Secure your place in one of 18 Macquarie degrees

Next Step is an entry pathway for non-school applicants. You'll study Macquarie University units alongside current degree students, then use your results to secure entry into your chosen degree.

You will study four undergraduate units across two 13-week sessions. See the results required to transition into individual degrees below.



Program options

Standard
    Complete the following at pass level or higher:
  • Two units in Session 1
  • Two units in Session 2
Accelerated
    Complete the following with a WAM of 65+:
  • Two units in total

You’ll be automatically assessed for articulation and acceleration eligibility upon release of examination results.

If you’re eligible for articulation, you’ll be invited via email to complete an online application for one of 18 Macquarie degrees.

Watch video

As a mature age student with no ATAR the Next Step program gave me a clear route onto my degree course. By enrolling in units associated with my final degree my efforts have counted toward my final goal from day one.

Thomas E

Program eligibility

The Next Step program is an entry pathway for students who haven't met the entry requirements for a bachelor degree at Macquarie.

To apply, you must be both:

  • an Australian or New Zealand citizen, a permanent resident of Australia, or a humanitarian visa holder
  • a non-school applicant (HSC or equivalent, completed more than two years before application) or over 20 years old with little or no educational qualifications for direct entry into a bachelor degree.

About the program

Applications open in late October each year and close two weeks before the session starts.

You will attend classes alongside current Macquarie University degree students, during the same study sessions.

Study period

Start date

Session 1

24 February 2025

Session 2

28 July 2025

Next Step is an upfront, tuition fee-paying program. HECS and FEE-HELP are not available. Tuition fees must be paid in full before the start of each study session.

You’ll be eligible to apply for HECS once you have articulated into a degree program.

Unit fees

Each unit offered via the Next Step pathway are charged according to the area of study:

Area of study

2024 fee per unit

Arts units (Band 1)

$2675.00

Science units (Band 2)

$3325.00

Commerce units  (Band 3) $3662.50

Degrees you can articulate into

Below is a list of the degrees you can undertake after successfully completing this pathway.

The articulation requirements within each degree refers to the WAM requirement for a standard articulation. All degrees have a WAM requirement of 65 or above for accelerated articulation.

View our course Handbook for specific unit information.

Faculty of Arts

Articulation WAM Requirement: no WAM requirements – must successfully pass 4 units.

Requirements: Successful completion of four units from the Next Step unit list. You should consider including one of the following units:

  • ACOM1001 – Academic Communication in the Social Sciences and Humanities
  • PHIL1037 – Critical Thinking
  • ENGL1050 - Grammar and Writing

Learn more about the Bachelor of Arts.

Articulation WAM Requirement: 57

Requirements: Successful completion of four units from the Next Step unit list. You should consider including one of the following units:

  • ACOM1001 – Academic Communication in the Social Sciences and Humanities
  • PHIL1037 – Critical Thinking
  • ENGL1050 - Grammar and Writing

Learn more about the Bachelor of International Studies.

Articulation WAM Requirement: 57

Required units:

Unit code

Unit name

Offered in Session

MMCC1015

Media Practice and Production

2

MMCC1040

Introduction to Media and Mass Communications

1 & 2

Learn more about the Bachelor of Media and Communications.

Articulation WAM Requirement: No specific WAM required – must pass all four units listed below.

Required units, any 4 of the following:

Unit code

Unit name

Offered in Session

PICT1010

Introduction to Security Studies

1

PICT1014

International Security and the 20th Century

2

PICT1011

New Security Challenges

1

PICT1012

Strategy and Security in the Indo-Pacific

2

PICT1030Introduction to Criminology1

Learn more about the Bachelor of Security Studies.

Articulation WAM Requirement: 50

Requirements: Successful completion of four units from the Next Step unit list. You should consider including one of the following units:

  • ACOM1001 – Academic Communication in the Social Sciences and Humanities
  • PHIL1037 – Critical Thinking
  • ENGL1050 - Grammar and Writing

Learn more about the Bachelor of Social Science.

Articulation WAM Requirement: 50

Requirements: Complete 4 of the following units

Unit CodeUnit NameOffered in Session
ABST1000Introducing Indigenous Australia1 & 2
ECHE1130Play Based Approaches to Early Childhood Learning and Development2
ECHE1180Infancy and Early Development2
ECHE1310The Arts in Children's Lives2
ECHE1200History and Philosophy of Early Childhood1
ECHE1300Health and Wellbeing1

Additional Requirement: For eligible applicants, a teaching survey has to be completed at the time of articulation application.

