2010 INTERNATIONAL UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT GuiDE VICE-Chancellor’s Message Vice-Chancellor’s message I am very pleased you are exploring all that Our links with leading universities in Asia, Australia’s national university has to offer. Europe, the UK and the United States provide Your decision about which university to opportunities for collaboration and exchange attend is an important one. It needs to be that enrich the experience of our students, as well informed as possible. This guide is and broaden research avenues for staff. designed to help you make a sound choice. Our study programs cater to high-achieving To begin your introduction to The Australian students; to students who want industry National University (ANU) I’d like to experience as part of their degree; and to emphasise some of the things that set our students looking for the opportunity to University apart. study in two disciplines, through our popular double degree programs. All ANU students ANU is consistently ranked as Australia’s top graduate with a distinctive degree from a university and among the best universities respected university. in the world. The researchers and educators who made this possible are the same As Australia’s national university, ANU people who will teach you and shape the also offers the special focus that stems intellectual climate in which you will learn. from its unique relationship with the Australian government and its national and With fewer students and more academics, international roles. and many of our students living in university accommodation, our campus I encourage you to explore the 2010 affords a highly supportive, interactive and International Undergraduate Student Guide social learning environment. and use it as a starting point for discovering more about what ANU can offer you. Professor Ian Chubb AC Vice-Chancellor A bird’s eye view across the ANU campus, with Lake Burley Griffin and the Parliamentary Triangle in the background. b Contents About ANU 2 2 About Canberra4 6 8 3 Programs and fees – single programs 6 Programs and fees – combined programs 8 ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences 10 10 ANU College14 of Asia and the Pacific18 22 12 ANU College of Business and Economics 14 ANU College of Engineering and Computer Science 16 ANU College of Law 18 26 ANU College28 of Physical Sciences32 centre 20 ANU College of Medicine, Biology and Environment 20 Admissions 23 International undergraduate admissions table 24 Student profiles 26 33 Scholarships34 36 39 28 ANU College 28 Student Mobility Program 29 Published by Student Recruitment and English language requirements 30 International, The Australian National University. 40 Advanced standing/transfer/status42 44 45 30 No undertakings are binding Associate degrees 30 on the University unless they are obtained in an official letter from the Registrar. The Fees and other costs 31 University may vary the UAIs, other entrance scores and Accommodation 34 requirements, content and availability of courses, and Student lifestyle45 46 51 38 costs and charges applied to the courses outlined in this Student Guide. The University Here for you 40 reserves the right to change the contents of courses and Campus map 42 not to offer all courses listed in the Student Guide. Useful internet addresses 44 ANU CRICOS Provider Contacts 45 Number: 00120C 54 62 64 1 About ANU The strong culture of ANU offers you a learning experience unlike any The ANU campus sits on 145ha of beautifully maintained parkland other university in Australia. in the heart of Canberra. It is an easy walk to city shops, cafés and ANU was established by the Federal Government in 1946 with a restaurants, and close to many of Australia’s best sporting, recreational founding mission to advance Australia’s understanding of itself and and cultural facilities. its neighbours, and explore the important issues that influence future You have a wide range of accommodation options with a large number prosperity. These objectives are still relevant today and quality research staying in student residences on campus. Campus life gives students remains at the heart of everything ANU does. access to excellent medical, academic and learning centres as well as a The University offers you the choice to study alongside some of the range of social, outdoor and local sports facilities. world’s best academics. ANU is consistently ranked as Australia’s For all these reasons, ANU provides a unique and enriching experience leading university and one of the world’s great research universities for every student. by The Times Higher Education Supplement, the Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s Institute of Higher Education, and Newsweek International1. Positioned close to other Australian national institutions, research ANU highlights organisations, offices of government and the Australian Parliament, ANU has close links with nationally and internationally significant • ANU has a vibrant student community of around 8,000 decision makers. You can immerse yourself in a well