Good Universities

Best Engineering Schools in Australia

Andrew Lancaster — Thu, 29 Sep 2016 00:56:12 +0000

The top engineering universities in Australia:

have large engineering programs, including postgraduate study;
are rated highly by graduates who complete engineering degrees; and
help engineering students secure good jobs by the time they graduate.

Based on these criteria, Australia's top engineering faculties are:

University of New South Wales (multiple engineering schools)
University of Wollongong (Faculty of Engineering and Information Sciences)
University of Queensland (Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology).

CQUniversity is the leading uni for graduate outcomes.

Source: UniversityReviews.com.au

The best engineering courses in Australia:

are delivered by good engineering schools
offer specialisations you want
are accessible to you.

For Australian undergraduate students. A good engineering course is one you can get into based on ATAR score or pathways entry. Campus location may also be important.

For international students. A good engineering course also needs to be affordable. International tuition fees vary between universities and are paid upfront.

For masters degree students. You need access to the right study topics for your career. Fees also matter. Postgraduate tuition fees are uncapped for all students.

The post Best Engineering Schools in Australia appeared first on Good Universities.

Best Computer Science Universities

Andrew Lancaster — Thu, 29 Sep 2016 00:28:23 +0000

Computer science / IT is an area where you want good teaching from a university and not just a big reputation. A successful computing career depends on learning and ability, not just where you studied.

The best computer science universities in Australia:

have a large information technology teaching program
are rated highly by graduates who complete computing degrees
help computer science students land good jobs.

Based on these criteria, Australia's top computer science unis are:

Source: UniversityReviews.com.au

Australia's computer science universities

Information technology student numbers

The biggest universities for computer science in Australia are successful at bringing in large numbers of students, offer an attractive selection of courses, and have resources to provide services for many students.

As you might expect, the biggest IT unis include "technology" unis. Among the largest 10 are RMIT, QUT, Swinburne and UTS.
Interestingly, international students outnumber Australian students in postgraduate courses (at a ratio of almost 2:1).

University	Students	Bachelor	Masters	International
Monash University	3,318	2,031	1,287	1,812
Charles Sturt University	2,694	954	1,740	1,423
Queensland University of Technology	3,380	2,295	1,085	930
RMIT University	3,679	2,835	844	1,617
Federation University Australia	2,572	1,128	1,444	2,239
University of Technology Sydney	2,847	1,820	1,027	907
Swinburne University of Technology	2,897	2,052	845	1,214
Deakin University	2,332	1,525	807	810
CQUniversity	1,884	786	1,098	1,358
University of Wollongong	2,501	1,908	593	1,915
Victoria University	1,678	791	887	1,362
University of New South Wales	1,699	1,128	571	486
La Trobe University	1,283	594	689	854
Griffith University	1,504	1,099	405	510
University of Southern Queensland	1,214	648	566	767
James Cook University	1,262	840	422	898
University of Queensland	1,332	961	371	388
Edith Cowan University	1,256	897	359	419
Western Sydney University	1,663	1,446	217	269
University of Canberra	1,277	972	305	506
University of South Australia	1,153	825	328	225
University of Melbourne	968	2	966	681
Macquarie University	1,648	1,494	154	280
University of Sydney	924	541	383	384
University of Tasmania	1,358	1,195	163	988
University of Newcastle	1,117	940	177	388
Murdoch University	1,335	1,209	126	940
Curtin University	636	189	447	217
University of Adelaide	551	383	168	300
Australian National University	591	454	137	228
Flinders University	430	321	109	103
University of New England	317	228	89	42
Charles Darwin University	247	200	47	123
Australian Catholic University	204	163	41	112
University of Western Australia	130	74	56	29
Southern Cross University	326	320	6	99
University of the Sunshine Coast	201	191	10	58
Bond University	36	31	5	11

Source: uCube Higher Education Statistics (2 Dec 2015), Information Technology field

Best masters programs

The best computer science masters program for you depends on your budget, location and time availability.

Each of the top-rated courses shown below offers something different.

SCU Online has a modular program for current or future IT managers. Each unit is fully online and can be completed within 2 months.
Federation University Australia's computer science program is popular with international students (helped by low tuition fees).
The University of Queensland's IT program gets good ratings for student satisfaction and graduate salaries.

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Best Bachelor of Arts Degrees

Andrew Lancaster — Wed, 28 Sep 2016 22:57:16 +0000

The best literary Bachelor of Arts (BA) programs offer a good selection of majors in history, humanities and social sciences. They also maintain high teaching standards across disciplines.

