Helping you make the transition to tertiary study

Who should do this program?

School to university

Though you will have some experience in essay writing and exams, this program will help you develop independent learning skills at the level required for university.

The program will also give you a taste of the environment and some hands-on skills such as referencing and research.

TAFE to university

While diploma and advanced diploma courses give you solid practical knowledge and skills, higher education study is a different learning experience.

Formal lectures, research skills and academic writing are just a few of the challenges, particularly if you are entering directly into a second-year subject.

Returning to university

Students without recent study experience can use this program to refresh or develop the study skills required at university.

The program is also suitable for gap-year, mature-age, online and postgraduate students.

• Academic skills self-evaluation Find out how confident you are in the skills you'll need during your university course.

Skill areas

The program focuses on developing your skills in the areas of:

• Academic writing:
  In your university course you may be asked to write in a way to inform, persuade, report, investigate, compare and contrast or discuss a topic. The most successful academic writing maintains focus on the topic rather than on opinion. It's a style of writing that takes practice to do well, where you make decisions about using the right words in well-constructed, meaningful, objective sentences.
  
  The skills program will explain the most common essay and report formats, how to structure and craft an essay, and how to establish and develop an argument in a piece of writing. Critical thinking and problem-solving, and how to assess your own work before submission.
  
  
• Critical analysis:
  Analysis is the vital first step when preparing a university assignment or project. You need to correctly understand the topic you are tackling to be able to produce a structured and accurate response to it. Correctly understanding what you are being asked to do and why can also be as important as understanding and researching the topic.
  
  In the course, you can develop the ability to critically evaluate existing research, choose the best sources to reference or paraphrase, and then to develop your own voice; delve deep and enquire.
  
  
• Research skills:
  Effective research skills are needed to give you a spread of knowledge, perspectives, concepts and theories on which to draw your own conclusions and to integrate into your work.
  
  The program covers how to research effectively online and in the library (using databases and catalogues).
  
  
• Note taking and learning modes:
  You will need to actively listen, take notes and concentrate to get the most from your face-to-face contact hours at university. Keeping up with the pace of a speaker may be difficult, but you will need notes that are useful to you later and help you understand the topic.
  
  The course explains lectures and tutorials, including practical sessions so you will feel prepared when you attend your first classes and know how to take notes effectively.
  
  
• Establishing study patterns:
  University is not just lectures and tutorials. You are in control of your own success at university, and the discipline of independent learning will be one of your greatest challenges.
  
  The program offers an explanation of what will be required of you outside of the lecture theatre, and how to best organise your workload and manage your time.
  
  
• Referencing:
  You are required to officially acknowledge the work of others you've used in your research and cited in your academic work. This respects and credits the intellectual property of those authors as well as avoids accusations of plagiarism, which can discredit your work.
  
  The course covers in-text references, bibliographies and reference lists, so you won't lose marks unnecessarily.
  
  
• Quoting, summarising and paraphrasing:
  The use of direct quotes, incorporating pieces of other people's work or summaries of original work all need proper citation in your academic work. University markers use software tools developed to detect plagiarised texts in academic work, so these skills are vital.
  
  During the program you'll learn how to use references without risking plagiarism.
  
  
• Group work:
  Group assessment tasks, presentations, study groups and online discussions are all examples of collaborative teamwork, which is one of the most important skills you'll need at uni and later in your career.
  
  The course includes practical advice on how to work effectively in a team and as a team.
  
  
• Oral presentation skills:
  Contributing and presenting in person will be an important part of participating and engaging at university as well as in your future career.
  
  The program will help you discover how to deliver presentations confidently and successfully.
  
  
• Exam preparation:
  Examinations aim to determine your understanding of what you've learned, but how you handle the pressure situation of exams can affect your results.
  
  The course will offer advice on how to manage nerves, review key learnings and prepare for every situation, so you feel confident and perform at your best.
  
  
• Stress management:
  University study will present different individuals with different challenges. Whether that comes from settling into a new study or living environment, meeting new people, coping with expectations or juggling study, work and life commitments, there are bound to be factors that cause you some stress.
  
  The program includes help on how to get and stay organised, manage your workload and keep stress under control – and where to find help when you need it.

Delivery

The program is available in the following delivery modes:

• Intensive delivery: Three weeks full-time starting Monday 4 February 2013 at the Hawthorn campus.
• Online delivery: Six weeks part-time. Start date to be advised.

Course schedule

The next intake will be advised soon.

Fee information

There are different fee options available to students. You will need to determine which fees apply for you.

Fee option 1 – $0 *

Enrolment into this course is free if you meet all of the following criteria:

• You are enrolled in another course at Swinburne University of Technology
• and you hold one of the following citizen/residency statuses and are reside in Victoria for the duration of your studies:
  • Australian citizen
  • Australian Permanent Resident (holder of a permanent visa)
  • New Zealand Citizen (visa 444)
  • Asylum seeker/victim of human trafficking (must have ARC/ASRC referral)
• and are any of the following:
  • under 20 years of age (as at 1 January 2013)
  • you do not hold a diploma, advanced diploma, undergraduate degree or postgraduate qualification
• and you
  • haven't begun and are not enrolled to begin two or more government-subsidised courses in 2013

* The student tuition fee is indicative and subject to change given individual circumstances at enrolment.

Fee option 2

If you are not enrolled in another course at Swinburne University of Technology but meet all the other criteria listed above your enrolment fee will be the following

• Part-time online delivery $550* or $147* for concession
• Full-time intensive delivery $656* or $207* for concession

* The student tuition fee is indicative and subject to change given individual circumstances at enrolment.

Fee option 3

If you are unable to meet all the criteria listed above your enrolment fee will be

• Part-time online delivery $2062*
• Full-time intensive delivery $2168* or $2122* for concession

* The student tuition fee is indicative and subject to change given individual circumstances at enrolment.

Student testimonial

Jaan Shamoon - TAFE to university

Jaan is now studying the Bachelor of Commerce:

The program gave me a great insight into what it is like to be a university student, it really has helped me a lot! The skills covered by the program are what I need and use for my degree. To anyone considering doing the program, it changed my life and how I manage the challenges of degree-level study.
Jaan Shamoon