Notre Dame is a private, Catholic University committed to ensure students receive a personalised, high quality and affordable education. It offers a caring and friendly learning environment, providing courses which are challenging, relevant and responsive to the student, employer and community needs.

Three locations

The University was founded by an Act of Parliament in Western Australia in 1989. Notre Dame has three campuses with one in the historic port city of Fremantle, another one in the beautiful coastal town of Broome in the North-West of Western Australia and a new campus in Sydney which officially opened in 2006.

Each city campus is a “town campus” in the European tradition. Both Fremantle and Sydney campuses are located in historic precincts and feature beautifully restored buildings in leafy courtyard settings. As part of each town’s vibrant community, students enjoy walking distance access to the beach, shops, markets, sporting facilities, a myriad cosmopolitan cafes and lively nightlife options of theatre, and cinemas. There are many public transport choices for travelling at weekends to beaches, zoos, parks, sporting venues and riverbank retreats.

In Broome, the campus enjoys a beautiful tropical setting in the magnificent landscape of the Kimberley region - this is a truly different campus from any other in Australia offering a unique experience students.

Student profile

There are approximately 6750 students (with 5000 equivalent full time) across the three campuses, including a good proportion of “mature age” students. There are approximately 8% international students from more than 60 different countries. This truly international mix contributes to the quality of the classroom experience for all students.

The difference that is Notre Dame …

Notre Dame strives for a friendly and caring learning environment with a focus on education for the professions. All courses include internship components to ensure that a Notre Dame graduate is a job-ready professional with excellent workplace experience, attractive to employers.

As a foundation to studies all undergraduate courses include a required Core Curriculum in the areas of Theology, Philosophy and Ethics. These studies are designed to provide a balance between the intellectual, professional and spiritual life of the student and to challenge conventional thinking. They hallmark a Notre Dame graduate as one who can critically and rationally examine values and concepts in professional life.

Undergraduate and postgraduate courses

Arts Majors include: Behavioural Science, Sociology, Communications, English Literature, Greek Language and Culture, Italian Language and Culture, Politics, Legal Studies, Theatre Studies, Theology and Philosophy.

Nursing: Undergraduate and postgraduate specialist Nursing Certificates and Diplomas

Education: including teacher education at undergraduate and postgraduate level; Masters courses in Education Leadership and Management, Curriculum and Special Learning Needs

Commerce: Majors including Accountancy, Finance, Marketing, Management, Human Resources Management and graduate certificates, diplomas and masters degrees

Law: including Graduate Law entry and Juris Doctor

Sciences: Behavioural Science, Biology, Environmental Science, Geography and Human Biology

Medicine: graduate entry (not yet available to international students) and Counselling

Health Sciences: including Physiotherapy, Biomedical Science, Exercise and Sports Science, Health and Physical Education, Outdoor Education, Preventive Health, Sport and Recreation Management

Philosophy and Theology: including Campus Ministry graduate studies

The University also provides Professional Doctorate programs which combine coursework, research and internship options across three years in most academic areas.

All courses are accredited for Australian professional practice purposes.

Study abroad

Notre Dame has a very strong association with the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, US. Along with a number of other international universities, this allows for reciprocal study abroad opportunities in the US as well as in other countries including Canada, Sweden, Singapore, Brazil, Argentina, Italy, UK, France, Japan, Indonesia and the Philippines for any Notre Dame student.

Student support services

Notre Dame Students are actively encouraged to engage in on-campus student life!

The Student Life Office provides activities and support for all students including sports, careers advice, counselling, equity support, leisure and interest clubs, social and faculty clubs and networks, campus ministry, accommodation assistance and mentoring. A casual employment scheme operates to assist students obtain part-time work. Free academic support programs are available right from Orientation Week to help students make the transition into university life.

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