History of Edith Cowan University
Edith Cowan University (ECU) is a large, multi-campus public university. It is located in Perth, Western Australia including three campuses:Joondalup, Mount Lawley and Bunbury. The institution was established in 1991 and considered to be one of the first institutions for higher education in the region of Western Australia. The reason for this is quite interesting since it was formed by a group of teacher’s colleges which has a history going back to the early 1900’s.
ECU was named after Edith Dircksey Cowan who was the first woman to be elected to the Australian Parliament which makes ECU the only university in the country to be named after a woman.
ECU has over 30,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students while also annually welcoming approximately 6,000 international students from over 100 countries.
Moreover, ECU’s teaching and research is all industry-related thereby, equipping students with academic as well as practical knowledge and skills. All teachings are conducted in study environments and facilities that are award winning to help students thrive in any situation.
Edith Cowan University Rankings
ECU is ranked 30th in Australia and has been awarded a 5 star rating for teaching quality by the ECU graduates for 2020. This makes ECU the only public university in Australia to achieve a high affirmation for teaching quality as they have been receiving this rating for 13 years consecutively.
In addition, ECU’s Sports-related degree programs have been ranked in the world’s top 100 in 2019 whilst achieving and maintaining a Top 300 position for Education courses seven years in a row.
Further, ECU has been listed in the Top 150 in QS Top 50 under 50 ranking for 2018 and 2019, making it one of the youngest highly reputed universities.
ECU has eight teaching schools offering over 300 courses across the three campuses.
- School of Business and Law
- School of Arts and Humanities
- School of Education
- School of Engineering
- School of Science
- School of Medicine and Health Sciences
- School of Nursing and Midwifery
- Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts
School of Business and Law
The School of Business and Law at ECU is highly regarded in Australia. ECU was the first university in the country to teach employability skills in a program that is now a part of the Bachelor of Commerce program. Further, ECU is one of the only universities in Western Australia (WA) to offer courses such as Bachelor of International Hotel & Resort Management, Master of Marketing and Innovation Management. Moreover, ECU introduced the first professionally accredited online Law degree in WA.
Quality Indicators Learning and Teaching (QILT) ranked ECU at the top for undergraduate teaching amongst all the public universities in Australia in 2019. Business and Law disciplines are also ranked best in Western Australia:
- Business and Management
- Legal and Paralegal Studies
ECU is also ranked at the top as an Australian Public university of skills and educational experience.
Program | Duration | Indicative Annual Fee (2020) |
Bachelor of Commerce | 3 Years (Full time) | AUD$31,550 |
Bachelor of Laws | 4 Years (Full time) | AUD$31,550 |
Bachelor of International Hotel and Resort Management | 3 Years (Full time) | AUD$31,550 |
If you are interested to know more about studying Business or Law at ECU, do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
School of Arts and Humanities
ECU focuses on the importance of communication and understanding fellow individuals as it is fundamental for human existence. ECU offers diverse course areas such as; Media and Communication, Criminology, Design, Psychology and Counselling.
ECU is the only in the area of Western Australia to offer specialized majors in children and family studies as well as human services within a Social Science program.
Program | Duration | Indicative Annual Fee (2020) |
Bachelor of Arts | 3 Years (Full time) | AUD$29,950 |
Bachelor of Design | 3 Years (Full time) | AUD$29,950 |
Bachelor of Psychology | 3 Years (Full time) | AUD$33,200 |
If you are interested to know more about studying Arts and Humanities courses at ECU, do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
School of Education
ECU School of Education is highly reputed in Australia. It is the oldest and largest school of Education in Western Australia. It is also Western Australia’s most popular school for graduating professional educators more than any other institution in the state. Furthermore, they have the widest range of Secondary teaching specializations amongst all universities in the are.
QILT ranked ECU School of Education at the top for undergraduate teaching amongst public schools in Australia.
ECU is also ranked best in the country across the following disciplines for teaching quality, student support, skills and educational experience;
- Humanities, Culture, Social Sciences
- Rehabilitation
- Creative Arts
- Teacher Education
Program | Duration | Indicative Annual Fee (2020) |
Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood studies) | 4 Years (Full time) | AUD$30,750 |
Bachelor of Education (Primary) | 4 Years (Full time) | AUD$30,750 |
If you are interested to know more about studying Education courses at ECU, do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
School of Engineering
The School of Engineering at ECU is one of the fastest growing schools and is amongst the world’s top 175. Students will gain practical experiences in advanced labs and workshops. They will also have the opportunity to receive real life experience from 12 weeks of industry placement. The courses are designed with close collaboration of industry needs to help better prepare students.
ECU received 5-star rating from students in the 2020 Good University Guide in areas such as;
- Teaching Quality
- Skills Development
- Student Support
- Learning Resources
As mentioned above, ECU is the only public university in Australia to receive 5-star ratings for teaching quality 13 years in a row.
Program | Duration | Indicative Annual Fee (2020) |
Bachelor of Engineering – Civil (Honours) | 4 Years (Full time) | AUD$30,200 |
Bachelor of Engineering – Mechanical (Honours) | 4 Years (Full time) | AUD$30,200 |
Bachelor of Engineering – Computer systems (Honours) | 4 Years (Full time) | AUD$30,200 |
If you are interested to know more about studying Engineering courses at ECU, do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
School of Science
Students who wish to study Science at ECU have a wide array of specialization options to choose from. Students can select from traditional subjects such as Mathematics, Biology, Physics and Chemistry or choose courses in Computing and Security or Natural Sciences where disciplines such as Counter Terrorism, Cyber Security and Environmental Management is taught.
