The Open Learning Environment forms a unique part of the Sydney curriculum experience. OLE units offer students opportunities to build skill combinations and extend their knowledge through other fields of study.
OLE units are short, modular units that are supported by online resources and learning activities and allow students to acquire foundational concepts and methods of other disciplines in flexible ways tailored to their specific learning needs.
OLE units are listed in 'Table O' in the Interdisciplinary Studies handbook along with the rest of the shared pool.
For undergraduate students, OLE units might be selected for a number of reasons, including:
For Higher Degree by Research (HDR) students, HDR OLE units (which commenced in 2021) focus on supporting students’ acquisition of professional and academic skills. The topics covered broad applicability, for example: skill development and ethics, internship and engagement and quantitative analysis.
Read more about the OLE in our OLE compendium paper (pdf, 147KB).
Download the list of approved OLE units.(103KB)
Studying OLE units
OLE units are available to all students in liberal studies degrees and some specialist degrees. Some degrees require students to take 6 credit points worth of OLE units, made up of 2 or 6 credit point units. These units run in the same way as other units of study.
From Semester 1, 2025 all Open Learning Environment (OLE) units will be marked as satisfied requirements/failed requirements (SR/FR). As a result, any OLE unit taken from Semester 1, 2025 onwards will not be used in the calculation of your Weighted Average Mark (WAM). OLE units taken prior to Semester 1, 2025 will continue to be used in the calculation of your WAM. This applies to all students, regardless of their commencement date.
The change is in response to the systematically higher marks in OLE units of study compared to other units. The pass/fail model is better suited to the original intention of the OLE – allowing students to extend and develop novel skill combinations – and is used in many other parts of our curriculum for topics where skills and competencies are the primary drivers of learning.
OLE units of study are managed via Sydney Student and delivered using Canvas. Students will enroll in these units through Sydney Student. Results will be returned to Sydney Student at the end of the relevant study period.
The development and management of OLE units is supported directly by Faculties and University Schools. All new OLE units must go through a central approval process to be included in or removed from Table O. A number of changes to OLE units must also be approved centrally.
The following steps are required for all OLE units of study.
Stage 1: Approval of the new unit by the relevant Faculty or University School Board |
The Faculty or University School Board approves the creation of the unit and endorse its inclusion in Table O. Where OLE proponents are not from a faculty, they are asked to find a faculty partner who is willing to handle the administration and academic management of the unit. |
| Stage 2: Approval by DVC (Education) for inclusion in Table O |
Proposals for the inclusion of a faculty approved OLE unit of study in Table O are submitted to the Education portfolio via the Curriculum Records System. The Curriculum and Quality team will make a recommendation to the DVC (Education) on their appropriateness. The purpose of this approval is to:
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The retirement of an OLE unit and the following changes to existing OLE units must be approved by the DVC (Education).
Stage 1: Endorsement by the relevant Faculty or University School Board |
Changes and removal of OLE units must be endorsed by the relevant Faculty or University School Board. |
| Stage 2: Approval by DVC (Education) of changes to existing OLE units or of removal of the OLE units from Table O | Proposals for changes to an OLE unit or the removal of a unit from Table O are submitted to the Education portfolio. The Curriculum and Quality team will make a recommendation to the DVC (Education) via the Curriculum Records System. The purpose of this approval is to:
To submit a change to an OLE unit or request the removal of a unit from Table O, please contact the Curriculum and Quality team before March each year. |
Faculty Contacts
For support regarding the development of an OLE unit or other aspects of educational design and approvals, please contact your relevant Associate Dean (Education) or Educational Design Manager.