Australian universities have been ranked using 3 criteria:

size of the literary arts program (student numbers)
course satisfaction ratings by BA graduates
employment and salary outcomes for graduates.

Based on these criteria, Australia's top BA degrees are at:

Source: UniversityReviews.com.au

Australia's arts universities

Arts student numbers

History, humanities and other literary arts form a cornerstone field of university study. There are large programs at most Australian universities.

Three universities had 16,000+ students enrolled in "society and culture" courses in 2014: Macquarie, Monash and Sydney. Each also had >10,000 bachelor-level students, as did Western Sydney, University of Queensland and Deakin.

Bachelor of Arts graduates often go on to further study. ANU had around 7,500 students enrolled in postgrad courses on society and culture in 2014. The University of Melbourne had 6,000 while Monash had 4,500.

University	Students	Bachelor	Postgrad
Australian National University	12,946	5,424	7,522
Monash University	17,032	12,640	4,392
University of Sydney	16,115	11,727	4,388
Macquarie University	18,685	15,781	2,904
University of Melbourne	11,754	5,715	6,039
Deakin University	13,251	10,480	2,771
University of New South Wales	11,848	8,699	3,149
University of Queensland	12,960	10,668	2,292
Charles Sturt University	9,173	6,141	3,032
University of New England	8,161	6,112	2,049
Flinders University	7,684	5,500	2,184
Griffith University	9,065	7,462	1,603
Queensland University of Technology	7,649	6,008	1,641
Western Sydney University	12,548	11,982	566
University of Newcastle	5,684	3,603	2,081
La Trobe University	7,668	6,601	1,067
Australian Catholic University	5,926	4,382	1,544
Curtin University	6,919	5,788	1,131
Swinburne University of Technology	6,225	5,201	1,024
University of Adelaide	5,969	4,980	989
RMIT University	4,462	2,900	1,562
University of Technology, Sydney	4,491	3,061	1,430
Murdoch University	5,668	4,798	870
University of Western Australia	5,505	4,679	826
Victoria University	4,962	4,098	864
Edith Cowan University	4,489	3,764	725
University of Wollongong	4,246	3,631	615
University of Tasmania	4,306	3,725	581
James Cook University	3,731	3,115	616
University of Canberra	3,475	2,811	664
University of South Australia	3,531	2,930	601
University of Southern Queensland	3,207	2,762	445
Bond University	1,896	1,089	807
University of Notre Dame Australia	2,647	2,259	388
University of Divinity	1,509	562	947
Southern Cross University	2,470	2,164	306
Charles Darwin University	2,161	1,908	253
University of the Sunshine Coast	2,043	1,818	225
CQUniversity	1,919	1,689	230
Federation University Australia	1,075	921	154

Source: uCube Higher Education Statistics (21 Dec 2015), Society and Culture field

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Best MBA Programs in Australia

Andrew Lancaster — Wed, 28 Sep 2016 21:30:25 +0000

Size isn't everything but it does reveal some things about a business school. It may be useful to know how many students you will be studying with if you enroll in a certain program.

The table shows that the biggest graduate business and management schools in Australia are in Sydney and Melbourne: University of Sydney, UNSW, Monash, and University of Melbourne.

Size is a quality indicator in at least a couple of ways.

Bigger graduate business schools are popular. A large enrollment shows many people think the school offers good value for money.
Larger MBA programs may also offer more choice. The program has a bigger budget, allowing it to employ more instructors and offer more units and majors.

A drawback to studying with a large business school is that you can more easily get lost in the crowd.

Instructors may be too busy to give you one-on-one advice.
Student services (e.g. when you want to vary your course or access library material) may be compromised.

Graduate Business School	Australian	International	Total students
University of Sydney	1,411	6,073	7,484
University of New South Wales	3,871	3,194	7,065
Monash University	1,313	4,931	6,244
University of Melbourne	2,498	3,292	5,790
Charles Sturt University	2,100	3,188	5,288
University of Technology Sydney	2,047	2,923	4,970
Macquarie University	1,995	2,867	4,862
Deakin University	2,295	1,965	4,260
Queensland University of Technology	2,402	1,356	3,758
University of Wollongong	507	3,216	3,723
RMIT University	1,400	2,105	3,505
University of Queensland	977	2,174	3,151
Curtin University of Technology	1,499	1,446	2,945
CQUniversity	338	2,588	2,926
Griffith University	1,708	1,182	2,890
La Trobe University	656	2,226	2,882
Australian National University	166	2,327	2,493
University of Southern Queensland	1,050	1,291	2,341
University of Adelaide	707	1,629	2,336
University of Newcastle	1,013	1,276	2,289
Swinburne University of Technology	1,255	836	2,091
Southern Cross University	807	1,031	1,838
University of South Australia	944	841	1,785
Edith Cowan University	451	1,210	1,661
Torrens University Australia	376	1,218	1,594
Federation University Australia	171	1,326	1,497
University of Western Australia	1,097	391	1,488
James Cook University	197	1,283	1,480
Western Sydney University	534	833	1,367
University of Canberra	503	770	1,273
University of Tasmania	504	769	1,273
Flinders University	294	966	1,260
Victoria University	429	759	1,188
Charles Darwin University	90	997	1,087
Murdoch University	409	601	1,010
University of New England	894	82	976
Bond University	231	582	813
University of the Sunshine Coast	157	637	794
Australian Catholic University	244	314	558
University of Notre Dame Australia	89	4	93

