Before you choose a course, it's handy to decide which level of study will suit you best. Consider what you want to use your new qualification for.
So, what are the levels of study?
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Dip your toe into the university waters and upskill quickly for your career with a micro-credential, gaining key skills in as little as eight weeks of online study. You can also 'stack' micro-credentials into a larger qualification, such as a graduate certificate.
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Single subject study gives you the opportunity to take a short online course in which you study the same course material that's in our degrees. They are ideal to upskill with the latest knowledge in a field, and can count towards a related degree if you take one on later.
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A certificate or diploma might be your first qualification, giving you skills and experience you can build on. These courses can also complement your existing qualifications. For example, you could add qualifications in a particular subject to a broad-based undergraduate degree.
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If you're starting university study for the first time, or you're interested in exploring a new field, a bachelor's degree is for you. This level of study will suit you if you've recently completed high school, have some TAFE study or vocational training, or if you're returning to study after some time away.
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Honours allows you to focus on a particular area of interest with a research project that can be integrated with your undergraduate degree. It can also be completed as a standalone course after your relevant undergraduate study.
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A graduate certificate broadens the skills and knowledge you've already gained through an undergraduate degree. It's also a great stepping stone to a graduate diploma or master's degree.
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This is a specialised qualification, expanding on the skills you gained through your undergraduate degree or graduate certificate. A graduate diploma can also lead to a master's degree.
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This qualification is ideal if you've completed your undergraduate degree and want to pursue further study in the same area.
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A master's degree may be comprised of different combinations of coursework, project work and research. This is a specialised qualification and can lead to career advancement, and opportunities for further study (such as a doctorate / PhD).
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A higher degree by research, such as a research master's or doctorate, is the highest level university qualification. This is a qualification in which you conduct your own research and document your findings as a thesis or dissertation.
You might be asking...
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The term undergraduate typically refers to a student studying their for their bachelor's. For most students, the first degree you study at university will be an undergraduate degree (occasionally, if you have a high level of work experience and expertise you can go directly to a postgraduate degree without first obtaining an undergraduate qualification).
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While often a bachelor's, an undergraduate degree could also be an associate degree or a diploma – often those providing a pathway to a bachelor's. Honours degrees are also considered to be undergraduate courses.
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An undergraduate degree (usually a bachelor's, but occasionally an associate degree) is generally the first study you'll do at university. Whether you're coming straight from school or studying at uni for the first time after a few years in the workforce, you'll more than likely do a bachelor's. An undergraduate course gives you a broad knowledge base in your chosen subject. A postgraduate degree is for those who already hold a bachelor's or who have extensive work experience expertise in a subject. A postgraduate degree – whether a graduate certificate, diploma or master's – is more specialised than a bachelor's and typically involves more independent research.
You can take on a single subject, study online, or sign up for cross-institutional learning if you're already at TAFE or studying somewhere else.
Learning with Charles Sturt University is a two-way partnership, with a range of study and workload options that fit in with you.
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An undergraduate is a college or university student who's not a graduate student. After high school, you can become an undergraduate.
Undergraduates are students of universities and colleges: they've graduated from high school and have been accepted to college, but they haven't graduated yet. If the under in undergraduate seems confusing, that's because there are also graduate students, students who have a college degree but are no longer undergraduates and are pursuing an advanced degree, like a Master's or Ph.D. Lots of people say being an undergraduate was one of the best times of their lives: it's an exciting thing to be.
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phrase
a student who is in their first/second/third etc year at school or university
noun
mainly Americanformal a woman who was a student at a particular school, college, or university
noun
formaleducation someone who was a student at a particular school, college, or university
noun
Indian EnglishPhilippine English someone who is in the same class or school as you
noun
Americaninformal a BMOC
abbreviation
bitmap: the last part of the name of a file that contains pictures
noun
someone who studies or studied at the University of Cambridge
noun
someone who leaves school or college without finishing their course of study
the American spelling of enrolment
noun
someone who has enrolled at a school or other institution
noun
British a student in their first year at university. The American word is freshman.
noun
Americaninformal a first year student at university. Frosh is short for freshman.
noun
someone who works or studies full-time
noun
a student, or someone who has recently obtained a degree, who works in a job in order to get experience, often for low or no pay
noun
Americaninformal a student who plays a lot of sport. This word often shows that you do not like people like this, and it is used especially by other students who do not take part in sport.
noun
a man who has been to a particular university
noun
British someone who begins studying at a college or university after they are 25 years old
noun
Britisheducation a man who was a student at a particular school or university
noun
Britisheducation a woman who was a student at a particular school or university
noun
someone who studies or studied at the University of Oxford
noun
informal a postgraduate
noun
British someone who is studying after receiving a first university degree. The American word is graduate.
noun
American someone who is studying after receiving an advanced degree, such as an MA or a PhD
noun
informal a student who is taking these classes
noun
education someone who studies a particular subject and knows a lot about it, especially a subject that is not scientific
noun
education someone who is given a scholarship to study at a particular school or university
noun
educationAmerican a student who is in the last year of high school or university
noun
American a student in the second year of a US college or high school
noun
someone who goes to a university, college, or school
noun
American a student in the first two years of school or university
noun
a student who is studying for a first degree at a college or university. A student who already has a first degree is a graduate.
noun
American a student in the last two years of school or university