General Information

Overview

The Associate Degree of Engineering gives you the skills and qualification to pathway into the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours).

You’ll have access to leading labs and facilities and be taught by teachers who are working in the industry.

Study structure

Successful completion of the Associate Degree of Engineering requires students to complete units of study to the value of 200 credit points. All units of study are valued at 12.5 credit points unless otherwise stated.

  • Full-time study: 100 credit points/eight standard units of study per year

  • Part-time study: 50 credit points/four standard units of study per year

  • One credit point is equivalent to one hour of study per week per semester (including contact hours and private study)

  • See the course planner for an example degree structure.

  • Full-time study: 100 credit points/eight standard units of study per year

  • One credit point is equivalent to one hour of study per week per semester (including contact hours and private study)

  • See the course planner for an example degree structure.

Units of study Unit code
Core units
Technology in an Indigenous Context Project
Core unit, 12.5 credit points 		COS10027
Introduction to Programming
Core unit, 12.5 credit points 		COS10028
Engineering Mechanics
Core unit, 12.5 credit points 		EAT10002
Engineering Materials
Core unit, 12.5 credit points 		EAT10003
Energy and Motion
Core unit, 12.5 credit points 		EAT10005
Humanitarian Engineering Design Project
Core unit, 12.5 credit points 		EAT10027
Computer Aided Drafting and Design
Core unit, 12.5 credit points 		EAT20001
Project Management Practice and 3D Design Applications
Core unit, 12.5 credit points 		EAT20005
Professional Practice in Engineering
Core unit 		EAT20024
Engineering Capstone Project
Core unit, 12.5 credit points 		EAT20035
Applied Engineering Mathematics
Core unit, 12.5 credit points 		MTH00005
Calculus and Applications
Core unit, 12.5 credit points 		MTH10015
Linear Algebra and Applications
Core unit, 12.5 credit points 		MTH10016

Choose from four (4) specialisation Majors (50 credit points) for the award in either

  • Associate Degree of Engineering (Civil)
  • Associate Degree of Engineering (Electrical)
  • Associate Degree of Engineering (Mechanical) or
  • Associate Degree of Engineering (Mechatronics)

Choose one of the options within a major

Civil

For a Civil major complete one of the following two options

Option 1 - Road Engineering

Option 2 - Structural Engineering

Mechanical

For a Mechanical major complete one of the following two options

Option 1 - Computer Aided Drafting and Design

Option 2 - Mechanical Machine Dynamics Systems Design

Mechatronics

For a Mechatronic major complete one of the following two options

Option 1 - Microcontroller Systems Design

Option 2 - Mechatronics Machine Dynamic Systems Design

Electrical

For a Electrical major complete one of the following two options

Option 1 - Renewable Energy Electrical Engineering

Option 2 - Electrical Microcontroller Systems Design

Aims and objectives

On successful completion of this Course students will be able to :
  • Apply broad knowledge of engineering in diverse contexts and applications using critical thinking and judgement, including Indigenous studies
  • Identify, analyse and evaluate information and concepts from a range of sources
  • Apply problem solving, design and decision-making methodologies to identify and provide solutions to complex problems with some intellectual independence
  • Apply procedural-level mathematics and engineering fundamentals to the analysis, design and operation of a model, using appropriate engineering methods and tools
  • Communicate proficiently to a variety of audiences, function as an effective member or leader of a team, and use the basic tools and practices of project management within project work
  • Establish professionalism, integrity, ethical conduct, professional accountability and an awareness of the para-professional engineering practice in a global and sustainable context
  • Reflect on and take responsibility for their own learning and self-management processes, and manage their own time and processes effectively by regularly reviewing personal performance as a means of managing continuing professional development and lifelong learning

Career opportunities

The Associate Degree of Engineering is designed to prepare graduates for the profession as a para-professional engineer for employment as ‘Engineering Officer’ or ‘Associate Engineer’.

Professional recognition

Completion of the Associate Degree in Engineering will assist graduates in being eligible for membership of Engineers Australia at Associate Level.

Maximum Academic Credit

The maximum level of credit that can be granted for the Associate Degree of Engineering is 125 credit points (normally 10 units).

Admission criteria

Information about Swinburne's general admission criteria can be found at Admissions at Swinburne - Higher Education webpage.

Entry requirements

A. Applicants with recent secondary education (within past three years)

ATAR

This course uses the ATAR as part of its selection considerations.

