Common Core

Educating global citizens to thrive in the communities of the future

Adaptability has never been more necessary than it is today. Workplaces want critical thinkers who can solve complex problems and wrestle with dangerous ideas. They need team players with experience collaborating across fields. They’re seeking employees with relevant core skills, who can hit the ground running at the global level. In the community, we need graduates with a true commitment to citizenship, who understand the role each of us plays in constructing society.

Adelaide University’s Common Core is industry informed, interdisciplinary and globally relevant. Our six knowledge areas are carefully chosen to help students flourish as they navigate the future. Our approach invests in the most valuable human capabilities: curiosity, creativity, critical thinking and self-leadership.

An uncommon learning experience

Preparing for the future

It’s hard to prepare for a world that’s changing so fast. But there are capabilities we can cultivate to stand out. By listening to the needs of employers, The Common Core develops life skills and mindsets that will endure in the modern workforce. Future-focused courses – from artificial intelligence to entrepreneurship – prepare students for an unpredictable tomorrow.

Industry informed from the start

Our courses are developed with industry and community to ensure students graduate with in demand, employer-desired skills. As well as consultation at the get go, employer partners are involved in ongoing course reviews. Representatives provide strategic feedback so content resonates with contemporary industry, community and global expectations. Offerings are continuously updated so they never become redundant.

Making collaboration second nature

Just like leading universities around the world, we’ve made learning across disciplines standard, not optional. In the Common Core, you’ll connect with peers across the university from your very first year, collaborating beyond areas and levels of study. You’ll see how your field compares to others, building empathy as you explore new perspectives and ways of problem-solving. Over time, interdisciplinary cooperation will become instinctive.

Free inquiry in action

The Common Core provides students with the skills, knowledge and perspectives to critically reflect on key political and ethical issues impacting their communities and the broader world. Our courses are designed to inspire independent thinking and self-awareness, with ongoing opportunities for transformative debate. Students are challenged to disagree, question assumptions, take risks and flex their intellectual muscles.

An innovative model with classic roots

The Adelaide University Common Core builds on the long-standing tradition of broad, democratic higher education. Like other leading global universities, we make interdisciplinary learning a priority – because important issues rarely have only one disciplinary dimension. Our students find their feet in collaborative workshops that transcend intellectual boundaries.

At the same time, the Common Core is distinct. Basic maths and essay writing are not on the curriculum. Our first-year students are thoughtfully provoked and disoriented. Our collaborations instil criticality, initiative, problem-solving and adaptability. Our graduates emerge as well-rounded citizens positioned to thrive, create and enact change within their communities.

Commons workshops

Two-hour activity-based workshops for interdisciplinary collaboration.

Expert teachers and guests

Courses are delivered by expert academics, with regular guest speakers.

Non-graded

There are no prerequisites required and it won’t impact on your GPA.

Inspired content

Courses are interactive, with contributions from industry and the community.

Connected to global priorities

Designed to ensure learning stays relevant to the world we live in.

Six distinct knowledge areas

Most undergraduate students will take one Common Core course per year. Postgraduate students may select one per year if there’s capacity in their program. You’ll select the common core courses you want to study from knowledge areas highly valued by employers, including: 

Artificial Intelligence: Introduces the fundamental principles, techniques, and real-world applications of AI. 
Data Knowledges: Explores data types, sources, and structures, best practices for collecting, managing, and analysing data, and strategies for evaluating and communicating information effectively. 
Entrepreneurship and Design Thinking: Develops the tools and mindset to identify opportunities, ideate sustainable solutions, and drive positive change. 
Ethical Knowledges: Uncovers the fundamental principles of moral reasoning and their application to real-world situations.
First Nations Knowledges: Focuses on learning about Aboriginal voices and ways of knowing, being and becoming.
Intercultural Understanding: Fosters cross-cultural communication and competency and a deeper understanding of how one’s cultural background shapes life experiences.

Your courses for 2026

This is your current course for Artificial Intelligence.

Artificial intelligence is a rising area of interest across society – for better or for worse. Today, we all learn, work and play in a world where AI offers new efficiencies, new challenges and new opportunities. Employers increasingly value people who can understand AI, think critically about its impacts and make informed decisions about its use.

Our course challenges students to question and interrogate. Instead of simply learning how to use AI tools, you’ll be encouraged to analyse their ethical, social and practical implications. You’ll examine how AI is transforming industries, communities and everyday life, and learn how to engage with these developments responsibly.

You’ll graduate as a thoughtful and adaptable professional who can harness – and contest – AI initiatives. You’ll be able to assess AI-driven information, recognise opportunities and risks, and contribute to conversations about emerging technologies in professional settings. With a strong understanding of responsible AI and its broader impacts, you’ll be equipped to work confidently in changing industries and contribute to informed, ethical decision-making.

Find out more about this course: Responsible AI: Bridging Ethics, Education and Industry.

This is your current course for Data Knowledges.

From breaking news to TikTok trends, competing facts and “data stories” shape public trust, reputations and major decisions across society. In Fact or Fiction: Data for Everyone, you’ll examine real-world claims from media, government, science, community and industry, uncovering how facts, knowledge and numbers are framed, communicated and sometimes distorted.

You’ll engage with case studies, headlines and dashboards, asking who collected the data, what’s been left out, and how design choices change the story. Through interactive seminars and practical activities, you’ll experiment with different ways of presenting evidence, seeing how subtle shifts in wording, visuals and context can flip public opinion.

