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Graduate Certificate of Professional Engineering (GCNS) - GradCertProfEng

CRICOS code (International applicants): 067687K

You are currently viewing the 2023 Handbook. For study in 2024, please refer to the .

 On-campus*External
Start:Trimester 1 (January)
Trimester 2 (May)
Trimester 3 (September)
Trimester 1 (January)
Trimester 2 (May)
Trimester 3 (September)
Campus:Toowoomba -
Fees:Commonwealth supported place
Domestic full fee paying place
International full fee paying place
Commonwealth supported place
Domestic full fee paying place
International full fee paying place
Standard duration:1 semester full-time or 1 year part-time  
Program articulation:

To: Graduate Diploma of Professional Engineering ; Master of Professional Engineering

Notes

In 2023 the program follows the Semester calendar. The Academic Calendar and Important Dates webpage will allow you to view and download a copy of the important dates for the Semester calendar.

Footnotes
*The GCNS is available full-time on-campus commencing in Semester 1 only. International visa holders are only eligible for Semester 1 entry.

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Contact us

Future Australian and New Zealand students  Future International students  Current students 

Freecall (within Australia): 1800 269 500
Phone (from outside Australia): +61 7 4631 5315
Email: study@usq.edu.au  

Phone: +61 7 4631 5543
Email: international@usq.edu.au 

Freecall (within Australia): 1800 007 252
Phone (from outside Australia): +61 7 4631 2285
Email usq.support@usq.edu.au 

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Professional accreditation

The Graduate Certificate of Professional Engineering is not accredited by any professional bodies other than the ¾«¶«´«Ã½app of Southern Queensland.

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Program objectives

On completion of this program graduates should be able to:

  • demonstrate an integrated understanding of a relevant body of knowledge in one or more disciplines or areas of practice; and

  • apply specialised cognitive and technical skills within a relevant body of knowledge in one or more disciplines or area of practice; and

  • collect and reflect upon sources of information to interpret and transmit knowledge, skills and ideas to specialist and non-specialist audiences.


Program Rules

Students are required to:

  • Satisfactorily complete 4 credit points as listed in the standard progression to graduate from the program.

  • Satisfactorily complete all courses within 2 years.

  • Maintain satisfactory academic achievement throughout the duration of the program, consistent with the UniSQ .

  • Immunisations and vaccinations according to national standards requirements for on-campus mode studies.

  • Meet the Inherent Requirements for the Graduate Certificate of Professional Engineering.


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Australian Qualifications Framework

The Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) is a single national, comprehensive system of qualifications offered by higher education institutions (including universities), vocational education and training institutions and secondary schools. Each AQF qualification has a set of descriptors which define the type and complexity of knowledge, skills and application of knowledge and skills that a graduate who has been awarded that qualification has attained, and the typical volume of learning associated with that qualification type.

This program is at AQF Qualification Level 08. Graduates at this level will have advanced knowledge and skills for professional or highly skilled work and/or further learning.

The full set of levels criteria and qualification type descriptors can be found by visiting .

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Admission requirements

To be eligible for admission, applicants must satisfy the following requirements:

  • Completion of an Australian university three or four year Bachelor degree in the area of engineering in the relevant cognate specialisation (major), or equivalent.

    Or

    Completion of an Australian university four year Bachelor degree in the area of engineering in a non-cognate specialisation (major field) or equivalent.

  • English Language Proficiency requirements for Category 3.


The standing of degrees awarded by an overseas institution will be determined by reference to the Sydney Accord, of which Engineers Australia (EA) is a signatory, and the federal government agency, International Education group, an agency of the Department of Education and Training.

All students are required to satisfy the applicable .

If students do not meet the English language requirements they may apply to study a ¾«¶«´«Ã½app-approved . On successful completion of the English language program, students may be admitted to an award program.

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Program fees

Commonwealth supported place

A Commonwealth supported place is where the Australian Government makes a contribution towards the cost of a students' higher education and students pay a , which varies depending on the courses undertaken. Students are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the .

Commonwealth Supported students may be eligible to defer their fees through a Government loan called .

Domestic full fee paying place

Domestic full fee paying places are funded entirely through the full fees paid by the student. Full fees vary depending on the courses that are taken. Students are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the

Domestic full fee paying students may be eligible to defer their fees through a Government loan called provided they meet the residency and citizenship requirements.

Australian citizens, Permanent Humanitarian Visa holders, Permanent Resident visa holders and New Zealand citizens who will be resident outside Australia for the duration of their program pay full tuition fees and are not eligible for .

