Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)/Bachelor of Business

This double degree at Western Sydney University is a five-and-a-half-year combined programme that turns out engineers who can read a balance sheet and business graduates who understand how things get built. You study two degrees at once, and the two halves talk to each other. On the engineering side you work towards an honours-level engineering qualification; on the business side you complete a business degree with a broad base in management, accounting, economics, marketing and organisational behaviour.

How the degree is structured

Australian bachelor degrees normally run three years full time, and an honours year adds a fourth. A double degree like this one is longer again because you are completing the requirements of two awards, and Western Sydney runs its teaching across semesters. You enrol in units of study, each worth a set number of credit points, and you accumulate credit points until you have met the requirements of both degrees. Engineering units carry a heavy load of mathematics, physics, materials, mechanics, design and project work, along with a substantial final-year engineering project. Business units cover the functional areas of management and give you room for a major or specialisation. Because the two degrees are planned together, you generally finish with fewer total units than if you did them back to back.

Work-integrated learning and accreditation

Engineering in Australia is a profession with a clear accreditation pathway. Engineering degrees are assessed against the standards set by Engineers Australia, and graduates of accredited programmes can apply for the relevant stage of professional recognition. That matters when you apply for roles and when you later seek chartered status. Work-integrated learning is standard in engineering: placements, industry-based projects and cadetships with engineering firms, manufacturers, utilities and councils. The business side brings its own industry links through internships, consulting projects and guest practitioners. Confirm the current accreditation status of the engineering component and the placement requirements on the official course page before you apply.

What you actually learn

You finish with two sets of skills that employers rarely find in one person. You can size up a technical problem, design a solution and cost it. You can read a project budget, argue a business case, manage a team and explain engineering decisions to people who are not engineers. You learn to work with data, to plan and deliver projects, and to think about risk, sustainability and regulation. Group projects are a big part of it, because that is how engineering and business actually get done.

Who it suits

This degree suits school leavers and mature students who want an engineering career but do not want to spend it purely in a technical lane. It also suits people aiming at project management, engineering consultancy, infrastructure delivery, manufacturing operations or starting their own firm. If you only want to design and never want to think about money, the single engineering degree is a better fit. If you want to run the projects and the business, the double degree earns its extra time. International students should note that the Student visa generally allows work of up to 48 hours per fortnight while your course is in session, and graduates may be eligible for the Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485) post-study work stream. Tuition is published on the CRICOS register under course code 113851F. Check the official Western Sydney University page for entry requirements, assumed knowledge, English proficiency and the exact unit sequence.

• Engineering roles across civil, mechanical, electrical, structural and related disciplines, in consultancies, contractors, utilities and government agencies
• Project engineer and project manager on infrastructure, construction, transport and water projects
• Engineering consultant advising clients on design, cost, risk and delivery
• Operations and production manager in manufacturing, mining, energy and logistics
• Business analyst or management consultant working on technical and infrastructure problems
• Product and commercial manager in technology, engineering and industrial firms
• Asset manager maintaining plant, networks and public infrastructure
• Startup founder or small business owner in an engineering or technical field
• Graduate roles in banking, insurance and professional services where technical literacy is valued

Employers include engineering and multidisciplinary consultancies, construction and infrastructure contractors, state and local government, utilities, manufacturers, transport and logistics operators, mining and resources companies, and technology firms. Many graduates work towards chartered status through Engineers Australia while building a business career alongside it.