QILT ranked ECU’s School of Science disciplines as some of the best in Western Australia;
- Computing and Information Systems
- Science and Maths
Program | Duration | Indicative Annual Fee (2020) |
Bachelor of Computer Science | 3 Years (Full time) | AUD$32,650 |
Bachelor of Information Technology | 3 Years (Full time) | AUD$32,650 |
Bachelor of Science | 3 Years (Full time) | AUD$33,650 |
If you are interested to know more about studying Medical and Health Science courses at ECU, do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
School of Medicine and Health Sciences
ECU places a strong emphasis on the importance of good health and enhancing the quality of lives for others. Therefore, ECU offers a variety of courses. Students can study a Science degree in areas such as; Biomedical Science, Exercise and Sports Science or Paramedical Science. Students also have the option to choose other Health related degree programs such as Occupational therapy, Speech pathology and Nutrition and Dietetics.
Program | Duration | Indicative Annual Fee (2020) |
Bachelor of Medical Science | 3 Years (Full time) | AUD$33,700 |
Bachelor of Health Science | 3 Years (Full time) | AUD$32,850 |
Bachelor of Science (Exercise and Sports Science) | 3 Years (Full time) | AUD$33,950 |
If you are interested to know more about studying Medical and Health Science courses at ECU, do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
School of Nursing and Midwifery
ECU’s School of Nursing and Midwifery is Western Australia’s largest nursing program. The institution has the only Bachelor of Nursing and Bachelor of Midwifery double degree in Western Australia. Further, the school has partnerships with rural and metropolitan hospitals and the private sector to enable students to receive undergraduate clinical placements in one setting.
Program | Duration | Indicative Annual Fee (2020) |
Bachelor of Science (Nursing) | 3 Years (Full time) | AUD$33,900 |
If you are interested to know more about studying Nursing courses at ECU, do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WWAPA)
WAAPA is a nationally and internationally recognized academy in Australia. They provide comprehensive training in a range of performing arts courses.
WAAPA offers courses in the following disciplines:
- Aboriginal Performance
- Acting
- Arts Management
- Dance
- Music
- Music Theater
- Performing Arts
- Production and Design
It is a creative and supportive environment where students are encouraged continuously to pursue artistic excellence. Each year critically-acclaimed guest artists collaborate with students and staff to present over 300 public performances.
The Academy’s reputation is confirmed as WAAPA graduates go on to excel in their chosen field of profession around the world. Some of the Star graduates are well known actors, dancers, musicians, including: Hugh Jackman, Dacre Montgomery, Frances O’connor, Emma Matthews, Lucy Durack and many more.
If you are interested to know more about studying WAAPA courses at ECU, do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
ECU Student activities, Clubs & Societies
ECU’s student guilds acts on behalf of all students, thereby, providing many services to students in aim to protect their rights and enhance their experience while studying.
The guild has organized many clubs and societies for students to join. They also have social events and cultural activities to ensure students enjoy their time beyond studies. This is a good way for students to wind down, relax and make new friends.
Their clubs range from;
- Academic – Arts Management Student Organisation, Finance & Accounting Society, Edith Cowan Aviators etc
- Equity – Mature age student network, ECU Wellbeing Community, Queer Collective, Women’s Community etc
- Social – ECU Badminton club, Collective hope, ECU Malaysia club, Cricket club etc
- Sports – ECU Jets Sports club
If you would like to know more about student activities at ECU, do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
ECU Student Accommodation
The university offers on-campus accommodation at all three campuses. Off-campus accommodation services are also available through ECU.
The on-campus accommodation is operated by campus Living Villages. The villages consist of modern single and multi-room units. Most of the accommodation are apartment style and is close to all campuses, local shops, and sport facilities.
There are a wide range of rooms available for students based on their budget as they offer tenants below market prices.
ECU Village Bunbury Accommodation
Room Type | Price [Per week, 2020] |
6 bedrooms with 3 bathrooms | AUD$192.70 |
Room Type | Price [Per week, 2020] |
1 bedroom, 1 bathroom | AUD$237.20 |
ECU Village Joondalup Accommodation
Room Type | Price [Per week, 2020] |
NRAS Studio | AUD$195.20 – $200.20 |
Room Type | Price [Per week, 2020] |
4 bedroom apartment with 2 bathrooms | AUD$1227.20 – $233.20 |
ECU Village Mount Lawley Accommodation
Room Type | Price [Per week, 2020] |
NRAS 2 bedroom apartment with 1 bathroom | AUD$170.70 |
Room Type | Price [Per week, 2020] |
6 bedroom apartment Lakeside with 2 bathrooms | AUD$176.70 – $196.70 |
If you are interested to know more about student accommodation available at ECU, do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
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About Post Author
Yellani Rasaputhra
I am a student from Monash University, Malaysia. Currently studying Bachelor of Business and Commerce majoring in International Business and Marketing. I like to spend my time painting and swimming.