A New Type of Academic Structure

At the University of Technology Sydney (UTS), things aren't like back home. For starters, the class structure is different. All classes have 2 parts, a lecture and a tutorial (similar to a lab). Similar to home, there are many different instructors for lectures and tutorials. Unlike at UH, work is only given through the tutorial (mostly in-person) and the lecture is purely lecture, with some discussion and interaction of course (usually via Zoom). Attendance requirements vary between subjects, but it seems that most require attendance during tutorials while lectures are not mandatory.

Furthermore, the grading system is completely different. At UTS, students earn from the following grades:

High Distinction (HD): 85-100% - Work of outstanding quality on all objectives of the subject.

Distinction (D): 75-84% - Work of superior quality on all objectives of the subject.

Credit (C): 65-74% - Work of good quality showing more than satisfactory achievement on all objectives of the subject.

Pass (P): 50-64% - Work showing a satisfactory achievement on all objectives of the subject.

Fail (X): 50% or more - Unsatisfactory performance in a compulsory component of the subject. A Fail(X) grade is awarded on the basis that a compulsory component is essential for meeting the objectives of the subject.

Fail (Z): 0-49% - Work showing an unsatisfactory achievement on one or more objectives of the subject.

Lastly, the academic calendar is significantly different. There are 2 breaks (Study Vacations) throughout the semester. One in the middle of the session and one the week before the start of the finals period. This allows students to balance their studies and properly span their studying throughout the session allowing for a more sustainable workflow. In regards to the finals period, it runs for the last 3 weeks of the session.