Source: uCube Higher Education Statistics (1 February 2018)

It's obviously nice to get an MBA from a business school with a good reputation. There's prestige associated with saying you got your MBA from Stanford or Oxford or some other famous university.

You don't have to dig deep to figure out how much prestige you get from studying at a particular university. People, including employers, usually are not checking out the latest business school rankings. Prestige is linked to the university's brand more than the business school itself.

A way of measuring prestige is by how hard it is to get into courses. The table shows the Australian universities with the highest indicative cut-off scores for getting into Bachelor of Business/Commerce programs. On top are UNSW, the University of Melbourne and the University of Sydney.

Business/Commerce Degree	ATAR
University of New South Wales	96
University of Melbourne	95
University of Sydney	95
Monash University	82
Australian National University	82
University of Queensland	81
University of Western Australia	80
Macquarie University	80
University of Adelaide	80

Source: Uni Reviews (21 November 2015)

Note: ATARs only apply to undergraduate courses.

Tuition fees are an important value factor. Students pay full fees for postgraduate courses, including MBAs and other masters.

Australian students are eligible for HECS-HELP loans.

MBA fees vary greatly. As the table shows, the cheapest MBAs start at around $20,000 per year. The most expensive are much more. The highest fee is $81,400 per year at the Melbourne Business School.

Note that fees shown are for international students.
Fees for Australians are generally the same but can be lower.

The standard length of an MBA is 1.5 years (3 terms) of full-time study.

Programs can be shortened where the university offers credit for prior study or experience.
Extended (or Executive) MBAs may be 2 years long.

Graduate Business School	$A/year
SCU Online	$18,720
University of New England	$20,440
University of Southern Queensland	$21,520
Edith Cowan University	$21,600
Southern Cross University	$22,480
University of the Sunshine Coast	$22,800
Charles Darwin University	$23,448
James Cook University	$24,000
CQUniversity	$24,480
Charles Sturt University	$24,800
Australian Catholic University	$25,000
University of Wollongong	$25,344
Victoria University	$25,400
Swinburne University of Technology	$26,130
Western Sydney University	$26,600
Federation University Australia	$26,800
Flinders University	$27,800
University of Canberra	$28,900
University of Technology Sydney	$30,672
Murdoch University	$30,960
University of Newcastle	$31,280
University of Tasmania	$32,500
Monash University	$32,700
University of South Australia	$33,000
La Trobe University	$33,510
Curtin University of Technology	$34,800
Griffith University	$35,000
Bond University	$35,240
Deakin University	$36,000
RMIT University	$36,480
Macquarie University	$38,000
University of Adelaide	$38,500
University of New South Wales	$38,880
Australian National University	$39,024
University of Sydney	$40,000
Queensland University of Technology	$42,200
University of Western Australia	$66,000
University of Queensland	$66,144
University of Melbourne	$81,400

Annual fee for international students (indicative).
Source: Uni Reviews (21 November 2015)

The post Best MBA Programs in Australia appeared first on Good Universities.

Best Nursing Universities in Australia

Andrew Lancaster — Sun, 25 Sep 2016 00:28:20 +0000

The best nursing schools and universities in Australia do an excellent job of training future nurses. They develop competencies, provide an enjoyable learning experience, and help you get started on a career.

Quality indicators for a nursing and midwifery program are:

large numbers of students enroll in the program
high courses satisfaction rates among students and recent graduates
strong rates of graduate employment.

Top 10 university rankings

The top 10 universities for nursing and midwifery in 2017 are: University of Notre Dame Australia, Australian Catholic University, Edith Cowan University, University of Adelaide, University of Technology Sydney, Charles Darwin University, Deakin University, University of South Australia, Curtin University, James Cook University (Source: Uni Reviews).

A nursing career offers many benefits. Nursing and midwifery in Australia is associated with high job satisfaction, secure employment, solid pay, and the flexibility to work in any city or town.

