UniStart (City West), University of South Australia (UniSA). 2025 information for Australian students

Australian students

Start Date
February
July

Campus
City West

Duration
0.5 year(s) full-time

Mode
On-campus/Online

Program Code
DFST

Study as
Full-time or part-time

Fees
Commonwealth Supported

Entry Requirements
TAFE/RTO (Guaranteed): N/A
View full entry requirements

Prerequisites
None

Assumed Knowledge
None

Entry requirements

Admission criteria

The admission criteria have been grouped to assist you to easily find the information most relevant to your circumstances. However, you may fit into more than one and the university will consider applicants against each of the relevant criteria.

Certain conditions apply. For more information refer to Appendix 4 of the University's Selection and Entry policy.
N/A This program has no entry requirements. Applicants must meet minimum age requirements, and either be an Australian Citizen, Permanent Resident or Humanitarian Visa holder.

The University will ask all applicants to undertake a literacy planning tool. For those who would benefit from additional support, the University will recommend undertaking a fee-free language and literacy development course prior to commencing UniSA College UniStart.

No formal minimum entry requirements apply.

Applicants who have not completed SACE or a Certificate III must be 18 years of age or over before:
- February 1st of the year of intended enrolment for the study period 2 intake, or
- July 1st of the year of intended enrolment for the study period 5 (midyear) intake.

Applicants who have previously studied at higher education level or completed a TAFE/VET award at Certificate IV or higher will not normally be considered for admission to this program.

Essential requirements for admission

Prerequisites
None

Assumed Knowledge
None

View full entry requirements Hide full entry requirements

Aim

To provide a pathway for applicants who have experienced educational disadvantage, or who wish to return to study after a significant absence but lack the formal qualifications for university entry. To provide members of the University's equity target groups access to university.

The UniSA College UniStart program will be a pathway to a range of undergraduate degrees.

Students will study 18 units in this 6-month program which will consist of three (3) core courses and one (1) elective option from a range of disciplines to support students to develop discipline-specific learning. Students will complete with foundational knowledge and skills to enable further academic studies

Content & Structure

Students study up to 18 units, via courses that will develop foundational disciplinary knowledge as well as literacy skills, study skills, communication skills, numeracy skills and research skills.

Pathway programs are designed to provide academic literacy and numeracy skills, and foundational disciplinary knowledge to enable them to confidently commence their Bachelor studies. The disciplinary courses reflect study areas relevant to a wide range of degrees including health science, social science, education, humanities, business, arts, creative studies and STEM.

With successful completion the UniSA College UniStart program will lead to the following undergraduate programs*:

Bachelor of Communication and Media
Bachelor of Construction Management
Bachelor of Contemporary Art
Bachelor of Creative Industries
Bachelor of Design (Graphic and Communication Design)
Bachelor of Design (Illustration and Animation)
Bachelor of Design (Illustration and Animation) (TAFESA Diploma program in Game Art)
Bachelor of Design (Product Design)
Bachelor of Digital Business
Bachelor of Early Childhood (B-5)
Bachelor of Engineering
Bachelor of Engineering (Flexible Entry)
Bachelor of Environmental Science
Bachelor of Film and Television
Bachelor of Finance
Bachelor of Information Technology
Bachelor of Information Technology (Games and Entertainment Design)
Bachelor of Information Technology (Networking and Cybersecurity)
Bachelor of Information Technology (Software Development)
Bachelor of Interior Architecture
Bachelor of Journalism and Professional Writing
Bachelor of Journalism and Professional Writing, Bachelor of Arts (Creative Writing and Literature)
Bachelor of Marketing and Communication
Bachelor of Outdoor and Environmental Leadership
Bachelor of Psychology
Bachelor of Psychology (Counselling and Interpersonal Skills)
Bachelor of Psychology (Counselling and Interpersonal Skills), Bachelor of Business (Human Resource Management)
Bachelor of Social Science (Human Services (Mount Gambier))
Bachelor of Social Science (Human Services (Whyalla))
Bachelor of Social Science (Human Services)
Bachelor of Social Science (Human Services), Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Social Science (Human Services), Bachelor of Psychology
Bachelor of Social Work
Bachelor of Social Work (Mount Gambier)
Bachelor of Social Work (Whyalla)
Bachelor of Visual Effects
Diploma of Business
Diploma of Creative Studies
Diploma in Creative Studies (Architecture)
Diploma in Creative Studies (Art and Design)
Diploma in Creative Studies (Communication)
Diploma in Creative Studies (Screen)
Diploma in Education Studies
Diploma in Education Studies (Secondary)
Diploma in Health
Diploma in Health (Allied Health and Human Performance)
Diploma in Health (Biomedical Science)
Diploma in Health (Sport)
Diploma in Social Science
Diploma in Social Science (Law)
Diploma in Social Science (Psychology)
Diploma in Social Science (Social Work)
Diploma in STEM
Diploma in STEM (Construction)
Diploma in STEM (Engineering)
Diploma in STEM (Information Technology)
Diploma in STEM (Science and Environment)

