Bachelor degrees
Launch or redefine your career with a next gen bachelor degree. Get the experience, skills and confidence for further study or ambitious careers.
What is a bachelor degree?
Bachelor degrees, also called undergraduate degrees, are often the first university experience for school leavers – but they’re open to anyone at any life stage.
Undergraduate degrees take between three and five years to complete. With part-time, flexible and online study options on offer, there’s a bachelor degree that suits your needs at Swinburne.
Real industry experience is guaranteed in all Swinburne bachelor degrees through our Work Integrated Learning program. You’ll get on the direct line to your career with projects, placements and internships that connect you with industry before you graduate.
What is a double degree?
Double degrees let you study two areas at once, graduating with broad expertise. Combine your passions or pair complementary skills to open up diverse career pathways. You'll finish both qualifications faster than taking them consecutively, and gain a competitive edge.
What is an honours year?
An honours year takes your bachelor degree further through specialised research. You'll complete cutting-edge research and produce a thesis that demonstrates your expertise. Honours can be a gateway to career opportunities and postgraduate research degrees.
There are a few reasons you might do an honours year:
It’s built-in to your bachelor degree: degrees including honours have an honours year built into the course – like the Bachelor of Film and Television (Honours).
You can choose to add an honours year: in some study areas, like science, Swinburne offers a standalone honours year which you can apply for after completing your undergraduate degree.
It’s required for accreditation: accreditation in some fields, like engineering or psychology, requires you to complete a honours year.
Browse our bachelor degree
Popular bachelor degrees
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Bachelor of Arts
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Bachelor of Business
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Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)
Why study with Swinburne?
Top 300 globally
Recognised in the QS World University Rankings 2026 top 300
Real experience guarantee
Work Integrated Learning is guaranteed in all our bachelor degrees
Five-star student experience
Rated five stars by our undergraduate students for overall experience, student:teacher ratio and student support.
Frequently asked questions
There’s no single pathway into a bachelor degree at Swinburne – no matter where you’re starting from, there’s an entry point for you.
VTAC: Year 12 students can make Swinburne their number one VTAC preference to apply for a bachelor degree.
Direct entry: Non-year 12 students can apply to Swinburne directly via our online application portal.
Pathways: If you don’t meet the traditional academic requirements to get into the course you want, don’t worry – we offer a variety of pathway options to help get you there.
Explore our pathways to university to learn more about options like UniLink diplomas, TAFE, Fee-Free UniReady and more.
Most bachelor degrees take between three and six years to complete, depending on whether you choose to study:
Full-time or part-time
During summer and winter terms
A double degree – these have more units overall and add time to your degree.
A professional degree – this adds a 12-month, paid placement to your bachelor degree.
TAFE diplomas and bachelor degrees differ in duration, focus and study pathways.
Diplomas take six weeks to two years and emphasise hands-on technical skills, while bachelor degrees require three to five years of study and cover deeper theoretical and technical knowledge.
Many diplomas provide direct entry into bachelor programs, whereas bachelor degrees lead to postgraduate study like graduate certificates, graduate diplomas and master degrees.
Note that, unlike TAFE diplomas, graduate diplomas are advanced postgraduate qualifications requiring a bachelor degree or significant work experience.
Yes, you can complete multiple bachelor degrees. If you want to combine your passions, get a competitive edge and gain two bachelor degrees at once, you can undertake a double degree.
Yes, you can choose to study a double degree. You can also transfer into a double degree at any time during your undergraduate degree.
Generally, a three-year bachelor degree has 24 units. Your course breakdown can include:
Core units
Units for your major
Elective units
Course options allow you to study in an area that isn’t directly related to your degree, in the form of a co-major, minor, advanced minor or elective.
If you choose to study a double degree or honours year, you’ll need to complete additional units.
Standard bachelor degree: 24 units
Double degree:
Honours year:
Yes, a bachelor degree can bring you career opportunities, higher earning potential, and the satisfaction of working in a field that matches your passions and interests. For some professions, a bachelor degree is required – or the first step towards a professional accreditation.
With real industry experience built-in to all our bachelor degrees, you can walk into your next career stage armed with industry-level skills and confidence.
