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First Year Students
Secondary school leaver
 University
can be very different from school. The first few months at
university are very exciting as you discover an expanding
social life and increased freedom and opportunities. All students
will experience some sort of adjustment period. You may be
more affected if you have moved away from home, or if you
are the first in your family to go to university. Either way,
you will find university vastly different from secondary school
where differences can range from academic, geographical, administrative
and personal– to name a few.
Some of the changes you can expect are:
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Different teaching
methods
You will usually have one lecture per week per subject
for 1-3 hours. Depending upon the number of students
enrolled in the subject, the class/lecture may range
in size from 30 students to much larger numbers. Each
subject will usually also have a tutorial or laboratory
class for 1-2 hours with classes of 15-30 students.
These can offer the opportunity to ask questions and
engage in discussion about the material presented at
the lecture. |
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Less contact time
With one lecture and one tutorial per week per subject,
full-time students may spend as little as 12 hours per
week in the classroom. Depending on university timetabling,
you may be able to cram this into one or two days, or
it may be spread over the whole week. However, you are
expected to spend time outside of the classroom reading,
researching and working on assignments.
Attendance is a requirement at Swinburne University. Teaching programs are designed with the expectation that students will attend classes. If you are not able to attend, you should let your lecturer or tutor know and arrange to make up for the lecture or tutorial. |
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More independence
At university you won’t be reminded to hand in
homework or to study for an exam – it will be
expected but not imposed. As such, you will be responsible
for your own learning, whereby you’ll need to
be committed to studying and meeting the demands of
your work load in your own time. |
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Finding help
Since universities are such big places, it is hard
for staff to recognise when you need help. As part of
your increased independence, you need to take responsibility
for seeking help when you need it. Lecturers and tutors
are more than happy to help with any course queries.
Swinburne also offers an enormous range of support through
Student
Services, in the areas of study, personal problems,
financial concerns and health issues. |
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Finding your way
Navigating a new environment is never easy and a university
campus is no different. Orientation is a great chance
for students to get to know their way around campus
before lectures start. Each campus has a Student
Information Centre which is a good starting point
for all queries. |
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New people
You may be nervous about leaving your school friends
and meeting new people but you should be assured that
everyone is in the same boat. Orientation is a good
time to meet people studying the same course, or with
similar interests through clubs and societies. |
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Mature age students
 University
offers you new and wonderful experiences but returning to
study after a significant period of absence can seem a very
daunting prospect. Work toward overcoming feelings of lack
of confidence and apprehension so that you may enjoy the university
experience.
Some adjustments that you might have to make include:
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surviving financially |
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juggling family responsibilities and study |
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adapting to the university mode of learning |
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managing study and a job |
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moving from a place of employment or situation where
you may have many established friends |
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being among the oldest within a predominantly young
student population |
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maintaining personal relationships outside of study |
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being a part-time student with limited access to
campus life |
To help you experience success you should:
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avoid being intimidated by the sheer size of the
physical environment by getting to know your way around
as quickly as possible; |
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try to get to know other students as quickly as possible
- a friendly, familiar face can dispel much of the tension
generated by new surroundings and practices; |
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maintain a high level of motivation by regular reflection
on why you are at university and what you hope to achieve
by being here; |
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commence reading course material and texts as soon
as possible; |
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keep up to date with background reading as preparation
for lectures and tutorials; |
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try and attend all lectures and tutorials; |
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complete and submit all assessable work by the due
date, essentially because if you do not do this the
amount of work which needs to be completed will simply
accumulate until it appears too burdensome to even attempt; |
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do not be discouraged by the possibility of initial
results which may be disappointing - make the effort
to see your tutors to discuss how the quality of your
work can be improved; |
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seek assistance as soon as possible if a subject,
course or personal matters are causing concern - counsellors
within the university can offer constructive advice
and/or assistance (do not allow what may initially be
a relatively minor issue to become a major one); and |
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investigate the facilities and resources
available on campus, and make use of them if you feel
the need. |
In addition, work toward becoming an independent learner.
Essentially, this means that you must exercise:
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a mature, responsible attitude; |
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effective organisation and efficient time management
skills; and |
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a self-disciplined approach to your studies. |
Above all else learn to enjoy yourself and to enjoy learning.
For mature age students with family responsibilities, click
here for information on University operated child
care services.
Mature age student opinions - Michele (Psychology)
I decided to go back to Uni at age 31. I hadn’t studied
since I was 16 and really didn’t know where to begin.
I had a young child and a mortgage so the whole idea of sacrificing
a stable career for my dream career beginning at University
was very scary. I decided to study the social sciences but
in hindsight had no idea what that would be like. I took up
two majors (psychology and sociology) along with some electives
in business and philosophy. My first hurdle was understanding
how to write an essay as I hadn’t done one for some
15 years and even then I didn’t know what I was doing!
I felt embarrassed and a little stupid but I finally gained
the courage to ask my tutor. She was great and understood
my dilemma completely. She told me what an essay involved
and directed me to a book by Catherine Betts (writing essays
in the social sciences) and I never looked back. In fact today,
some eight years later, I’m completing a Clinical Doctorate
in Psychology and writing one BIG thesis. My advice to those
mature age students is to ask for help and find other mature
age students who are in the same predicament. The saying “your
not the only one” is really true and encouraging when
starting University. |
International students
 Transition
is a particularly important issue for international students.
Not only are you moving from a secondary to a university learning
environment, you are also moving to a new country. This normally
means leaving behind an established network of family, friends
and contacts. It also means moving from a familiar socio-cultural
environment to a place where attitudes, expectations and forms
of social behaviour may be quite different. But change can
also be a very positive thing as it brings exciting new challenges
and experiences. It is important to remember that there are
a wide range of services to guide and support you across the
university. Your first point of contact should always be your
campus international
student advisor.
For further information visit the Swinburne
International website. |
Pathways from TAFE
 Moving
from TAFE to university is an exciting time but can also raise
lots of questions and sometimes anxieties.
Here are some common issues faced
by students making this transition.
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Making friends with a new set of students
and lecturers. |
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Having fewer hours in the classroom and more hours
in which you have to study independently. |
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Different expectations in terms of your writing. |
To ease your transition, make sure
you attend orientation
week and make use of all of the support
services available to you. |
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