Textbooks and recommended titles

Student opening books in library

Each UNSW Canberra School has a list of prescribed resources (i.e., required textbooks and recommended titles), which are listed in the individual course outlines.

To assist students, the schools work with the Library to produce a textbook list for each semester.

The UNSW Canberra Semester 2, 2023 textbook lists are now available.

(Please note, prescribed resources for the School of Systems & Computing and the School of Engineering & Technology remain under the broad SEIT umbrella for Sem 2)

The prescribed resources list includes key course information (i.e., it's sorted by course code) and the compulsory and recommended titles, their authors, the required edition/s and whether the Library has the item in electronic and/or hardcopy form.

The Library provides access to textbooks in the following formats:

  • Electronic copy with a licence that allows UNLIMITED users
    For these items, students only need to purchase a copy for themselves should they wish to.
  • Electronic copy with a licence that is restricted to 3-user or 6-user licences
    For these items, the Library cannot guarantee access to an electronic copy as there is the potential for multiple users using the copy concurrently and exceeding the licence restrictions. It's recommended that students purchase their own copy of the textbook.
  • Print format
    Sometimes the texts are only available in hardcopy (e.g., print) format. For these items, students need to purchase a copy for themselves, although the Library strives to have at least one copy of a textbook or recommended title in its onsite Course Readings Collection. It's possible to borrow these books, however the loan period is 4 hours. 

Scans of chapters or articles from the Course Readings Collection can be requested through the Library’s Ask Us Service. Note that copyright restrictions may apply.

Students may wish to purchase print or single licence electronic textbooks using Booko which aggregates price and availability across a number of book suppliers (including those below). Alternately, students can search some of the following online providers, noting that the list is for reference and it's not to be seen as an endorsement by the university:

In addition to the required textbooks and recommended materials, your lecturer may also nominate a number of other course readings (such as articles and reports). Course readings lists are usually made available via your course units on Moodle.