Learn more about the Bachelor of Teaching (Early Childhood Education)

Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences

Articulation WAM Requirement: 50

Requirements: Three compulsory units and one elective unit

Compulsory units

Unit code

Unit name

Offered in Session

PSYU1101

Introduction to Psychology I

1

PSYU1102

Introduction to Psychology II

2

STAT1103

Introduction to Psychological Design & Statistics

1 & 2

Elective unit

Choose one from the Next Step unit list

 

Learn more about the Bachelor of Psychology.

Articulation WAM Requirement: 57

Requirements: Successful completion of four units from the Next Step unit list, including ACOM1001 – Academic Communication in the Social Sciences and Humanities.

Learn more about the Bachelor of Speech and Hearing Sciences.

Faculty of Science and Engineering

Articulation WAM Requirement: 50

Requirements: Successful completion of four units from the Next Step unit list. You should consider including unit ACOM1001 – Academic Communication in the Social Sciences and Humanities as one of your units

Learn more about the Bachelor of Biodiversity and Conservation.

Articulation WAM Requirement: 54

Requirements: Three compulsory units

Required units:

Unit code

Unit name

Offered in Session

PHYS1510

Engineering Physics
Note: prerequisites to take this unit: HSC Mathematics Band 4-6 or Extension 1 Band E2-E4 (or Extension 2) or MATH130 OR MATH1000

1 & 2

ENGG1000

Introduction to Engineering

1 & 2

In addition to the two compulsory units above, you must also choose one other unit from the following table:

Unit code

Unit name

Offered in Session

MATH1000

Introduction to Mathematics Modelling

1 & 2

MATH1010

Mathematics Modelling IA

1 & 2

MATH1020

Mathematical Modelling IB 1 & 2

1 & 2

COMP1000

Introduction to Computer Programming

1 & 2

You must also choose one other unit from the Next Step Unit List to study as an elective. This elective unit can be from any department in any faculty.

Learn more about the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours).

Articulation WAM Requirement: 54

Requirements: Successful completion of four units from the Next Step unit list. Consider including ACOM1001 – Academic Communication in the Social Sciences and Humanities.

Learn more about the Bachelor of Environment.

Articulation WAM Requirement: 50

Requirements: Successful completion of four units from the Next Step unit list including the following two units:

  • COMP1000
  • COMP1010

Learn more about the Bachelor of Game Design and Development.

Articulation WAM Requirement: 50

Requirements: Successful completion of four units from the Next Step unit list including the following two units:

  • COMP1000
  • COMP1300

Learn more about the Bachelor of Information Technology.

Articulation WAM Requirement: 50

Requirements: Successful completion of four units from the Next Step unit list. Consider including ACOM1001 – Academic Communication in the Social Sciences and Humanities.

To secure a place into a bachelor degree you must receive an overall Weighted Average Mark (WAM) as required.

*To be eligible to apply for these specific degrees, you must successfully complete specific units identified by the relevant department offering the degree.

Learn more about the Bachelor of Science.

Articulation WAM Requirement: 50

Requirements: Successful completion of four units from the Next Step unit list including the following two units:

  • COMP1000
  • COMP1300

Articulation WAM Requirement: 54

Requirements: Successful completion of four units from the Next Step unit list including any two of the following units:

  • ANAT1001
  • BIOL1110
  • BIOL1210
  • STAT1170

Macquarie Business School

Articulation WAM Requirement: 50

Requirements: MGMT1002 Principles of Management and three units from the table below:

Unit code

Unit name

Offered in Session

MQBS1010

Leadership for Business

1 & 2

MQBS1020

Business Communication

1 & 2

MQBS1030

Decision Making for Business

1 & 2

MQBS1040

Financial Management for Business

1 & 2

Learn more about the Bachelor of Business

Articulation WAM Requirement: 50

Requirements: Complete four units from the table below:

Unit code

Unit name

Offered in Session

ECON1020

Principles of Economics 1

1 & 2

ACCG1000

Accounting in Society

1 & 2

ACST1001

Finance 1A

1, 2 & 3

MGMT1002

Principles of Management

1 & 2

MKTG1001

Marketing Fundamentals

1 & 2

Learn more about the Bachelor of Commerce.