ANU Undergraduate Graduation Requirements Explained: Credits, Internships and Degree Classifications

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ANU Undergraduate Graduation Requirements Explained: Credits, Internships and Degree Classifications

The Australian National University (ANU) awards undergraduate degrees only after a range of hard requirements are met: total credit points, course structure, academic integrity, and, for certain majors, an internship or research project. Under ANU’s official Course and Degree Policy 2024, all bachelor’s degrees require the completion of 144 units of credit, with at least 96 units at advanced level (2000-level and above). In addition, since 2023 ANU has tied degree classifications (Honours Class) directly to the Weighted Average Mark (WAM), which has made current students pay close attention to their graduation planning. Drawing on ANU’s current policies, the Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency (TEQSA) 2023 annual report, and the handbooks of ANU’s various colleges, this article systematically sets out the credit structure, internship requirements, and degree classification mechanism needed for graduation.

Credit Structure and Graduation Thresholds

ANU uses the Australian Credit Points System: each standard course is worth 6 units, and a standard full-time academic year normally consists of 48 units (i.e., 8 courses). A bachelor’s degree totals 144 units, corresponding to three years of full-time study (some four-year honours bachelor’s degrees require 192 units).

Course level distribution: Under ANU’s course policy (2024 revision), students must complete:

  • At least 96 units of 2000-level or 3000-level advanced courses;
  • Of these, at least 24 units must be 3000-level (advanced major) courses;
  • No more than 48 units of 1000-level introductory courses.

Ratio of required to elective courses: Each major typically includes 48–72 units of major requirements within the degree structure, with the remaining units available for electives or a second major. For example, the Bachelor of Commerce requires 48 units of core business courses (such as foundations of accounting, finance, and management), plus 24 units of specialisation courses (such as finance or marketing) [ANU 2024 Course Handbook].

Cross-college course limits: ANU allows students to take up to 24 units of courses from other colleges (outside their own major field), provided prerequisites are met. This policy is recorded in ANU’s 2023 Undergraduate Course Structure Guide.

Internship and Work-Integrated Learning Requirements

ANU classifies internships under “Work Integrated Learning” (WIL), and some majors make them a compulsory graduation requirement. Under ANU’s 2024 WIL policy, the following colleges have explicit requirements:

College of Engineering and Computer Science: The Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) requires students to complete 60 days of approved industry placement (usually scheduled in the summer of the third year) and to submit a placement report. This requirement is recorded on page 12 of the ANU Engineering Handbook 2024 edition.

College of Business and Economics: The Bachelor of Commerce does not mandate an internship but offers a 6-unit elective internship course (BUSN3003), for which students must complete 150 hours of industry practice. In 2023, 247 students enrolled in this course, representing 12% of all commerce students [ANU 2023 WIL Annual Report].

College of Law: The Bachelor of Laws (Honours) requires completion of at least 15 days of clinical legal placement, or participation in the ANU Legal Clinics program, which serves around 400 clients a year [ANU College of Law 2023 Annual Report].

Other majors: Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Arts and similar degrees do not require an internship, but students are encouraged to apply for short-term placements or research projects through the ANU Careers centre. In 2023, ANU offered more than 1,200 internship positions, covering 85% of undergraduate major fields [ANU 2023 Student Experience Survey].

For cross-border tuition payments, some study-abroad families use dedicated channels such as Flywire tuition payments to complete their remittances.

Degree Classification Mechanism

Since 2023, ANU has implemented a unified honours classification standard calculated from the Weighted Average Mark (WAM). This policy replaced the previous system in which each college set its own grading criteria.

Classification bands:

  • Honours Class I: WAM ≥ 80.00
  • Honours Class IIA: WAM 70.00–79.99
  • Honours Class IIB: WAM 60.00–69.99
  • Honours Class III: WAM 50.00–59.99

How WAM is calculated: WAM is the credit-weighted average of all course results, where each course is weighted by its unit value. For example, if a 6-unit course earns 85 and another 6-unit course earns 70, then WAM = (85×6 + 70×6) / (6+6) = 77.5. ANU does not use a GPA system; WAM is the only official metric [ANU 2024 Degree Classification Policy, Clause 3].

