The University of Western Australia (UWA) has announced details of three new bridging courses designed for students who may have bypassed the traditional Year 12 exam-based pathway or did not achieve the admission score they were hoping for.
First UWA-Offered Preparation Programs
While UWA has previously accepted students who completed university preparation courses run by other institutions, these are the first such programs to be offered by UWA itself. Successful completion of one of these courses will grant students entry into a bachelor's degree program at UWA.
The courses will be launched in the middle of this year for mature-age students and will also be available to high school students from the following year.
Three Tailored Pathways
The three courses are divided into distinct streams: Catalyst, for students aiming for science and technology degrees; Thrive, for aspiring nurses and health professionals; and Headway, for those targeting arts, business, education, or social work.
Responding to Evolving Higher Education Trends
UWA stated that these preparation programs were developed in response to the changing nature of higher education and a growing trend among students to choose degrees with clear career pathways, such as engineering or nursing.
Deputy Vice-Chancellor for education and student experience, Professor Guy Littlefair, said the programs would expand opportunities for students from diverse backgrounds by making higher education more accessible.
“These programs support education in our community by strengthening academic literacy, numeracy, critical thinking, and field-specific knowledge,” Professor Littlefair said. “These are not one-size-fits-all enabling courses — they are tailored and purpose-built to a specific field of study. Small classes and tailored support will give students the skills they need to step into their chosen course with confidence.”
Rising Popularity of Preparation Courses
The number of Year 12 students taking university preparation courses has surged in recent years, while enrolments in exam-based ATAR subjects have declined. Curtin University’s preparation course, the UniReady in Schools program, was delivered to over 2,100 students across more than 80 schools last year.
Enabling courses at Curtin and Edith Cowan University were among the most popular study pathways chosen by last year’s school leavers. Figures from the Tertiary Institutions Service Centre showed they were included in students’ top 20 options, based on first-preference applications.
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