Training to be a nurse is a big commitment of time and energy. But there is an attractive payoff. Here are the top 5 reasons why studying nursing is a good career move.

Job satisfaction

Nursing is a job where you can help people directly – so you get to see the results of your good work. That can bring extra satisfaction. Nurses are vital to the delivery of health services and in supporting people during difficult times. It is a positive role that you can take pride in.

Nurses have their good days and bad days and the job can be stressful. But, overall, they feel upbeat about their profession. An Australian study found that 96% of nurses and midwives are at least moderately satisfied with their work (Skinner et al).

Employable skills

Most nursing graduates find full-time employment within a few months of finishing their degree. The employment rate is around 80%, which is higher than most other disciplines (source: Graduate Destinations Survey). Once you've made a start on your career, job security is excellent. Hospitals and other health service institutions are reliable employers.

Flexibility

Nursing is a career which accommodates changing life circumstances. Experienced nurses are needed in every city and town. So you can move to any populated part of the country and expect to find work. The profession also allows for timeouts. You can take years off for family and other reasons and pick up your career again without great difficulty.

Variety

As a people-orientated job, nursing presents constant variety. Nurses who help patients or clients directly meet new people each day. Your work can change with each case or as you move into different roles.

Growth potential

Like most professions, nursing has career paths which allow for growth, development and extra responsibilities. Senior nurses can move into director, specialist, consultant, education and health administration roles.

After completing your initial registration as a nurse, you can seek employment directly with hospitals or healthcare services. Many hospitals offer graduate programs which give nurses the opportunity to experience nursing work across a range of fields and specialisations. Alternatively, you may choose to start your career with a healthcare provider in a particular sector. Nursing careers can be highly varied and diverse in the nature of work performed, the types of patients you will care for and the clinical conditions that you may be exposed to.

~ HealthTimes

The best nursing universities in Australia offer a bachelor program of the right size.

In any part of Australia, there is only so much demand for trainee nurses and nursing graduates.
If a nursing program is too big, the quality of training placements can suffer. Graduates may also struggle to find a job in the local area.

With this in mind, our top rated nursing programs are at the University of Notre Dame Australia and the Adelaide Nursing School.

The nursing schools are sizeable but not large by Australian standards.
Importantly, they perform well in surveys of student satisfaction, and average graduate salaries (which account for unemployment) are high.

For detailed nursing program statistics, see Uni Reviews.

The University of Notre Dame Australia (Fremantle and Perth) has the top rated nursing school. It scores highly for student satisfaction with courses, and performs well in getting graduates into jobs.

Program numbers are limited, which helps Notre Dame find suitable placements for all students. As per national requirements, students complete 400 hours of supervised training each year.

The Fremantle campus offers nursing diploma holders an articulated bachelor degree – a shortened 2-year program for students already eligible for enrolled nurse registration.

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Best Master of Commerce in Australia

Andrew Lancaster — Sat, 17 Sep 2016 00:48:44 +0000

The best Master of Commerce degrees in Australia are available from the top business schools. These include the Melbourne Business School, Queensland University of Technology, and UNSW Business School.

Quality indicators for a commerce masters degree include:

size of the graduate business program (as a measure of popularity)
a good selection of units and specialisations
an undergraduate business program with high course ratings and graduate salaries
tuition fees which, considering the quality of the course, represent value for money.

You can expect good teaching and useful content when studying for a Master of Commerce degree. Australian universities compete for postgraduate students. The best business schools deliver high quality courses that meet the needs and preferences of students.

A Master of Commerce (MCom or MComm) is a 1.5 or 2 year postgraduate business course. It is not just open to business graduates, but university graduates of other disciplines (such as arts, engineering or science).

Doing an MCom degree course is a flexible way to study business. Programs can be general or specialised. You can normally adjust the mix of subjects as you move through the course.

If you don't have a business degree already

If you are a university graduate and completed a non-business degree, a Master of Commerce may be the ideal business program.

An MCom is the postgraduate equivalent of a Bachelor of Commerce or Bachelor of Business.
You do can foundation business subjects but also have the opportunity to specialise.
You also can adjust what you study as you move through the course and identify academic strengths, weaknesses and interests.

If you have an undergraduate business degree

As a commerce or business graduate, you should have a good idea of what to expect in an MCom course. You are likely to quickly cover some of the content you've seen before but also do advanced studies in chosen subjects.

Master of Commerce versus MBA

In Australia, Master of Commerce and MBAs are perhaps the most popular business masters degrees. As an MCom holder, you may be perceived as having accounting and financial expertise. MBA degrees are associated more with management and leadership.