International full fee paying place

International students pay full fees. Full fees vary depending on the courses that are taken and whether they are studied on-campus, external or online. Students are able to calculate the fees for a particular course via the .

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Program structure

The Graduate Certificate of Professional Engineering comprises four single unit academic courses as follows:

Schedule A: Two core courses:


†Unavailable in S3 2023

Schedule B: A two-course specialisation

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Required time limits

Students have a maximum of 2 years to complete this program.

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Specialisation

The specialisation study provides students with knowledge and skills in a specific discipline. The specialisation study areas in the Graduate Certificate of Professional Engineering are:

  • Agricultural Engineering

  • Civil Engineering

  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

  • Engineering Management and Enterprise

  • Environmental Engineering

  • Mechanical Engineering

  • Power Engineering

  • Structural Engineering


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IT requirements

For information technology requirements, please refer to the .

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Articulation

The Graduate Certificate of Professional Engineering , the Graduate Diploma of Professional Engineering, and the Master of Professional Engineering are a nested suite of programs. Students who have completed the Graduate Certificate of Professional Engineering via a normal program enrolment pattern are able to apply to articulate with full credit to the Graduate Diploma of Professional Engineering. Students using the program for transitional studies to fill minor gaps in requisite undergraduate knowledge and skill will be assessed for any partial credits that can be given on entering either of the other programs in this nested group.

Applicants with similar discipline engineering specialisations but who may have minor gaps in their requisite knowledge to undertake the Master of Professional Engineering can also use this program as a transition articulation pathway entry into the Master of Professional Engineering. For further information or advice on this program option, please contact the School of Engineering Post-graduate Program Director via usq.support@usq.edu.au and provide prior engineering degree award and academic transcript copies.

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Credit

Exemptions/credit will be assessed based on the .

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Enrolment

Students should note that some of the courses specify enrolment requirements (prerequisites). Students should therefore refer to the to determine the enrolment requirements for the courses they intend enrolling in. Students should avoid enrolling in courses for which they do not have sufficient pre-requisite knowledge. Students will be expected to rectify any deficiencies in their pre-requisite knowledge by private study, guided if necessary by the examiners of the relevant courses. Students should contact the School of Engineering Post-graduate Program Director via usq.support@usq.edu.au if they encounter problems while enrolling in courses with requisites.

Recommended enrolment patterns

In this section:

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Agricultural Engineering specialisation recommended enrolment pattern


Specialisation: Agricultural Engineering (Specialisation ¾«¶«´«Ã½app Code: 16197)
CourseYear of program and semester in which course is normally studiedEnrolment requirements
On-campus
(ONC)
External
(EXT)
Online
(ONL)
YearSemYearSemYearSem

Schedule A: Core Courses Students must complete the two courses listed in Schedule A.

     ENG5001 Professional Skills in Engineering†1,2,31,2,3
     ENG6208 Advanced Engineering Project Management11

Schedule B: Specialisation Courses Students must complete two of the courses listed in Schedule B - one mandatory discipline course plus one selective.

*** Students undertaking transitional studies from a non-engineering undergraduate degree require a special enrolment pattern in lieu of Schedule B courses.

Mandatory

     ENV5104 Advanced Hydraulic Systems11Pre-requisite: Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: GCNS or GDNS or MENS or MEPR

Choose one selective from the following

     AGR4305 Agricultural Soil Mechanics11
     AGR6305 Applications of Advanced Technology in Agriculture*
     CLI8003 Climate, Food, Water and Energy Security2
     ENV4106 Irrigation Science22Pre-requisite: AGR3304 or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: GCEN or GCSC or GDSI or METC or MEPR or GCNS or GDNS or MENS or MSCN.
     ENV4204 Environmental Technology11Pre-requisite: ENV2105 or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: PDEV or GCEN or METC or MEPR or GCNS or GDNS or MENS

*** Please contact the School of Engineering Program Director (Post-graduate) via usq.support@usq.edu.au for alternative of up to 4 units of advanced undergraduate courses to complete pre-requisite engineering knowledge to allow future potential articulation into Master of Professional Engineering.


Footnotes
†Unavailable in S3 2023
*First Offer in 2024 academic year

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Civil Engineering specialisation recommended enrolment pattern


Specialisation: Civil Engineering (Specialisation ¾«¶«´«Ã½app Code: 16198)
CourseYear of program and semester in which course is normally studiedEnrolment requirements
On-campus
(ONC)
External
(EXT)
Online
(ONL)
YearSemYearSemYearSem

Schedule A: Core Courses Students must complete the two courses listed in Schedule A.

