Diploma in General Studies (D-GENST)

You’re currently viewing the 2023 version of this course

Overview

Award title	Diploma in General Studies
Year & campus	2023 — Dookie
Fees information	Subject EFTSL, level, discipline and census date
Study level & type	Undergraduate Coursework
AQF level	5
Credit points	100 credit points
Duration	12 months full-time or 24 months part-time

The Diploma in General Studies: Your stepping-stone

The Diploma in General Studies is a sampler of the Melbourne Bachelor Degrees, providing you with the opportunity to study Science, Commerce, Agriculture or Environments. It gives you the breathing space of a year to decide what you want to do next and provides a stepping stone to a meaningful outcome – whether that is employment, or further study in a University of Melbourne degree or TAFE program.

The Diploma is aimed at both school leavers and mature-age students. It is designed to provide a pathway to reduce educational entry and financial barriers to higher education by offering flexible education in regional Victoria. The course facilitates the transition to higher education through the provision of a supportive learning environment specifically designed to develop the academic skills required for success at University.

The course framework provides students with broad study options and the opportunity to experience a range of discipline areas. Depending on subject choice and academic results, graduates may satisfy the entry requirements for a range of bachelor degrees, in Science, Commerce, Design, Arts, Biomedicine and Agriculture.

Links to further information

https://study.unimelb.edu.au/find/courses/undergraduate/diploma-in-general-studies/

Entry requirements

1. In order to be considered for entry, applicants must have completed: one of

(a) the Victorian Certificate of Education including

VCE Units 3 and 4 – either a study score of at least 20 in one of English, English Language or Literature or a study score of at least 30 in English as an Additional Language;

(b) the International Baccalaureate Diploma including

at least Grade 4 in English or English B (Standard Level or Higher Level);

(c) a senior secondary program, foundation studies program or equivalent approved by the Academic Board including appropriate English language studies.

(d) A Certificate IV qualification in one of the following:

Certificate IV in Frontline Management
Certificate IV in Conservation and Land Management
Certificate IV in Accounting
Certificate IV in Tertiary Preparation
Certificate IV in Agriculture

Meeting these requirements does not guarantee selection.

2. In ranking applications, the Selection Committee will consider:

prior academic performance.

3. The Selection Committee may seek further information to clarify any aspect of an application in accordance with the Academic Board Rules on the use of selection instruments.

4. For applicants who have not completed the Victorian Certificate of Education or the International Baccalaureate Diploma, the undergraduate English language requirements must be met.

Note. For applications through the Victorian Tertiary Admission Centre, “middle-band” selection adjustments are made only on the basis of eligibility for Access Melbourne.

Entry into undergraduate degrees is usually via applications through the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC). Full details regarding the VTAC application process may be found on the VTAC website or by purchasing the VTAC Guide from newsagencies.

Alternatively, applications for the Diploma in General Studies may be submitted directly.

Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)

Candidates for the Diploma in General Studies must possess behavioural and social attributes that enable them to participate in a complex learning environment. Students are required to take responsibility for their own participation and learning; and contribute to the learning of other students in collaborative learning environments, demonstrating interpersonal skills and an understanding of the needs of other students. Assessment may include the outcomes of tasks completed in collaboration with other students.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student’s participation in the University’s programs. This course requires all students to enrol in subjects where they must actively and safely contribute to field excursions and laboratory activities. Students who feel their disability will impact on meeting this requirement are encouraged to discuss this matter with the Coordinator and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability/

Intended learning outcomes

The Diploma in General Studies is designed to provide students with a broad tertiary study experience, allowing them to develop their knowledge and understanding of their chosen discipline areas, in addition to the skills required for academic scholarship. The course will allow students to develop:

A systems thinking approach
Appropriate discipline knowledge and the ability to evaluate knowledge gained from a range of scientific, economic and social sources
The ability to learn in a range of ways, including through information and communication technologies
The capacity to initiate and maintain cooperative relationships with others, in particular in team-based situations
Written and oral communication skills appropriate for university study
An aptitude for continued self-directed learning
Ability to communicate and disseminate knowledge and information in a variety of media
Skills to effectively analyse, and evaluate problems and reach appropriate solutions
A sense of confidence in their intellectual abilities and enthusiasm for lifelong learning
Commitment to improving the sustainability of the environment

Generic skills

The Diploma in General Studies aims to provide students with:

The capacity for independent critical thought and inquiry
The ability to engage in self- directed learning
Well-developed organisational and time management skills
Enhanced ability to communicate ideas effectively in both written and verbal formats; and
The ability to participate effectively as part of a team
Analytical and problem solving skills

Graduate attributes

Graduates will be expected to:

Have a strong sense of intellectual integrity and the ethics of scholarship
Have developed knowledge across a range of disciplines
Have well developed writing, problem solving and communication skills
Be critical and creative thinkers, with an aptitude for continued self-directed learning
Be well informed citizens able to contribute to their communities wherever they choose to live and work
Be advocates for improving the sustainability of the environment
Have a high regard for human rights equity and ethics

Course structure

100 points (typically eight subjects including one core subject Academic Writing and Communication).

Subject options

All students complete the core subject

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
MECM10005	Academic Writing and Communication	Semester 1 (On Campus - Dookie)	12.5

Plus choose any 7 of the below elective subjects

Code	Name	Study period	Credit Points
		Semester 2 (On Campus - Dookie) Semester 1 (On Campus - Dookie)
MAST10017	Fundamentals of Mathematics	Semester 2 (On Campus - Dookie)	12.5
ECON10006	Introductory Economics	Semester 2 (On Campus - Dookie)	12.5
NRMT10007	Land Resources and Management	Semester 1 (On Campus - Dookie)	12.5
AGRI10044	Plant Systems	Semester 2 (On Campus - Dookie)	12.5
BIOL10006	Systems Biology	Semester 1 (On Campus - Dookie)	12.5
ANSC10002	Animal Systems	Semester 2 (On Campus - Dookie)	12.5
ENST10004	Climate Change and Impacts	Semester 1 (On Campus - Dookie)	12.5
CHEM10008	Foundation Studies in Chemistry	Semester 1 (On Campus - Dookie)	12.5
ACCT10004	Introduction to Accounting	Semester 2 (On Campus - Dookie)	12.5
GEOG10002	Landscape Information Systems	Semester 2 (On Campus - Dookie)	12.5
MGMT10003	Organisation and Management	Semester 1 (On Campus - Dookie)	12.5
AGRI10052	Agricultural Genetics	Semester 2 (On Campus - Dookie)	12.5

Further study

Graduates of the Diploma in General Studies may wish to continue their studies at University or TAFE.

On completion of the one-year course, you could receive guaranteed entry into one of six of the following University of Melbourne bachelor degrees:

Bachelor of Agriculture
Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Biomedicine
Bachelor of Commerce
Bachelor of Design
Bachelor of Science

Guaranteed entry applies only to those eligible for Access Melbourne and upon meeting the required guaranteed scores on completion of the DiGS.

Refer to https://study.unimelb.edu.au/find/courses/undergraduate/diploma-in-general-studies/where-will-this-take-me/ for more information.

In accordance with the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326), Examiners may offer reassessment (as a second attempt at passing a subject for a borderline failure in a single subject to a student enrolled in this course. A borderline failure for a subject in the Diploma in General Studies is defined as a mark of 40% or more.

Last updated: 10 November 2023