A guide to units of study
Each unit of study has a code that indicates the area of study (alpha code) and level of the unit of study (numeric code).
Area of study (alpha) code
The area of study is indicated by the alpha code. The University of Sydney Business School areas of study are:
| ACCT | Accounting |
| BANK | Banking |
| CLAW | Business/Commercial Law |
| BUSS | Inter-disciplinary Business School units |
| FINC | Finance |
| IBUS | International Business |
| INFS | Business Information Systems |
| MKTG | Marketing |
| QBUS | Quantitative Business Analysis |
| TPTM | Transport and Logisitics |
| WORK | Work and Organisational Studies |
Students can also complete units of study, depending on the requirements of their particular degree, from the Faculties of Arts and Social Sciences, Science, Law, Education and Social Work, and Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources.
Examples of other faculty areas of study are indicated below:
| AGEC | Agricultural Economics (Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources) |
| BIOL | Biology (Faculty of Science) |
| CISS | Centre for International Security Studies (Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences) |
| CHEM | Chemistry (Faculty of Science) |
| CHNS | Chinese Studies (Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences) |
| COMP | Computer Science (Faculty of Engineering and Information Technologies) |
| DESC | Design Science (Faculty of Architecture, Design and Planning) |
| ECMT | Econometrics (Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences) |
| ECON / ECOS | Economics (Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences) |
| ECOP | Political Economy (Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences) |
| EDUF | Education (Faculty of Education and Social Work) |
| FRNC | French Studies (Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences) |
| GEOS | Geology, Geophysics and Geography (Faculty of Science) |
| GOVT | Government and International Relations (Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences) |
| HSTY | History (Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences) |
| INFO | Information Systems (Faculty of Engineering and Information Technologies) |
| LAWS | Law (Sydney Law School) |
| MATH | Mathematics (Faculty of Science) |
| PHIL | Philosophy (Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences) |
| PLAN | Urban and Regional Planning (Faculty of Architecture, Design and Planning) |
| PSYC | Psychology (Faculty of Science) |
| USSC | US Studies Centre (US Studies Centre) |
Level of study (numeric) code
The numeric code of a unit of study indicates the level of the unit of study. In the Business School, Undergraduate units of study are divided into junior (1000-level), senior (2000 and 3000-level) and honours (4000-level) units of study and Postgraduate units of study are divided into foundation (5000-level) and advanced (6000 and 7000-level) units of study.
For further explanation of the different levels of units of study and of other definitions relating to the units of study, please click on the appropriate link below:
Credit point values for units of study
The term "credit point" refers to the value that a unit of study has towards meeting award course completion requirements. The normal credit point load for a unit of study is six credit points, however there are units with other credit point values such as 3, 12 or 24 credit points. In all cases, the credit point value of a unit of study will be an integer, normally lying between 3 and 24.
In most cases, the credit point value of a unit of study reflects the level of student effort in a
unit of study. Faculties use credit points to monitor student work-load on
the basis that 24 credit points equates to the effort expected of a full-time
student, studying 36-48 hours per week. A credit point therefore equates notionally
to a minimum expectation of 1.5 – 2 hours of student effort.