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Course Overview
As an engineering associate you can focus on applications and interactions within systems. Engineering associates combine a sound engineering understanding with modern technology to apply and adapt sustainable engineering practices for communities, society and the environment in general. Engineering associates often work in support of professional engineers or engineering technologists in a team environment.
Civil engineers are typically involved in planning design and maintenance of physical infrastructure systems including to construction of buildings and bridges, transport and water resource systems, sewage and industrial waste systems, harbours and railways.
Mechanical engineers are typically involved in planning, design, installation, maintenance and operation of machines, thermodynamic and combustion systems, fluid systems, materials handling systems, manufacturing equipment and process plant.
Electrical engineers typically specialise in systems design, development and maintenance of systems associated with electrical power and energy including electricity generation and distribution, telecommunications, instrumentation and control, microprocessors and electronics.
Career Information
Associate Degree of Engineering graduates will enjoy rewarding career opportunities across various industries and government sectors. As an engineering associate, you will apply your knowledge of engineering principles to the testing, inspection, adaptation, commissioning, management and operation of plants, specialist equipment and systems. In addition, you may complete minor designs and prepare drawings or specifications for others to use in manufacturing or construction.
Engineering associates, having specialised in civil, electrical, geology, mechanical or resources disciplines, find employment in national and international public and private industry sectors, including energy, transportation, manufacturing, processing, construction, mining and education.
The Associate Degree of Engineering course employs the project-based learning philosophy to learn in context and produce work-ready graduates with industry-relevant skills.
| Duration | 4 years part-time |
|---|---|
| Credit Points that Must be Earned | 96 |
| Number of Units Required | CQUniversity uses the concept of credits to express the amount of study required for a particular course and individual units. The number of units varies between courses. Units in undergraduate courses normally consist of 6 points of credit or multiples thereof (e.g. 12, 18, 24). |
| Expected Hours of Study | Each unit at this level, typically requires 144 hours of student commitment over a period of 12 weeks. |
| Course Type | Undergraduate Award |
| Qualification (post nominal) | ADEng |
| AQF Level | Level 6: Associate Degree |
| Course Fees |
Indicative Year - 2026
Indicative Year - 2025
Indicative Year - 2024
Indicative Year - 2023
Indicative Year - 2022
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Admission Codes
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Domestic Students Tertiary Admission Centre Codes (TAC) Codes |
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International Students CRICOS Codes |
Not Applicable |
Units offered via MIX mode are delivered online and require compulsory attendance of site-specific learning activities such as on-campus residential schools, placements and/or work integrated learning. See Course Features tab for further information. Online units are delivered using online resources only.
Please Click Here for more information.
Domestic Availability
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Term 2 - 2027
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Term 1 - 2027
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Term 2 - 2026
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Term 1 - 2026
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Term 2 - 2025
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Term 1 - 2025
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Term 2 - 2024
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Term 1 - 2024
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Term 2 - 2023
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Term 1 - 2023
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Term 2 - 2022
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Term 1 - 2022
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Term 2 - 2021
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Term 1 - 2021
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Term 2 - 2020
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Term 1 - 2020
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Term 2 - 2019
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Term 1 - 2019
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Term 2 - 2018Students entering in Term 2 may have a reduced study load in some terms due to prerequisite requirements.
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Term 1 - 2018
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Term 2 - 2017Students entering in Term 2 may have a reduced study load in some terms due to prerequisite requirements.
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Term 1 - 2017
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Term 2 - 2016Students entering in Term 2 may have a reduced study load in some terms due to prerequisite requirements.
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Term 1 - 2016
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Term 2 - 2015Students entering in Term 2 may have a reduced study load in some terms due to prerequisite requirements.
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Term 1 - 2015
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Term 2 - 2014
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Term 1 - 2014
International Availability
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Term 2 - 2027
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Term 1 - 2027
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Term 2 - 2026
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Term 1 - 2026
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Term 2 - 2025
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Term 1 - 2025
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Term 2 - 2024
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Term 1 - 2024
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Term 2 - 2023
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Term 1 - 2023
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Term 2 - 2022
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Term 1 - 2022
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Term 2 - 2021
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Term 1 - 2021
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Term 2 - 2020
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Term 1 - 2020
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Term 2 - 2019
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Term 1 - 2019
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Term 2 - 2018Students entering in Term 2 may have a reduced study load in some terms due to prerequisite requirements.