     ENG5001 Professional Skills in Engineering†1,2,31,2,3
     ENG6208 Advanced Engineering Project Management11

Schedule B: Specialisation Courses Students must complete two of the courses listed in Schedule B - one mandatory discipline course plus one selective.

*** Students undertaking transitional studies from a non-engineering undergraduate degree require a special enrolment pattern in lieu of Schedule B courses.

Mandatory

     CIV5403 Advanced Geotechnical Engineering22Pre-requisite: CIV2401 or CIV2403 or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: GCEN or METC or MEPR or GCNS or GDNS or MENS

Choose one selective from the following

     CIV4505 Structural Analysis11Pre-requisite: MEC2402 and (MAT1502 or ENM1600 or MAT1102) or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: GCEN or METC or MEPR or GCNS or GDNS or MENS or GEPR
     CIV4508 Structural Design II11Pre-requisite: (CIV3505 or CIV4505) and (CIV3506 or CIV4506) or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: GCEN or METC or MEPR or GCNS or GDNS or MENS
     CIV5704 Road and Street Engineering2
     CIV6803 Advanced Mechanics and Technology of Fibre Composites1Pre-requisite: CIV3506 or MEC3203 or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: PGCN or MEPR or GCNS or GDNS or MENS
     ENV4203 Public Health Engineering22Pre-requisite: ENV1101 or ENV2103 or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: GCEN or METC or MEPR or GCNS or GDNS or MENS
     ENV5104 Advanced Hydraulic Systems11Pre-requisite: Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: GCNS or GDNS or MENS or MEPR

*** Please contact the School of Engineering Program Director (Post-graduate) via usq.support@usq.edu.au for alternative of up to 4 units of advanced undergraduate courses to complete pre-requisite engineering knowledge to allow future potential articulation into Master of Professional Engineering.


Footnotes
†Unavailable in S3 2023

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Electrical and Electronic Engineering specialisation recommended enrolment pattern


Specialisation: Electrical and Electronic Engineering (Specialisation ¾«¶«´«Ã½app Code: 16199)
CourseYear of program and semester in which course is normally studiedEnrolment requirements
On-campus
(ONC)
External
(EXT)
Online
(ONL)
YearSemYearSemYearSem

Schedule A: Core Courses Students must complete the two courses listed in Schedule A.

     ENG5001 Professional Skills in Engineering†1,2,31,2,3
     ENG6208 Advanced Engineering Project Management11

Schedule B: Specialisation Courses Students must complete two of the courses listed in Schedule B - one mandatory discipline course plus one selective.

*** Students undertaking transitional studies from a non-engineering undergraduate degree require a special enrolment pattern in lieu of Schedule B courses.

Mandatory

     ELE5605 Electro-Magnetic Modelling22,3Pre-requisite: ELE4605 or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: MENS or MEPR or GCNS or GDNS

Choose one selective from the following

     ELE4605 Fields and Waves11Pre-requisite: {(MAT1502 or ENM1600) and ELE2103 and ELE2601} or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: MEPR or MENS or GCNS or GDNS
     ELE4606 Communication Systems22Pre-requisite: (ELE2504 and ELE2601) or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: GCEN or METC or MEPR or MENS or GCNS or GDNS
     ELE4607 Advanced Digital Communications11Pre-requisite: ELE1301 or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: GCEN or METC or GCNS or GDNS or MENS or MEPR
     ELE4807 Power Systems Analysis11
     ELE5001 Industrial Communications Protocols11Pre-requisite: ELE2601 or Students must be enrolled in the following Program: GCNS, GDNS, MENS or MEPR

*** Please contact the School of Engineering Program Director (Post-graduate) via usq.support@usq.edu.au for alternative of up to 4 units of advanced undergraduate courses to complete pre-requisite engineering knowledge to allow future potential articulation into Master of Professional Engineering.


Footnotes
†Unavailable in S3 2023

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Engineering Management and Enterprise specialisation recommended enrolment pattern


Specialisation: Engineering Management and Enterprise (Specialisation ¾«¶«´«Ã½app Code: TBA)
CourseYear of program and semester in which course is normally studiedEnrolment requirements
On-campus
(ONC)
External
(EXT)
Online
(ONL)
YearSemYearSemYearSem

Schedule A: Core Courses Students must complete the two courses listed in Schedule A.

     ENG5001 Professional Skills in Engineering†1,2,31,2,3
     ENG6104 Asset Management in an Engineering Environment11

Schedule B: Specialisation Courses Students must complete two of the courses listed in Schedule B - one mandatory discipline course plus one selective.

