 48 credit points) may apply for an assessable work integrated learning placement unit. Access to these units is subject to the availability of suitable placements, with available placements offered on a competitive basis, subject to WAM performance and interview.

The Business School's Industry Placement Program offers placement opportunities across the following categories:

  • Sydney – placements with Sydney based organisations
  • Canberra – placements in government and not-for-profit agencies
  • Regional NSW – placements with regional organisations
  • International – placements in Asia, Europe, South America and the USA

Note: Placement units cannot be counted towards a major.

Further information on the Industry Placement Program (IPP) can be found at: sydney.edu.au/business/study/opportunities/industry_placement_program.

(ii) Community Placement Program (CPP)

The Community Placement Program (CPP) provides students with the opportunity to work with a diverse range of social businesses. Students who achieve a WAM of 65%+ across two semesters of full-time study (a minimum of eight units of study - 48 credit points) may apply for an assessable placement unit.

The Business School’s Community Placement Program (CPP) offers placement opportunities in the following areas:

  • Local – Sydney based social business projects
  • Rural – social enterprise projects in regional areas
  • International – social enterprise placements with CPP partners overseas

Note: Placement units cannot be counted towards a major.

Further information on the Community Placement Program (CPP) can be found at: sydney.edu.au/business/study/opportunities/community_placement_program.

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