Guaranteed ATAR: if you receive an ATAR of 50 or higher and meet all the essential requirements for this course, you will be guaranteed an offer.

Educational history 

An applicant's entire academic history, including ATAR results, will be considered for entry into this course. 

Selection rank adjustments 

Selection ranks for this course will be calculated based on your ATAR with adjustments to overall study scores based on subjects studied, location of your home address, SEAS application, and participation In Swinburne's Early Leaders program. For further details about selection rank adjustments, see Admissions at Swinburne. 

Subject Adjustments 

A study score of 25 in any Science, any Information Technology, any Mathematics or Systems Engineering equals 2 aggregate points per study. Overall maximum of 10 points.

Meeting course prerequisites 

VCE units 3 and 4: a study score of at least 25 in any English (except EAL) or at least 30 in English as Alternate Language (EAL) or equivalent.

VCE Units 3 and 4: a study score of at least 20 in any Mathematics or equivalent.

ATAR profile for those offered places wholly or partly on the basis of ATAR in Semester 1 2024

ATAR-Based offers only, across all offer rounds ATAR
Excluding adjustment factors		 Selection Rank
ATAR + any adjustment factors
Highest rank to receive an offer 72.35 75
Median rank to receive an offer 57.72 64.5
Lowest rank to receive an offer 48 53.7

B. Applicants with higher education study

Educational history 

An applicant's entire academic history, including results from previous higher education study will be considered for entry into this course. If previous higher education qualifications are incomplete, results must have been obtained in the last seven years.

Meeting course prerequisites 

As for Year 12 or equivalent. 

STAT/Bridging courses 

Results from the STAT Multiple Choice will be considered for applicants without an ATAR and whose post-secondary studies do not meet the minimum requirements. Applicants who do not meet the English prerequisites can sit STAT Written English. Applicants who do not meet the Mathematics prerequisite will need to successfully complete Swinburne's MathsLink: General bridging program.

Mathematics study scores or prerequisites older than five years are not considered to have met course prerequisite requirements. STAT results are valid for two years.

C. Applicants with vocational education and training (VET) study

Educational history 

An applicant's entire academic history from the past seven years, including complete and/or incomplete post-secondary VET studies, will be considered for entry into this course. Only graded results will be considered. 

Meeting course prerequisites 

As for Year 12 or equivalent. 

STAT/Bridging courses 

Results from the STAT Multiple Choice will be considered for applicants without an ATAR and whose post-secondary studies do not meet the minimum requirements. Applicants who do not meet the English prerequisites can sit STAT Written English. STAT results are valid for two years.

D. Applicants with work and life experience

Entire academic record 

This course uses an applicant's entire academic record as part of its selection considerations, including an applicant's ATAR results from the last seven years can be considered for entry into this course. 

Meeting course prerequisites 

As for Year 12 or equivalent. 

STAT/Bridging courses 

Results from the STAT Multiple Choice will be considered for applicants without an ATAR and whose post-secondary studies do not meet the minimum requirements. Applicants who do not meet the English prerequisites can sit STAT Written English. STAT results are valid for two years.

Mathematics study scores or prerequisites older than five years are not considered to have met course prerequisite requirements. STAT results are valid for two years.

Student profile

The table below gives an indication of the likely peer cohort for new students in this course. It provides data on students who commenced in this course in the most relevant recent intake period, including those admitted through all offer rounds and international students studying in Australia.

  Semester 1, 2024
Applicant background Number of students Percentage of all students
(A) Higher education study (includes a bridging or enabling course) <5 <5
(B) Vocational education and training (VET) study <5 <5
(C) Work and life experience (admitted on the basis of previous achievement not in the other three categories) <5 <5
(D) Recent secondary education:    
Admitted solely on the basis of ATAR (regardless of whether this includes the consideration of adjustment factors such as equity or subject bonus points) 14 74%
Admitted where both ATAR and additional criteria were N/A considered (e.g. portfolio, audition, extra test, early offer conditional on minimum ATAR) N/A N/A
Admitted on the basis of other criteria only and ATAR was N/A not a factor (e.g. special consideration, audition alone, schools recommendation scheme with no minimum ATAR requirement) 0 0%
International students 0 0%
All students 19 100%
Notes: 
“<5” – the number of students is less than 5.
N/A – Students not accepted in this category.

Interested in the Associate Degree of Engineering?

From state-of-the-art facilities to opportunities to engage with industry – this course is designed with your future in mind. Let's get started.

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