Mandatory - choose one Technical Engineering course from another GCNS specialisation Schedule B (1 unit)

Choose one selective from the following

     FIN8201 Corporate Finance11,3
     GIS2407 Web Based Geographic Information System22Pre-requisite: GIS1402 or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: GCST or GDST or MSST or MSPT or GCNS or GDNS or MENS
     MGT8049 Building an Engaged Workforce2,3
     ENG6207 Innovation Management and New Product Development£3

Footnotes
†Unavailable in S3 2023
£In Semester 3, 2023 this course will be delivered as a Transition (9 week) semester, commencing on 13 November 2023 and concluding on 12 January 2024

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Environmental Engineering specialisation recommended enrolment pattern


Specialisation: Environmental Engineering (Specialisation ¾«¶«´«Ã½app Code: 16200)
CourseYear of program and semester in which course is normally studiedEnrolment requirements
On-campus
(ONC)
External
(EXT)
Online
(ONL)
YearSemYearSemYearSem

Schedule A: Core Courses Students must complete the two courses listed in Schedule A.

     ENG5001 Professional Skills in Engineering†1,2,31,2,3
     ENG6205 Project Management Practice22

Schedule B: Specialisation Courses Students must complete two of the courses listed in Schedule B - one mandatory discipline course plus one selective.

*** Students undertaking transitional studies from a non-engineering undergraduate degree require a special enrolment pattern in lieu of Schedule B courses.

Mandatory

     ENG5105 Advanced Numerical Modelling22Pre-requisite: Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: GCNS or GDNS or MENS or MEPR

Choose one selective from the following

     AGR4305 Agricultural Soil Mechanics11
     ENV4106 Irrigation Science22Pre-requisite: AGR3304 or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: GCEN or GCSC or GDSI or METC or MEPR or GCNS or GDNS or MENS or MSCN.
     ENV4107 Water Resources Engineering22Pre-requisite: (ENV3104 and ENV3105) or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: GCEN or METC or MEPR or GCNS or GDNS or MENS
     ENV4204 Environmental Technology11Pre-requisite: ENV2105 or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: PDEV or GCEN or METC or MEPR or GCNS or GDNS or MENS

*** Please contact the School of Engineering Program Director (Post-graduate) via usq.support@usq.edu.au for alternative of up to 4 units of advanced undergraduate courses to complete pre-requisite engineering knowledge to allow future potential articulation into Master of Professional Engineering.


Footnotes
†Unavailable in S3 2023

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Mechanical Engineering specialisation recommended enrolment pattern


Specialisation: Mechanical Engineering (Specialisation ¾«¶«´«Ã½app Code: 16202)
CourseYear of program and semester in which course is normally studiedEnrolment requirements
On-campus
(ONC)
External
(EXT)
Online
(ONL)
YearSemYearSemYearSem

Schedule A: Core Courses Students must complete the two courses listed in Schedule A.

     ENG5001 Professional Skills in Engineering†1,2,31,2,3
     ENG6208 Advanced Engineering Project Management11

Schedule B: Specialisation Courses Students must complete two of the courses listed in Schedule B - one mandatory discipline course plus one selective.

*** Students undertaking transitional studies from a non-engineering undergraduate degree require a special enrolment pattern in lieu of Schedule B courses.

Mandatory

     MEC4108 Advanced Thermofluids1Pre-requisite: (MEC3107 & ENM2600 & ENG3104) or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: MENS or MEPR or GCNS or GDNS or GEPR Students cannot enrol in MEC4108 if they have successfully completed, or are currently enrolled in, MEC4103

Choose one selective from the following

     MEC4104 Renewable Energy Technology22Pre-requisite: ((MEC2101 and MEC3102) or MEC2106) or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: GCEN or GCNS or GDNS or METC or MENS or MEPR
     MEC4302 Computational Mechanics in Design11Pre-requisite: (MEC2304 and MEC2401 and MEC2402) or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: GCEN or METC or MEPR or GCNS or GDNS or MENS
     MEC4403 Advanced Dynamics22Pre-requisite: (MEC2401 and (MAT2500 or ENM2600)) or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: MENS or MEPR or GCNS or GDNS or GEPR
     MEC5107 Thermofluids22Pre-requisite: Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: GCNS or GDNS or MENS
     MEC5203 Fibre Reinforced Composites22Pre-requisite: (MEC1201 and (ENM2600 or MAT2100) and MEC2402) or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: GCNS or GDNS or MEPR or MENS

*** Please contact the School of Engineering Program Director (Post-graduate) via usq.support@usq.edu.au for alternative of up to 4 units of advanced undergraduate courses to complete pre-requisite engineering knowledge to allow future potential articulation into Master of Professional Engineering.


