Future student
Copyright@ Australian Catholic University 1998-2024 | ABN 15 050 192 660 CRICOS registered provider: 00004G | PRV12008
Copyright@ Australian Catholic University 1998-2024 | ABN 15 050 192 660 CRICOS registered provider: 00004G | PRV12008
At the first universities, a master’s degree or doctorate often took 12 years to complete and required a public examination. Thankfully those days are gone and you can get a postgraduate qualification much faster and with much less public exposure. Around 300,000 Australians are enrolled in postgraduate study and there are a number of ways to do it. We keep it flexible so you can manage your work, study and family commitments.
A full-time student is one who undertakes a load of at least three quarters of a full-time student load. For example, in a course with the standard annual unit load of eight units, to be enrolled full-time a student must undertake at least three units per semester.
Like Masters in Rehabilitation (Occupational Therapy) student Beth Lee, Occupational Therapist – Community at Anglicare Sydney, you can follow your passion.
“Learning has always been a passion of mine, and more than that, being able to put that into practice. Being able to improve what you’re able to do for someone. As an undergraduate, I felt like I wanted to know more and someone told me about this new degree at ACU. I felt it was very aligned with what I wanted to do, which essentially was to further develop the skills I’d already learnt,” she said.
Beth Lee
A part-time student is one who undertakes a load of less than three quarters of a full-time student load. For example, in a course with the standard annual unit load of eight units, a part-time student would undertake less than three units per semester.
Like Master of Professional Psychology student Ashleigh Wallach, Psychologist at Deaf Children Australia, you can take your degree at your own pace.
“My pathway to becoming a psychologist has been a long one. I studied for my masters because I guess I felt like I needed that extra input and ability and backup to be able to do what I wanted to do in the field of deafness and mental health. In the psychology profession, the doors are open that bit wider to enable you to go into research and develop workshops and more scientific activities,” she said.
Ashleigh Wallach
Online study requires self-motived learning and gives you a lot of flexibly in terms of when and where you study. But just because you’re studying online, it doesn’t mean you’ll be studying alone. You’ll benefit from access to a range of support services you need to succeed. We also offer plenty of resources to develop your learning skills and achieve academic success, including regular free workshops on areas such as assignment writing, avoiding plagiarism and academic referencing.
Depending on what you study, there are two main ways of studying online.
Online MT (multi-term): Our Online MT (multi-term) model offers more flexibility and freedom over where and how you study than traditional on-campus learning. You may attend scheduled online lectures and tutorials, study online units at your own pace whenever it suits, or a mix of both – depending on what course you choose. Please note, some courses require on-campus intensives or in-person placements to graduate job ready.
Ultimately, online study offers a lot of flexibility, especially if you're working. Like Master of High Performance Sport graduate Alex Sakadijian, Sports Science and Conditioning Manager at Melbourne Football Club, you can take on a full course load while continuing to work full-time.
“My job is pretty demanding and requires working odd hours. It’s not your average nine to five, Monday to Friday job. Luckily, I was able to do a masters course with ACU that was primarily online. Not being in classrooms for tutorials and lectures was something new to me, but it worked out well. It definitely required a lot of self-discipline. I always made sure I logged in every couple of days. If you can do that, then it’s manageable. I was able to study full-time and still do a full-time job,” he said.
Alex Sakadijian
Some online with a compulsory attendance component (including examinations). Attendance is usually in blocks and can be as few as three days face-to-face a semester. It is designed to accommodate professionals or those who live in rural and remote areas.
Like Graduate Certificate in Clinical Nursing graduate Fiona Falkner, Undergraduate Educator at Royal Melbourne Hospital, you could split your time doing uni work and assessments face to face and online with workplace assessments.
“I went to ACU because they have an affiliation with Royal Melbourne Hospital. I’d seen a couple of people from my ward do the postgrad course. It looked interesting, it looked supportive, and it was very relevant to the area I was working in. The course has really set me up for where I am now – in a more senior position,” she said.
Units are delivered on campus in a block over consecutive weekdays and/or weekends.
Like Master of Educational Leadership student Michael O’Sullivan, Principal of St Joseph’s Primary School, Brisbane you can live regionally and attend intensive programs on campus during school holidays.
“I was already working as a teacher within the Catholic school system when I decided to study for my masters. I didn’t live in Brisbane at the time and the intensives allowed me contact with teachers and fellow students. At other times I communicated with my lecturers by email, and I felt very supported that way. What really stood out for me was the way the lecturers worked with us, guiding us so we could improve our work and achieve our best,” he said.
Whether you want to increase your employability, pursue a career in academia, or simply continue to study a subject you love, there’s a study path that’s right for you.
Ready to make the leap? Explore the postgraduate degrees offered at ACU and ACU Online.
Copyright@ Australian Catholic University 1998-2024 | ABN 15 050 192 660 CRICOS registered provider: 00004G | PRV12008