Pathway to an honours degree: Students apply in their third undergraduate year to join the Honours Program, which normally requires a WAM ≥ 70 in major-related courses. The honours program comprises 48 units of research project and advanced coursework, and completion leads to a bachelor’s degree with honours. In 2023, 1,874 students at ANU received honours degrees, representing 23% of undergraduate graduates [ANU 2023 Degree Award Statistics].

Academic Integrity and Graduation Review

All graduates must pass an academic integrity review. ANU uses the Turnitin system to check all submitted papers for similarity; papers with a similarity rate above 25% are automatically flagged for review. According to ANU’s 2023 Academic Integrity Annual Report, 342 cases of academic misconduct were handled over the year, 12 of which resulted in delayed graduation or revocation of a degree.

Graduation review process: Students must submit a graduation application through the ISIS system (ANU student information system) before the end of their final semester. The ANU Registrar’s Office completes the review within 4 weeks of results release. The review covers:

  • Whether total credits reach 144;
  • Whether advanced-level credits meet the minimum requirement;
  • Whether all major required courses have been passed (grade ≥ 50);
  • Whether the internship or research project has been completed.

Graduation ceremonies: ANU holds three graduation ceremonies a year (February, July and December), and students can choose to attend online. The December 2023 ceremony was attended by 3,200 undergraduate graduates [ANU 2023 Graduation Ceremony Statistics].

Program Changes and Credit Exemptions

Students may apply for a program transfer during their studies, subject to meeting the entry requirements of the new program (e.g., WAM ≥ 65 or specified course grades). Under ANU’s 2024 program transfer policy, completed credits can be carried into the new program, but at most 72 units (i.e., half the courses) can be exempted.

Credit exemption applications: Students transferring to ANU from other Australian universities or overseas institutions may apply for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). ANU requires original transcripts and course outlines, and the review takes 6–8 weeks. In 2023, ANU approved 1,056 RPL applications, granting an average exemption of 36 units [ANU 2023 Credit Exemption Data].

Double majors and minors: Students can pursue two majors (Double Major) concurrently, completing at least 48 units of courses in each major. A minor requires 24 units. The graduation certificate for a double major lists both major names, while a minor appears only on the transcript.

Special Graduation Requirements: Language and Mathematics Proficiency

English language requirement: All international students must demonstrate English proficiency at IELTS 6.5 overall (no band below 6.0) or equivalent before graduating. This requirement is based on the 2023 student visa conditions of the Australian Department of Home Affairs, but ANU allows students to waive language testing by completing 48 units of courses taught in English.

Mathematics requirement: Some majors (such as engineering, science and economics) require students to complete MATH1003 (Calculus and Linear Algebra) or an equivalent course in their first year, with a grade of no less than 50. In 2023, the ANU Mathematical Sciences Institute reported that about 15% of engineering students had their graduation delayed due to failing mathematics.

Health and safety training: Laboratory-intensive majors (such as chemistry and biomedical science) require students to complete OH&S training (occupational health and safety), valid for the entire period of study. Training certificates must be submitted to the college office before graduation.

FAQ

Q1: How many credits are required to graduate from an ANU undergraduate degree?

All three-year bachelor’s degrees at ANU require the completion of 144 units, i.e., 24 standard courses (6 units each). Four-year honours bachelor’s degrees require 192 units. Students must also ensure that advanced courses (2000-level and above) account for at least 96 units, with no fewer than 24 units at 3000 level.

Q2: How is the ANU honours classification calculated?

Degree classification is based on the Weighted Average Mark (WAM), out of 100. First-class honours requires WAM ≥ 80, upper second-class 70–79.99, lower second-class 60–69.99, and third-class 50–59.99. WAM is the credit-weighted average of all course results; no separate application is needed — it is calculated automatically by the system.

Q3: Is an internship compulsory for ANU undergraduates?

Only some majors make an internship compulsory. The Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) requires 60 days of industry placement; the Bachelor of Laws requires 15 days of community legal placement. Majors such as commerce, science and arts do not require one, but offer elective internship courses (e.g., BUSN3003, which requires 150 hours of practice). In 2023, ANU offered more than 1,200 internship positions.

References

  • Australian National University, Course and Degree Policy 2024
  • Australian National University, Work Integrated Learning Annual Report 2023
  • Tertiary Education Quality and Standards Agency, TEQSA Annual Report 2023
  • Australian National University, Degree Award Statistics 2023
  • Unilink Education, ANU Undergraduate Graduation Requirements Database 2024