connected, undergraduate students from over 100 different countries. research-intensive education environment that offers unique courses • The ANU community has over 3,600 students living in student and unprecedented access to study resources. residences on campus. As a small university, ANU has a higher than average number of staff • ANU is the only Australian member of the International per student ensuring that you enjoy small class sizes and unrivalled Alliance of Research Universities, a select group of research- access to some of the world’s leading researchers, state-of-the-art intensive universities that share similar values, a global technology, well-equipped lecture theatres, computing and laboratory vision and a commitment to educating future leaders. facilities and five main libraries. www.iaruni.org • The University is consistently recognised for its award- winning campus environmental program. In 2006 the University won an inaugural Stewardship Award from the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects for campus maintenance and planning2. • ANU is organised around seven Colleges, linking research and teaching at undergraduate, postgraduate and higher degree levels. The Colleges are: ANU College of Arts and Social Sciences ANU College of Asia and the Pacific ANU College of Business and Economics ANU College of Engineering and Computer Science ANU College of Law ANU College of Medicine, Biology and Environment ANU College of Physical Sciences. 1 Academic Ranking of World Universities – 2008 report, Institute of Higher Education, Jiao Tong University, Shanghai; The Times Higher Education Supplement university rankings 2008. 2. www.aila.org.au/stewardship/DEFAULT.HTM 2 About Canberra The Bush Capital Canberra facts & figures* Canberra is a planned city in a natural setting, located within the • Canberra’s population of 344,000 people has a median age of 29 years. Australian Capital Territory (ACT). European settlers began arriving • The people of ‘the clever capital’ earn the highest average weekly in the district in the 1820s, although the Ngunnawal, Walgalu and salary in Australia. Ngarigo Indigenous peoples had been in the region for tens of thousands of years. Canberra was chosen as the site of the national • More than half of the ACT is covered by native forests capital in 1908. and woodlands, most of which are within protected conservation areas. Four years later, famed Chicago architect Walter Burley Griffin was announced as the winner of a worldwide competition to design the • Canberra people have the highest participation rate in cultural city. A lake bearing Griffin’s name is a central feature of the city. The and leisure activities in the country. original focus on the natural elements continues, with the many parks • Canberra is a highly technological city, with the best broadband and nature reserves giving Canberra the title of the ‘Bush Capital’. fibre-optic network in the country. Around 80 per cent of The natural environment is complemented by many stunning households have a home computer and 66 per cent of households have internet access. architectural features, including the home of the Federal Government, Parliament House. Diplomats from all over the world also live in * Figures from Australian Capital Territory in Focus, 2007, Australian Bureau Canberra, adding greatly to the multicultural flavour. Many national of Statistics. institutions are in Canberra, including the High Court of Australia, the National Gallery of Australia, the Australian War Memorial, the National Museum of Australia, Questacon – The National Science Four special seasons and Technology Centre, and the Australian Institute of Sport. These The residents of Canberra enjoy the delights of four distinct seasons institutions provide a valuable and accessible resource for students . of weather. The ANU campus is centrally located, with the city centre just a short When spring blossoms, the natural beauty of Canberra is on show. walk away. The campus reflects the natural environment of the city, The vibrant yellow wattles are plentiful, and clear blue skies are very with pleasant natural expanses surrounding the buildings. Sydney is a common. Morning frosts are not unusual at this time of year, but they three-hour drive north of the city. The beaches of the south coast and generally melt away by mid-morning. the Snowy Mountains alpine region are just a few hours away. Summers can be quite hot at times, and thunderstorms are more prevalent. The many pools around the city become popular places, as do the rivers around Canberra. With the Pacific Ocean only a few hours to the east, trips to the beach are another way to cool off. Autumn brings crisp, clear skies, much favoured by the balloonists who often take to the air around this time. The days are pleasant and the nights start to get cooler. The changing colours of the leaves signal entry into winter. Winter in Canberra can get chilly, though it rarely snows within the city. Even on the coldest days, there is a good chance that the sun will be shining as Canberra winters are generally quite dry.