University of Western Australia

About the University

The University of Western Australia (UWA) is a research-intensive university in Perth, Australia that was established by an act of the Western Australian Parliament in February 1911, and began teaching students for the first time in 1913. It is the oldest university in the state of Western Australia. It is colloquially known as a "sandstone university". It is also a member of the Group of Eight.

• Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Visual Arts

  The Faculty of Architecture, Landscape and Visual Arts programs at UWA attract high-quality students from around the world seeking to advance scholarship in the disciplines of Architecture, Landscape Architecture, Urban Design, Visual Arts and the History of Art. Our Faculty culture is individually oriented, future-focussed and it values innovation and collaboration between creative disciplines. The Faculty also contains the Australian Urban Design Research Centre (AUDRC). Together we produce tangible benefits for our graduates and society.

• Faculty of Arts

  We teach and conduct research across 21 different discipline areas, which range from Anthropology and Archaeology through to Communication and Media Studies. We have a committed group of researchers and academics with expertise on studies in the cultures, histories, behaviours, languages and communities of the world. The Faculty’s School of Music teaches performance, composition and music education and its students are always in the limelight winning numerous prestigious awards.

  We are thrilled to have been awarded a major grant to host the new Centre for Excellence for the History of Emotions. We also host a number of research centres including the Centre for Rock Art Research + Management, the only one in Australia, which researches and preserves the rock art of the Pilbara Region.

  Study in a Bachelor of Arts degree will give you skills to deal with challenges of a changing world. You will gain expertise in communicating in a variety of media, reasoning ability, problem solving and both critical and creative thinking. These are all attributes that employers seek and will assist you to achieve a successful career. UWA Arts graduates are just as successful in the job market as graduates from other faculties of this university. In addition our internationally renowned academic staffs are sought after by students seeking postgraduate studies and our graduates are among the most successful in the region and country.

• Business School

  We are the only business school in Western Australia – and one of seven institutions in Australia – to be internationally accredited through EQUIS, the European Quality Improvement System, and AACSB, the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business. These accreditations recognise the high standards of the School’s mission, operations, faculty qualifications and contributions, courses, research, community outreach and other critical areas.

  The School delivers undergraduate, postgraduate and higher degree by research courses to over 5,000 students. Our academic staff conduct rigorous and relevant research across the four disciplines ofAccounting and Finance, Economics, Management and Organisations and Marketing.

• Faculty of Education

  From its humble beginnings in 1916, the Faculty of Education has grown to beranked 38th in the world, and 6th in Australia, in the QS World University Rankings by Subject.

  It also has the highest employer reputation score than any other Western Australian Education Faculty.

  For 100 years, the Faculty of Education at UWA has mentored and prepared hundreds of teaching graduates. Many have gone to become leading scholars, international researchers and inspiring teachers to their own students.

  A common thread that runs through these individuals is the mark they’ve made in education. They have helped future generations learn, absorb and imagine the impossible to achieve great things.

  As members of the Faculty, this is what we aspire to and aim to achieve for our graduates and education in Australia and abroad.

• Faculty of Engineering, Computing and Mathematics

  Through both practical and theory-based learning, we provide the exciting and engaging environment required to inspire creativity, innovation and collaboration. Our graduates are well-equipped to tackle global challenges.

  Our Engineering, Computing and Mathematics undergraduate and postgraduate courses are designed to meet the changes in the world. Our teaching is informed by the latest developments in research and industry, and we believe that it is this, together with our purpose-built learning and teaching facilities (such as the Monadelphous Integrated Learning Centre and Clough Engineering Student Centre), outstanding teaching staff and commitment to students, that makes UWA a place that truly breeds excellence and fosters ingenuity.

  Wherever Engineering, Computing or Mathematics may take you, we look forward to helping you achieve your goals at UWA. We invite you to participate in an exciting and rewarding experience that will make you a sought-after graduate with an internationally recognised education, ready to change the world.                   

• Faculty of Law

  University of Western Australia’s Faculty of Law has of over 85 years of academic excellence in teaching and learning, in scholarship and in research. Founded with considerable assistance from the Western Australian legal profession, this close bond is still retained today, ensuring consistently high rates of employment for our graduates.

  Continually evolving to meet contemporary challenges, we are international and multi-disciplinary; with academics drawn from around the world with range of legal and socio-legal backgrounds, to deliver quality teaching programs and research with impact.

• Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences

  Our Faculty offers courses, training and research opportunities in a full range of scientific and clinical disciplines, to significantly benefit the health of Australian and international communities

• School of Indigenous Studies

  Our aim is to achieve excellence and equity in all aspects of higher education for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

• Faculty of Science

  We are ranked 1st in Australia for Life and Agricultural Sciences and our faculty is internationally renowned for its excellence in teaching and research.

  Your studies will involve not only the theory, but the crucial technical skills of your chosen field. Whether it's in our world-class laboratories, on exciting field trips or in real-world industry placements, we give you the chance to become immersed in the hands-on side of science.

• Graduate Research School

  Co-ordinates the University's world-class graduate research training activities, and provides administrative support to the Board of the Graduate Research School.

  It provides support to students, supervisors, schools and examiners.

History

The University of Western Australia (UWA) was established in 1911 as the State's first university. It was also the first free university in the British Empire, actively promoting equal access to tertiary education for all social classes.

The University was established due largely to the efforts of Sir John Winthrop Hackett, who had a long-standing vision and passion to provide Western Australia with a university. Proprietor and editor of The West Australian newspaper, he chaired a Royal Commission which recommended the establishment of a university. Later he was the founding Chancellor and bequeathed more than £425,000 (the equivalent of more than $32 million today) to the University.

There was consensus among legislators of the time that the University not only be free, but also provide tertiary education of a practical nature to help develop Western Australia's pioneering economy. At the time of the University's foundation, Perth's population was just 121,000 and its economy relied mostly on agricultural, pastoral and mining industries.

As a result, the founding professorial appointments were in Agriculture, Mining and Engineering, Geology, Mathematics and Physics, Chemistry, History and Economics, Biology, and English. These were balanced to an extent by the appointment of lecturers in Classics and Ancient History, French, German, Mental and Moral Philosophy, and Veterinary Science. Overarching these 12 posts were three faculties – Engineering, Science and Arts.

More than 100 years later, the University is now home to nine Faculties and Schools and a number of Research Institutions and Centres which celebrated the University's Centenary in 2013. UWA also entered the internationally-recognised Academic Ranking of World Universities' Top 100 listing, continuing to set the standard for other West Australian universities to follow in terms of recognition for its achievements nationally and internationally.

Accreditation

Institutional Accreditation or Recognition: Department of Education and Training, Australia

Rankings

• The UWA Business School is only one of seven institutions in Australia to hold international accreditation from both the European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS) and the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). These are leading business school accreditations in Europe and North America and are highly valued by employers.
• UWA is ranked 87th in the world by Shanghai Jiao Tong University’s Academic Ranking of World Universities – and 98th in the world by the QS World University Rankings - an endorsement of our international quality.
• UWA is the only Western Australian university to belong to the Group of Eight – a coalition of the top research universities in Australia – and it is one of only two Australian members of the Worldwide Universities Network, a partnership of 18 research-led universities from Europe, Africa, the Americas and the Asia-Pacific. The University is also a foundation member of the Matariki Network of high quality, research-intensive universities with a particular focus on student experience. These credentials add to UWA’s prestige as a top MBA provider.

The suburb of Crawley, just 10 minutes from the Perth central business district, is home to the main campus of The University of Western Australia.

The University has smaller centres at Claremont and Albany.

1. Crawley Campus
2. UWA Claremont
3. UWA Albany

Crawley Campus

From its extensive art collections and theatre venues to its wealth of sporting, cultural, alumni andsocial groups, the University is a leading intellectual and creative resource to the communities it serves.

The University's affiliated residential colleges lie north of the campus. You can explore the campus through the UWA Virtual Universe or the campus map.

UWA’s distinctive mix of heritage architecture and contemporary buildings contain state-of-the-art teaching and research facilities, lecture and performance theatres, tutorial spaces, studios and subject-specific laboratories, creating the perfect learning environment.

Situated on the Swan River in Crawley, UWA is one of Australia’s most picturesque campuses. At UWA you are surrounded by leafy green spaces with open courtyards and plenty of room to study, catch up with friends or relax outdoors in Perth’s moderate climate.