UniSA Online Programs
Students may also progress to a range of UniSA Online programs should they wish to switch to a 100% online study mode. A list of these programs is available and can be viewed in Activity 137654 due to PCMS character limitations in this section.
*Undergraduate program prerequisites must be met to obtain admission to these programs.

What courses you'll study

Course name	Area and cat no.	Units
FIRST YEAR
Foundations of Academic Literacy	EDUC 1118	4.5
Numeracy and Problem Solving	MATH 1085	4.5
Critical Thinking: Media and Academia	LANG 1068	4.5
Complete a discipline-based course elective

Electives

Course name	Area and cat no.	Units
For students pursuing nutrition, biomedical science, laboratory medicine, pharmaceutical science or pharmacy pathways:
Introductory Quantitative Skills	MATH 1072	4.5
Introduction to Human Physiology	HLTH 1070	4.5
Introduction to Biosciences	NASC 1013	4.5
Science for Tertiary Learning	NASC 1014	4.5
For students pursuing nursing, community health, health science, or healthy ageing pathways:
Introduction to Biosciences	NASC 1013	4.5
Introduction to Human Physiology	HLTH 1070	4.5
Introduction to Anatomy	HLTH 1069	4.5
For students pursuing public health pathways:
Introduction to Human Physiology	HLTH 1070	4.5
Introduction to Anatomy	HLTH 1069	4.5
For students pursuing exercise and sport science, human movement or outdoor leadership pathways:
Introduction to Human Physiology	HLTH 1070	4.5
Introduction to Physical Activity for Health	SPRC 1010	4.5
Introduction to Coaching Science	SPRC 1009	4.5
For students pursuing environmental or outdoor leadership pathways:
Introduction to Biosciences	NASC 1013	4.5
Introductory Quantitative Skills	MATH 1072	4.5
Foundations of Environmental Science	ENVT 1021	4.5
For students pursuing aviation pathways:
Science for Tertiary Learning	NASC 1014	4.5
Introductory Quantitative Skills	MATH 1072	4.5
Introduction to Algebra	MATH 1084	4.5
For students pursuing information technology or software engineering pathways:
Digital Literacy: Screen, Web and New Media	INFS 1030	4.5
Applied Computer Practices	COMP 1050	4.5
Introductory Quantitative Skills	MATH 1072	4.5
Introduction to Algebra	MATH 1084	4.5
For students pursuing data analytics or mathematics pathways:
Introduction to Algebra	MATH 1084	4.5
Introductory Quantitative Skills	MATH 1072	4.5
Digital Literacy: Screen, Web and New Media	INFS 1030	4.5
For students pursuing engineering pathways:
Introductory Quantitative Skills	MATH 1072	4.5
Science for Tertiary Learning	NASC 1014	4.5
For students pursuing art or design pathways:
Global Citizenship in the 21st Century	HUMS 1064	4.5
Digital Literacy: Screen, Web and New Media	INFS 1030	4.5
Future Ideas: Information Literacy and the Internet	LIBR 1010	4.5
For students pursuing communication or journalism pathways:
Future Ideas: Information Literacy and the Internet	LIBR 1010	4.5
Individual and Society in Contemporary Australia	HUMS 1062	4.5
For students pursuing film and TV pathways:
Applied Computer Practices	COMP 1050	4.5
Digital Literacy: Screen, Web and New Media	INFS 1030	4.5
Global Citizenship in the 21st Century	HUMS 1064	4.5
For students pursuing an interior architecture pathways:
Global Citizenship in the 21st Century	HUMS 1064	4.5
Digital Literacy: Screen, Web and New Media	INFS 1030	4.5
Future Ideas: Information Literacy and the Internet	LIBR 1010	4.5