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Term 1 - 2018
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Term 2 - 2017Students entering in Term 2 may have a reduced study load in some terms due to prerequisite requirements.
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Term 1 - 2017
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Term 2 - 2016Students entering in Term 2 may have a reduced study load in some terms due to prerequisite requirements.
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Term 1 - 2016
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Term 2 - 2015Students entering in Term 2 may have a reduced study load in some terms due to prerequisite requirements.
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Term 1 - 2015
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Term 2 - 2014
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Term 1 - 2014
| Rank Threshold | SR 60 | ATAR 60 |
English, science subjects and maths
Awards and Accreditation
| Interim Awards | Not applicable |
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| Exit Awards | Not applicable |
| Accreditation |
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Residential School Requirements
| Compulsory Residential School | All courses in this program are offered in distance (external) mode. Students of this program will be required to attend the CQUniversity Rockhampton campus for compulsory residential schools in some courses. Students are advised to check course details to determine whether a course has a residential component prior to enrolling. |
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| Click here to view all Residential Schools | |
Practicum/Work Placement
| - Students are required to complete a total of 6 weeks industry practice. Refer to More Details for further information. |
Previous and Current Enrolments
| Year | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 169 |
| 2024 | 162 |
| 2023 | 176 |
| 2022 | 209 |
| 2021 | 225 |
Please note that in some instances there may be similarities between course, entry and inherent requirements.
If you experience difficulties meeting these requirements, reasonable adjustments may be made upon contacting accessibility@cqu.edu.au. Adjustment must not compromise the academic integrity of the degree or course chosen at CQUniversity or the legal requirements of field education.
Examples are:
- Complying with academic and non-academic misconduct policies and procedures such as CQUniversity’s Student Charter, Student Misconduct Policy and Student Behavioural Misconduct Procedures and Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
- Using your knowledge and skills for the benefit of the community to create solutions for a sustainable future, in accordance with the Engineers Australia Code of Ethics. In doing so, you will strive to serve the community ahead of other personal or sectarian interests.
- Demonstrating integrity, scientific and technical competence, exude leadership qualities and promote sustainability, in the course of your professional practice.
Examples are:
- Being reflective with personal behaviours in relation to professional performance and being positive and receptive to processing constructive supervisor/lecturer feedback or criticism.
- Interacting with people from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures in a calm and composed manner in difficult to deal with situations.
- Approaching difficult situations with diplomacy and refraining from using inappropriate words/actions either verbally or in written communication.
- Accepting that your professional practice is a human-centric activity and that you must therefore, develop your ability to work well with others.
- Having the desire to solve problems in order to improve the standard of living of the people in the community.
Examples are:
- Understanding and complying with all relevant policies and procedures applicable in work practice.
- Complying with rules and regulations that apply in your practice location.
- Recognising and positively responding to any legal compliance issues that arise and bringing them to the attention of the appropriate stakeholders.
Examples are:
- Verbally communicating in the English language with accuracy, appropriateness and effectiveness.
- Listening to other's point of view and actively participating in discussion activities related to the course.
- Using language that is appropriate to the context of the individual, group or workplace.
- Presenting in front of a range of stakeholders, including students, academics and industry
- Establishing rapport with clients from differing socio-cultural environments in the delivery of projects and respond appropriately to clients, supervisors and other professionals.
- Using appropriate facial expressions: eye contact, being mindful of space, time boundaries, a range of body movements and gestures.
- Recognising and interpreting non-verbal cues of others and responding appropriately during activities related to the course, as well as in the professional practice environment.
- Competently and appropriately constructing written assessment work in a logical, coherent manner, and with correct grammar and punctuation to the required academic standards.
- Expressing complex and detailed information and knowledge into a logical and legible report, in a timely manner that meets professional standards and clearly communicates the intended message.
- Accurately conveying and documenting information in a written form that meets legal and professional requirements.
- Accessing a computer for your studies, and possessing basic computer knowledge and skills to engage in the on-line learning environment that may include completing relevant on-line assessments and participating in on-line forums or responding to emails.
- Regularly accessing the Internet for research, and email for communication with peers and lecturers.