UWA consistently rates highly in student feedback surveys as offering an exciting, vibrant atmosphere. Shop, play, eat, be entertained – there’s a whole village on campus including:

• banking
• Co-op Bookshop and second-hand bookshop
• child care
• cafés
• computer shop
• Guild shop and newsagency
• hairdresser
• travel agency
• market day every Tuesday
• art galleries, museums, performance theatres and outdoor cinema
• recreation centre, swimming pools, tennis and squash courts and a health and fitness centre
• optometrist, medical centre, pharmacy, dentist and physiotherapist.

UWA Claremont

Just a few minutes from the main Crawley Campus is the University’s Claremont site.

UWA Claremont is home to:

• The Australian Music Examination Board (AMEB)
• Confucius Institute
• Centre for Muslim States and Societies
• International Skills and Training Institute in Health
• Centre for English Language Teaching

UWA Claremont is also where you will find Taylor's College, which provides foundation courses for international students.

The original buildings were home to the State's first post-secondary teaching institution which opened in 1902 – Claremont Teachers College. The college later became the Western Australian College of Advanced Education.

The campus is located on the corner of Princess Road and Goldsworthy Road in Claremont.

UWA Albany

UWA has a regional campus in the south-coast town of Albany - a four-and-half-hour drive from Perth

The friendly and close-knit UWA Albany community includes the:

• UWA Albany Centre
• Centre of Excellence in Natural Resource Management
• Rural Clinical School (Albany)
• UWA Perth International Arts Festival

In 2005, Curtin University of Technology joined UWA in Albany to provide additional courses to the local community.

At the UWA Albany Centre you can experience all that regional Western Australia has to offer while studying at university. A supportive, welcoming community at the UWA Albany Centre provides the perfect alternative to a big-city campus.

Centre of Excellence in Natural Resource Management undertakes targeted, cost-effective and innovative research that makes a significant and recognised contribution to addressing Australia's natural resource management problems.

The Rural Clinical School of WA (Albany) offers clinical placements in a regional town to medicine students in their penultimate year from UWA and University of Notre Dame Australia.

PIAF brings international, national and local artists together for world-class entertainment experiences in the Great Southern.

UWA Albany offers a diverse range of stimulating options to become involved in, including sporting and social activities, public lectures and arts events.

The Friends of UWA Albany provides a way for members of the community to show support for and to be involved in UWA activities in Albany.

Highest-quality graduates

UWA graduates gain full-time employment at a higher rate than other university graduates in Western Australia and most other Australian universities. UWA students leave with a highly respected qualification and with the skills sought by employers in today's challenging job market.

Western Australia's top-achieving school leavers choose to study at UWA as do high-calibre undergraduate and postgraduate students from around Australia and the world, particularly Southeast Asia.

World-class education

Our students benefit from the strong knowledge base and experience of teaching staff, many of whom have substantial international experience.

The University's strong foundation in research and teaching creates a scholarly environment which promotes the pursuit and rigorous critical interpretation of new information as well as the acquisition of knowledge.

Apart from lectures, tutorials, supervised research, field trips and student placements, the University also provides students with opportunities to apply their knowledge on collaborative projects with business, industry, government and the wider community.

UWA students are also involved in more than 160 student exchange or study abroad programs in North America, Asia and Europe.

Research

he University has a strong commitment to excellence and this underpins all its activities, particularly in the areas of teaching and research. UWA is responsible for almost 70 per cent of university-based research in Western Australia, attracting researchers of international standing, many of whom are working in the numerous research centres at the University. These academic leaders, including Nobel Laureate Professor Barry Marshall, pass on their knowledge and excite students to learn.

While research covers the full range of disciplines within the University, our strategic research priorities are:

• plant sciences and sustainable food production
• ecology, evolution and the environment
• energy and minerals
• Indigenous knowledge
• medicine and health
• mind and the nervous system

The University's Graduate Research School has about 2000 higher degree by research students, mostly undertaking PhDs.

International community

The University thinks globally in preparing its students to be citizens of the world. Formal agreements with nearly 230 institutions around the world provide a spirit of internationalism and these partnerships promote a lively exchange of staff, students, knowledge and ideas. UWA teaches several programs offshore in Singapore, Hong Kong, Manila and Shanghai.

The University welcomes more than 4500 international students to its academic programs. Our Crawley campus is a multi-cultural and multi-faith community which includes students from 90 different countries.

By reaching out to the world, UWA continues to enhance its reputation as a genuinely international university that is helping our students reach their goals and dreams.

• CTW Ada Jackson Scholarship for Master of Teaching