Footnotes
†Unavailable in S3 2023

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Power Engineering specialisation recommended enrolment pattern


Specialisation: Power Engineering (Specialisation ¾«¶«´«Ã½app Code: 16203)
CourseYear of program and semester in which course is normally studiedEnrolment requirements
On-campus
(ONC)
External
(EXT)
Online
(ONL)
YearSemYearSemYearSem

Schedule A: Core Courses Students must complete the two courses listed in Schedule A.

     ENG5001 Professional Skills in Engineering†1,2,31,2,3
     ENG6205 Project Management Practice22

Schedule B: Specialisation Courses Students must complete two of the courses listed in Schedule B - one mandatory discipline course plus one selective.

*** Students undertaking transitional studies from a non-engineering undergraduate degree require a special enrolment pattern in lieu of Schedule B courses.

Mandatory

     ELE5805 Power Electronics and Drive Systems22Pre-requisite: (ELE1502 and ELE1801) or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: GCEN or METC or MEPR or GCNS or GDNS or MENS

Choose one selective from the following

     ELE4307 Real Time Systems22Pre-requisite: ELE1301 or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: GCNS or GDNS or MENS or MEPR
     ELE4506 Industrial Process Automation1Pre-requisite: (ELE2101 or ELE2103) and ELE3105 and MEC2501 or Students must be enrolled in the following program: GCNS or GDNS or MENS or MEPR
     ELE4708 Electricity Supply Systems and Operations22Pre-requisite: Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: GCNS or GDNS or MENS or MEPR
     ELE4807 Power Systems Analysis11
     MEC4104 Renewable Energy Technology22Pre-requisite: ((MEC2101 and MEC3102) or MEC2106) or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: GCEN or GCNS or GDNS or METC or MENS or MEPR

*** Please contact the School of Engineering Program Director (Post-graduate) via usq.support@usq.edu.au for alternative of up to 4 units of advanced undergraduate courses to complete pre-requisite engineering knowledge to allow future potential articulation into Master of Professional Engineering.


Footnotes
†Unavailable in S3 2023

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Structural Engineering specialisation recommended enrolment pattern


Specialisation: Structural Engineering (Specialisation ¾«¶«´«Ã½app Code: 16204)
CourseYear of program and semester in which course is normally studiedEnrolment requirements
On-campus
(ONC)
External
(EXT)
Online
(ONL)
YearSemYearSemYearSem

Schedule A: Core Courses Students must complete the two courses listed in Schedule A.

     ENG5001 Professional Skills in Engineering†1,2,31,2,3
     ENG6104 Asset Management in an Engineering Environment11

Schedule B: Specialisation Courses Students must complete two of the courses listed in Schedule B - one mandatory discipline course plus one selective.

*** Students undertaking transitional studies from a non-engineering undergraduate degree require a special enrolment pattern in lieu of Schedule B courses.

Mandatory

     CIV4505 Structural Analysis11Pre-requisite: MEC2402 and (MAT1502 or ENM1600 or MAT1102) or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: GCEN or METC or MEPR or GCNS or GDNS or MENS or GEPR

Choose one selective from the following

     CIV4506 Concrete Structures11Pre-requisite: CIV2503 or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: GCEN or METC or MEPR or GCNS or GDNS or MENS
     CIV4508 Structural Design II11Pre-requisite: (CIV3505 or CIV4505) and (CIV3506 or CIV4506) or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: GCEN or METC or MEPR or GCNS or GDNS or MENS
     CIV5403 Advanced Geotechnical Engineering22Pre-requisite: CIV2401 or CIV2403 or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: GCEN or METC or MEPR or GCNS or GDNS or MENS
     CIV8801 Code-Based Structural Design1
     CIV6803 Advanced Mechanics and Technology of Fibre Composites3Pre-requisite: CIV3506 or MEC3203 or Students must be enrolled in one of the following Programs: PGCN or MEPR or GCNS or GDNS or MENS

*** Please contact the School of Engineering Program Director (Post-graduate) via usq.support@usq.edu.au for alternative of up to 4 units of advanced undergraduate courses to complete pre-requisite engineering knowledge to allow future potential articulation into Master of Professional Engineering.


Footnotes
†Unavailable in S3 2023