Be Transdisciplinary. Your degree at UTS will open up a world of professional opportunities, but what about the possibilities to learn outside, beyond and across your degree? This is where the Transdisciplinary Electives Program at UTS comes in.
TD Electives program
Transdisciplinary electives program
UTS has pioneered a unique, multi-award-winning approach to transdisciplinary learning, filled with purpose and passion.
Learn how to collaborate with others to tackle the complex problems of our time. Learn methods drawing on your own and others’ knowledge to expand your core degree and yourself. And importantly, make friends for life from across the university, well beyond your faculty.
You've gone into university to pursue a degree with the view that you'll leave that degree and practice that, but actually being able to critically reflect on what it is you're doing, how you might be able to learn from other approaches, recognising that actually there is no one right way, there are multiple ways that we can approach a problem is a really constructive and useful thing to do. What the TD subject gave to me was an appreciation for other methods of learning and other cultural and personal approaches to learning and thinking that you just don't get by writing numbers down on a page. The perspective that TD has given me has enabled me to approach my other subjects in a new way. How is this impacting the world or from what angle or what approach can I perceive this in a practical way. The fact that students are able to leave or do an elective leaving with a portfolio demonstration that they've actually done practical work and thought about and engaged with the problem and walked away with some potential solutions or intervention for how they might shift that space shows potential employers that they've got some flexibility that they are generalists as well as specialists. Being able to push and extend and be a leader in that space because they recognise that there's other ways of operating in the world. In all my other electives I haven't had access to third parties other than UTS academics or fellow students and so working with an additional partner on top of that was incredibly unique and an opportunity that I believe you know I can put that on my resume and say I have experience with stakeholder management. I have you know these really valuable experiences and considerations which is a skill in and of itself. My skills in terms of community focus have strengthened. I've put myself out there way more and taken up different opportunities within my own community and then also sought out other opportunities.
Transdisciplinary electives are your opportunity to differentiate yourself, which is why the university is embedding eight of them in every undergraduate degree between 2022–2025. All you have to do is choose which one inspires you the most.
In each TD elective subject, you’ll work on a real-world challenge presented by an industry partner organisation. Exercise your knowledge as an emerging professional, put your ideas to the test and learn alongside some of the great minds of industry who are working on some of the most wicked problems of our time.
From 2023, students will undertake a transdisciplinary elective as a required component of their UTS undergraduate degree.*
* With the exception of students concurrently enrolled in the Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation.
Transdisciplinary elective subjects
You can take the following transdisciplinary elective subjects at 6- or 8-credit points.
TD: Reframing, remixing, reimagining society (Autumn & July)
Unleash your creative thinking to develop novel responses to a real-world challenge posed by the Australian Red Cross. Collaborate with fellow students in multidisciplinary teams to scrutinise assumptions, probe the unknowns and test your professional capabilities by devising new approaches to tackling climate change and building community resilience.
| Credit points | 6cp | 8cp |
|---|---|---|
| Subject code | 95002 | 95010 |
TD: Envisioning futures worth wanting (Autumn)
Ask ‘big questions’ about the future, supported by insights from developments in diverse disciplinary and professional fields and become a critical and empathetic futures-thinker. Work in multidisciplinary teams on a real-world challenge from the City of Sydney and use futuring methods to identify transformative paths to more sustainable and ethical, regenerative futures.
| Credit points | 6cp | 8cp |
|---|---|---|
| Subject code | 95006 | 95014 |
TD: Technologies reimagined in a complex world (Spring)
Discover and reimagine ways to harness technology for creating a more virtuous, inclusive, sustainable and equitable world. Collaborate in multidisciplinary teams on a real-world project with our industry partner, ServiceRocket to explore technology transitions and investigate the complex challenges and opportunities these shifts present for individuals, organisations and the broader society.
| Credit points | 6cp | 8cp |
|---|---|---|
| Subject code | 95004 | 95012 |
TD: Sustainability in an interconnected world (Spring)
Keen to tackle some of our most complex social and environmental challenges? Learn how to think differently about the ‘wicked’ problems we face in our networked world by experimenting with regenerative principles in real-world contexts. Working with an industry partner, Regen Studios, develop your professional, analytic, and creative skills and build sustainable networks relevant to you today and in the future.
| Credit points | 6cp | 8cp |
|---|---|---|
| Subject code | 95003 | 95011 |
TD: Change-making for social impact (Autumn & Summer)
Learn to understand and lead change in response to emergent complex problems that call for a transdisciplinary approach. Work in multidisciplinary teams on a live industry partner brief from Stockland and be challenged to deal with rapid response timeframes, dynamic conditions and resource constraints, amongst other complexities. This subject provides a creative, safe space for collaboration, thinking differently and experimentation to develop strategies for taking proactive steps when facing the unknowns for the rest of your professional life.
| Credit points | 6cp | 8cp |
|---|---|---|
| Subject code | 95009 | 95017 |
FAQs
Are subjects online or face-to-face?
The plenary sessions will be delivered live and via online Canvas modules, with tutorials dedicated to collaboration in transdisciplinary teams. You can choose an online or face-to-face tutorial.
When are these subjects delivered?
Pick the format that best suits your study plan.
To see the full range of options, refer to My Timetable Planner for details.
Which degrees are compatible with transdisciplinary electives subjects?
You can take a transdisciplinary elective subject as part of your undergraduate degree if you have available elective subjects.
The Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation is not compatible with these subjects. For the Diploma in Innovation at TD School, one of these subjects can be counted towards the diploma in lieu of 81539 via Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). In such cases, students are required to choose another elective towards their core degree.
If you have questions about enrolling in a transdisciplinary elective subject within your course program, speak with UTS Student Centre.
How many transdisciplinary electives can I take in my degree?
If your course structure contains multiple free electives, you can enrol in more than one TD subject as part of your degree. If you’re not sure, check in with UTS Student Centre.
What are the subject fees?
Have another question?
Contact our TD School transdisciplinary course team at td.electives@uts.edu.au.