- Being adept and proficient in the use of discipline specific computer systems and able to analyse, manipulate and display scientific information.
Examples are:
- Conceptualising and using appropriate knowledge in response to academic assessment items.
- Applying theoretical knowledge, research evidence, policies and procedures in professional practice.
- Discerning the wide variety of socio-economic environments that practice takes place in, and providing effective professional solutions to all these stakeholders.
- Competently reading, writing and accurately interpreting information to convey language effectively in projects and services.
- Producing accurate, concise and clear professional documentation which meets legal requirements.
- Retrieving correct information from appropriate sources, processing it and converting it into simpler terms if required.
- Demonstrating competency in applying appropriate mathematical knowledge and skills to make calculations that represent a system.
- Demonstrating effective use of numeracy skills to make accurate interpretation of system response data.
- Applying numeracy skills to interpret and solve problems in a range of projects and services.
Examples are:
- Accurately using instruments for measurements.
- Observing and detecting subtle changes in responses to systems using instrumentation.
- Having sufficient auditory ability to be capable of hearing warnings when on site.
- Interacting effectively with stakeholders including clients, members of the community, tradespeople and other members of the professional team.
- Using a computer and other professional tools.
- Climbing a ladder or steep stairs, walking along scaffolding and traversing a construction site.
Examples are:
- Patience - is valuable when it comes to dealing with picky or difficult clients, complex long-term projects or colleagues who are slow and hard to keep on task.
- Trustworthiness - an invaluable asset to employers, who not only feel comfortable with the individual’s honesty and ethical values, but believe they will do what they say when they say they will do it.
- Reliability - is an important relational skill in every profession, whether it relates to showing up for work on time, performing duties as assigned, or meeting crucial deadlines.
- Empathy - being able to consistently look at and understand the perspective of others is a relational skill that’s highly valued in the customer service arena.
- Influence - Having the ability to effectively persuade and influence others is a valuable relational workplace skill. An influential employee is typically intuitive and able to read people, which is an asset in many professional venues.
Examples are:
- Read - around the topics you are learning about or want to learn about and develop
- Ask - others about the way they do things and why
- Watch - what is going on around you
- Feel - pay attention to your emotions, what prompts them, and how you deal with negative ones
- Talk - share your views and experiences with others
- Think - learn to value time spent thinking about your work
Examples are:
- Actively participating in activities related to the course and professional experience.
- Performing with the required physical and mental energy and endurance in performing professional skills and services during set time frames.
- Showing persistence when learning a new concept, seeing it as a challenge to be solved rather than an insurmountable obstacle.
Examples are:
- Conducting repairs to professional systems.
- Transporting field equipment during the data collection phase of projects.
- Traversing uneven ground on construction sites.
- Manipulating instruments in tests and measurements.
- Using knobs and dials in equipment used for field data collection.
Examples are:
- Using some of the Microsoft Office suite of products, in particular Word, Excel and Powerpoint as well as Adobe Acrobat.
- Being familiar with computer operating systems.
- Being able to use keyboard and mouse.
- Being able to connect to a Wifi network.
- Being familiar with video communication software such as Skype or Zoom.
- Complete the core structure
| Number of units: 16 | Total credit points: 96 |
|---|
Students intending to study in any of the civil, mechanical or electrical plans enrol in a common first 2 years:
Please note: * There is a compulsory 3 day residential school for ENAG11008 Professional and Sustainable Engineering Practice held early in Term 1. Non attendance may result in forced withdrawal from the course.
| Year 1 - Term 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Students must complete the following compulsory units: | ||
| ENAG11008 | Professional and Sustainable Engineering Practice | |
| MATH11160 | Technology Mathematics | |
| Year 1 - Term 2 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Students must complete the following compulsory units: | ||
| ENAG11002 | Energy & Electricity | |
| ENAG11003 | Engineering Materials | |
| Year 2 - Term 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Students must complete the following compulsory units: | ||
| ENAG11001 | Engineering Drafting | |
| ENAG11005 | Mechanics | |
| Year 2 - Term 2 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Students must complete the following compulsory units: | ||
| ENAG11007 | Engineering Investigation and Analysis | |
| ENTG11001 | Computer Aided Drafting | |
Civil, mechanical or electrical students will then enrol in the prescribed courses for a specialist plan. The recommended study schedule for the Years 3 and 4 of these plans are shown below.