For students pursuing arts pathways:
Individual and Society in Contemporary Australia	HUMS 1062	4.5
Global Citizenship in the 21st Century	HUMS 1064	4.5
For students pursuing legal studies and criminology pathways:
Individual and Society in Contemporary Australia	HUMS 1062	4.5
Introduction to Human Behaviour	BUSS 1072	4.5
Future Ideas: Information Literacy and the Internet	LIBR 1010	4.5
For students pursuing social science or social work pathways:
Introduction to Human Behaviour	BUSS 1072	4.5
Individual and Society in Contemporary Australia	HUMS 1062	4.5
Global Citizenship in the 21st Century	HUMS 1064	4.5
For students pursuing psychology pathways:
Introduction to Human Behaviour	BUSS 1072	4.5
Introductory Quantitative Skills	MATH 1072	4.5
For students pursuing education pathways:
Literacy and Numeracy for Teachers	EDUC 1116	4.5
Individual and Society in Contemporary Australia	HUMS 1062	4.5
Foundations of Education Studies	EDUC 1115	4.5
For those pursuing business pathways:
Communication for Professional Practice	BUSS 1075	4.5
Foundations of Business	BUSS 1076	4.5
Introductory Economics and Personal Finance	ECON 1012	4.5
Introductory Quantitative Skills	MATH 1072	4.5

Rules & notes

Rules

1. The program may be taken as full-time or part-time study or as a combination of the two modes.

2. Students must complete the program within 2 years of commencement, or they will be deemed to have withdrawn from the program.

3. Commencing students must undertake a literacy-based Enrolment Planning Tool prior to enrolment. If students do not meet the minimum result requirement, they will be recommended to enrol into Foundation Studies (DFFS) and will need to pass Language and Literacy for Effective Communication (LANG 1069) in order to progress studies.

4. This program requires weekly participation in all enrolled courses. Student engagement is monitored, with a lack of participation or contact with student support services and/or the Program Director resulting in students being unenrolled from courses they have not engaged with. This action will occur prior to census, to ensure students' future program performance (cumulative GPA) is protected.

5. Commencing students may have their initial enrolments withdrawn if they fail to engage with their studies (Enrolment policy A48 section 4.5).

6. Courses undertaken as part of UniSA College UniStart cannot be used for credit in any UniSA undergraduate bachelor degree program, some credit for courses undertaken may be able to be used for credit in UniSA College diploma programs.

Notes

1. Some destination degrees have program prerequisites for entry. UniStart elective course selection should be made in conjunction with the information provided on the destination degree program information page.

2. Enrollees are not required to purchase textbooks for UniStart core courses or electives.

Program Director

Dr Sarah Hattam

Primary director

Study at UniSA

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About UniSA

This degree is only available to Australian students

UniStart (City West)

Entry requirements

Admission criteria

Essential requirements for admission

Prerequisites

Assumed Knowledge

Quick links

Aim

Content & Structure

What courses you'll study

FIRST YEAR

Rules

Notes

Program Director

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