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Textbooks and other resources

What textbooks will I need for my unit?

One of the activities you really must attend during Orientation is your Course Induction session.

This session provides you with specific information and study requirements about your course – including book lists for units.

Core textbooks are listed within the online unit outlines. When your semester starts, you can access Canvas and check the unit pages for the reading list and recommended textbooks.

What is Orientation?

Buying your textbooks online

Check out our Bookshop webpage for the latest information on all of your textbook, uniform, and name badge needs.

Buying second-hand textbooks

There are a few ways you can buy or sell second-hand textbooks.

  • The ECU Student Guild has a second-hand bookshop at the Joondalup campus (Building 34.215) where you can buy or sell your textbooks. Or you can visit the web page for the Student Guild's second hand bookshop.
Note: The Guild only buys and sells current, up-to-date ECU textbooks that are on the most recent book lists and at student prices.

Why buy when you can borrow?

Another great source of textbooks – in fact ALL of the books you're likely to need – is the ECU Library. Here, you can borrow textbooks for a specific time period, then renew your book loan if you need it for longer.

The Library is also a great source of eBooks that can be accessed online at any time, and downloaded for later viewing.

Be sure to attend a Library essentials session during Orientation to learn more about our library services.

Getting to know your library

Contact your lecturer

If you have any questions about your textbooks, you should speak to your Unit Coordinator. To find out who that is, go to your teaching timetable and enter the unit code or title, or the school name, then search. The Unit Coordinator will be listed in the table shown, including a link to their profile page.

If you have trouble finding your coordinator's contact details, our Student Hub can help you.

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uni•speak

What does
that mean?
Here's a quick guide to some of the things we mention during the Preparing stage.

  • Canvas is your new best friend. It's an online suite of tools to enhance and extend your learning experience, as well as providing some efficiencies for our teaching staff. It contains unit outline documents and study information for the units you're enrolled in.

    Canvas sites will generally provide you with:

    • lecturer contact details
    • important announcements
    • unit outlines
    • lecture notes
    • assignment submission areas

    If you're studying a unit online, it provides you with all the materials you need for that unit, including completing tasks and assignments, using the discussion board, blogs, journals, wikis and ePortfolios.

  • Your course induction session (also known as school induction) is an Orientation event that provides you with specific information and study requirements for your course – including book lists, important dates, unit advice, practicum requirements (if applicable), as well as an opportunity to meet staff and students in your school.

    As a minimum, you're expected to attend a Get Set for ECU session and your course induction during Orientation. International students are also expected to attend the International Student Fundamentals.

  • Orientation is a free program of activities to help you get ready to study as a new ECU student. Participating in Orientation will help you familiarise yourself with our university and discover important information about your course. You should attend as many Orientation activities as you can. Register at the Orientation webpage.

  • The Student Guild is run by students for students just like you. You automatically become a member of the Guild when you enrol – and it's free.

    Your Student Guild ensures that the University Administration is aware of student concerns and issues, such as protecting student rights, and offers assistance, services and support throughout your university life.

    The Guild also runs social and cultural events on campus for all members.

    More: ECU Student Guild

  • Your teaching timetable outlines which semesters a unit will be taught in, the campus/es, and other information, like who's coordinating the unit.

    To display details for a particular unit, you'll need to enter the Unit Code, Unit Title or select a School from the drop down list and press the Search button.

    It looks like this: Teaching Timetable home page

    Also see 'Student handbook'.

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