| Number of units: 8 | Total credit points: 48 |
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| Year 3 - Term 1 | ||
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| Students must complete the following compulsory units: | ||
| ENAC12003 | Applied Structural Analysis | |
| ENAC12005 | Geology & Geomechanics | |
| Year 3 - Term 2 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Students must complete the following compulsory units: | ||
| ENAC12006 | Road Engineering | |
| ENAR12005 | Surveying and Mapping | |
| Year 4 - Term 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Students must complete the following compulsory units: | ||
| ENTC12004 | Civil Construction | |
| ENAC12007 | Hydraulics & Hydrology | |
| Year 4 - Term 2 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Students must complete the following compulsory units: | ||
| ENAC12002 | Steel and Concrete Design | |
| ENAC12004 | Computer Aided Drafting and Design (Civil) | |
| Number of units: 8 | Total credit points: 48 |
|---|
| Year 3 - Term 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Students must complete the following compulsory units: | ||
| ENAE12013 | Electrical Components and Circuit Analysis | |
| ENAE12014 | Digital Devices and Applications | |
| Year 3 - Term 2 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Students must complete the following compulsory units: | ||
| ENAE12015 | Analogue Devices and Applications | |
| ENAE12007 | Electrical Power Systems | |
| Year 4 - Term 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Students must complete the following compulsory units: | ||
| ENAE12006 | Electrical Machines and Drives | |
| ENAE12002 | Computer Aided Drafting Design (Electrical/Electronic) | |
| Year 4 - Term 2 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Students must complete the following compulsory units: | ||
| ENAE12003 | Control Technology | |
| ENAE12004 | Industrial Data Communications | |
| Number of units: 8 | Total credit points: 48 |
|---|
| Year 3 - Term 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Students must complete the following compulsory units: | ||
| ENAM12006 | Mechanical Component Selection | |
| ENTM12005 | Computer Aided Drafting and Design (Mechanical) | |
| Year 3 - Term 2 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Students must complete the following compulsory units: | ||
| ENAM12003 | Engineering Fluids | |
| ENAM12001 | Bulk Handling Equipment | |
| Year 4 - Term 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Students must complete the following compulsory units: | ||
| ENAM12002 | Mechanical Analysis | |
| ENTM12006 | Industrial Fluid Power | |
| Year 4 - Term 2 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Students must complete the following compulsory units: | ||
| ENAM12004 | Dynamics | |
| ENAM12005 | Thermal Energy Plant | |
Engineering Undergraduate Course Moodle
All students should regularly check the Engineering Undergraduate Course Moodle for the latest information, including key staff contacts, intensive class schedules, student mobility and exchange opportunities, cadetships and scholarships, social events and student societies, and final-year project advice.
Course Planners
Course planners are online for each major, full-time or part-time study option, and commencing term. Students are also encouraged to create a personalised planner if obtaining credit, advance standing or studying at an alternate pace. The Engineering Undergraduate Course Moodle includes instructions for obtaining your personalised course planner.
Cadetships
Flexible and online course delivery options provide support for working students. The CQUniversity Engineering Cadetship model allows students to enter the engineering workforce from their first year of study. Cadets can extend their learning by directly applying new knowledge to workplace scenarios and learning from working with engineers and associates. All cadets are paid, and many are also offered full sponsorship of course tuition fees. Cadetship opportunities are posted on the CQUniversity Engineering Cadetships Website.
Course Articulation
The undergraduate engineering courses include a common foundation year, allowing students to articulate between courses with minimal or no additional study should their circumstances or career aspirations change. Students may also change their major during their first year of study. The Engineering Undergraduate Course Moodle contains instructions and staff contacts for inquiries.
High School Course Pathways
Students can consider taking any of the several pathways designed to ease their transition into the course. Pathways for high school graduates commence in Year 11 and include reduced mathematics units to study by completing Mathematical Methods, early study of engineering units while at high school through CQUniversity’s Start Uni Now (SUN) program, and credit for other units by completing Engineering General and/or Design General with extra-curricular activities if supported at high school. Prospective students can request further information on engineering course pathways by emailing our college professional team SETAdmin@cqu.edu.au).
Engineering Professional Practice
This course includes mandatory professional practice, as explained in the handbook.