Across the semester, you’ll deepen your capacity to question evidence, recognise manipulation and misinformation, and reflect critically on how you and others use data. The course is designed to sharpen your judgement and strengthen your professional integrity, so you can read the numbers and the issues behind the narrative – and decide for yourself what’s fact and what’s fiction.

Find out more about this course: Fact or Fiction: Data for Everyone.

This is your current course for Entrepreneurship and Design Thinking.

Imagine it's 2050: global warming has reversed, plastics are compostable, and homelessness is history. Progress like this – the reimagining and restructuring of society – can only be realised through creativity and innovation.

This course is for anyone who wants to become confident in bringing ideas into action. Whether you have a commercial mindset or see yourself driving change at the community level, we’ll teach you how to reach your goal. You’ll research an opportunity based on the Sustainable Development Goals, ideate solutions and assess your plan for feasibility. You’ll ask, answer and challenge others with big questions. What does it really mean to have a creative mindset? How can we solve problems better – as scientists, entrepreneurs and innovators? What are the best ways to gain funding for a cause?

You’ll hear from accomplished guest speakers – everyone from scientists, tech founders and business leaders to heads of community foundations and consulting companies. You’ll develop innovative problem-solving skills. Practise applying design thinking to real-world problems. Build resilience to take risks outside the box. And learn how to test your ideas for market demand. You’ll build a portfolio as you go to demonstrate your thinking process and skills development, and graduate with applied competencies far beyond theory alone.

Creative and entrepreneurial thinking are crucial in the workforces of the future. There’s high demand for professionals who can define problems clearly and come up with effective solutions. You’ll have the ability to adapt, rethink and handle uncertainty. Your skills in opportunity creation, user insight and problem-solving will help you stand out in hiring processes and create value in whichever profession you pursue.

Find out more about this course: Igniting Change: Ideas to Action.

This is your current course for Ethical Knowledges.

Human society faces an existential challenge. We all want a better future, but we can’t agree on what that looks like. Every day we make choices that matter, but we rarely stop to consider the ethical frameworks behind them.

This topic explores the foundations of moral reasoning and how they apply in real life. You’ll progress your intellectual and moral development, tackling complex questions such as: What do I value and why? How do we build an ethical world? What stands in the way of doing so? And what do we owe to one another? You’ll debate real-world dilemmas, guided by ideas from both inside and outside the classroom.

Through interactive courses, you’ll investigate established ethical theories from around the world. Examine your own values and where they come from. Build critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Explore key ethical tensions such as fidelity and responsibility, integrity and justice, autonomy and dignity, and doing good versus doing harm.

You’ll hear from accomplished guest speakers – CEOs, philosophers, policy experts and local community leaders – who’ll challenge your thinking, investigating ethics across cultures and in the technological age. You’ll also develop an ‘ethical journey’ portfolio, documenting your work across activities – from analysing case studies to designing governance structures for a fictional island state. By the end, your ethical judgement will be razor sharp.

You’ll graduate as a confident ethical agent. You’ll have the ability to navigate ambiguity, assess competing priorities and make informed, balanced decisions that stand up to scrutiny – within your organisation and beyond. You’ll be able to communicate more persuasively and clearly, especially in complex or sensitive situations. These are the qualities that underpin great leadership and open pathways across industries.

Find out more about this course: An Ethically Rich Life.

Coming in 2027

This is your current course for First Nations Knowledges.

First Nations Knowledges invites you to engage with some of the world’s oldest continuing knowledge systems and deepen your understanding of Australia. This matters in today’s workforce, where organisations increasingly recognise the importance of Indigenous knowledges, cultural responsiveness and ethical engagement. Employers want people who can apply this knowledge in real contexts – whether that’s working with communities, designing inclusive projects, or meeting cultural and ethical responsibilities.

In this stream, you’ll explore First Nations ways of knowing, being and becoming through deep listening and collaborative learning. You’ll examine how environmental, cultural and social systems are interconnected, develop a deeper understanding of the relationships between people, Country, and community and gain practical skills in consultation, ethical decision-making, and sustainable practice.

Through engagement with contemporary issues and real-world challenges, you’ll learn to apply strength-based perspectives and practice respectful and ethical approaches to working with knowledge. Working across disciplines, you’ll develop practical transformative strategies for creating positive change in professional and community contexts. You’ll graduate as a thoughtful and responsible professional who can think critically, work effectively with stakeholders and contribute to a more inclusive, sustainable and socially responsible future.

Find out more about this course: Transforming Learning through First Nations Knowledges.

This is your current course for Intercultural Understanding.

Intercultural understanding helps us make sense of the world and our place within it. This matters now more than ever. As our world becomes more connected and diverse, workplaces and communities need people who can understand different perspectives, carefully resolve problems, and adapt their communication style.

This knowledge area helps you develop the conceptual tools and capabilities you’ll need to build belonging in the societies in which you live and work. You’ll learn how to recognise other perspectives and ways of being through cultural experiences and respectful dialogues. This involves developing active listening and flexible communication skills that will help you build strong professional and social relationships with people from different backgrounds.

You’ll graduate as a considered thinker, a strategic problem solver, and someone people trust to communicate across boundaries. You’ll be able to look at situations from multiple perspectives and resolve issues that come from cultural complexities. You’ll help others feel seen and heard for who they are. This is an increasingly sought after and important capability that promotes trust and collaboration within workplaces and communities. It will allow you to engage fully in our diverse and changing world.

Find out more about this course: Building Belonging: Navigating Cultural Complexities.

Contact us

Make an enquiry

We’re here to help.

Get in touch with us today.

Enquire online

Give us a call

From within Australia 

08 7420 5115

From outside Australia 

+61 8 7420 5115