In truth, there is not a hard distinction between the degrees. For example, you can major in Marketing in MCom as well as MBA programs. You can study management in an MCom course and financial analysis in an MBA.

Which degree offers the biggest career advantage is unclear. Commerce degrees and MBAs are easily the most common degrees among CEOs. High performing business people usually possess both financial and team management skills.

One clear point of difference is price. The perceived value of an MCom, which is often seen as a practical degree, is only partly linked to the university you got it from. Tuition fees are reasonable and broadly similar across universities. With an MBA, your options range from cheap to very expensive.

The best Master of Commerce programs in Australia all offer a good learning experience.

Melbourne Business School, QUT, and UNSW Business School all provide a great selection of courses. Plus you can study in a prime part of a major city.
RMIT University allows you to study online from anywhere in Australia or overseas.

The best on-campus programs are also large in terms of student numbers. That shows the business schools are offering what students want, competing well against nearby universities.

Another factor in choosing a good MCom program is course duration. Generally, a shorter program is preferable because you get the qualification at a reduced cost in time and fees.

The standard length of a business masters degree is 12 units, which represents 1.5 years (3 semesters) of full-time study.
Some programs are as long as 16 units, though this may be reduced by recognition of prior learning.

RMIT University offers the best online Master of Commerce. The program is designed for busy people. You can study 100% online wherever and whenever it suits.

The 12-unit course runs year round, allowing part-time students to earn a masters degree in just 2 years.

You can start by enrolling in a 4-unit Graduate Certificate of Commerce course.
The normal pattern is to do 1 unit from start to finish in each 2-month study period.

The program concentrates on 4 useful disciplines: marketing, human resources, supply chains, and project management. You can either (i) specialise in one of the first 3 disciplines or (ii) construct a general program by selecting units from each field.

Melbourne Business School (MBS) at the University of Melbourne has the top Master of Commerce program in Australia.

The School is one of the largest for postgraduate business studies, with close to 5,000 students.
MBS alumni benefit from university's reputation. For example, BCom graduates from the university have the highest indicative salaries in Australia. (Source: Uni Reviews)

MBS offers numerous specialisations, including accounting, actuarial studies, business analytics, economics, finance, human resources, marketing, and supply chain management.

Queensland University of Technology (QUT) has the top postgraduate program in Queensland for business, commerce and management.

QUT Business School has close to 3,500 postgraduate students.
The School has a reputation for good teaching, with 85% - 90% course satisfaction rates among BBus students and recent graduates. (Source: Uni Reviews)

Master of Business students have 11 specialisations to choose from: accounting, advertising, applied finance, human resources, integrated marketing communication, international business, management, marketing, philanthropy, professional accounting and public relations.

The UNSW Business School has the strongest Master of Commerce program in the competitive Sydney market.

The Business School is the largest in Australia for postgraduate study, with over 6,000 students.
The School offers 12 specialisations.

A feature of the MCom program is flexibility.

You can be given credit for previous business studies, of up to 4 units in the 12-unit program.
To qualify for a major, you choose 6 specialised units in that field of study. Other units may be selected from diverse study areas.

Master of Commerce degrees are available in many different disciplines (see the selection below) and you will probably be asked to nominate a specialisation when enrolling.

A specialisation can be expressed as a major or as the degree itself. For example, a finance masters can be a Master of Commerce (Finance), Master of Business (Finance), or Master of Finance.
Your specialisation is normally easy to change during the early stages of the program.

Enrolling students usually have professional experience and are clear about their preferred major.

Gaining business experience before doing a masters is normally a good idea.
With experience under your belt, you have better awareness of potential career paths.
Experience also helps you relate theory and principles to the real world.

Non-business graduates also use masters studies to start or boost a business career. Most specialisations are suitable for students without a business degree or prior learning in the field.

The post Best Master of Commerce in Australia appeared first on Good Universities.

Best Education (Teacher Training) Courses

Andrew Lancaster — Tue, 13 Sep 2016 01:19:29 +0000

The best universities in Australia for education offer good academic courses and effective teacher training. They prepare you to start strongly in your education and teaching career.

Education is a study area where it is essential to learn professional skills. Most graduates of degree programs move straight into demanding teaching roles – so you want to be properly prepared. You'll soon be responsible for managing classes and delivering part of a curriculum.

Which are Australia's top teacher training courses?

The top teacher training courses in Australia:

attract good numbers of students
are rated highly by graduates
have a strong record of graduates finding jobs.

Based on these criteria, Australia's leading undergraduate (bachelor) programs are at QUT, UNE and ACU. The top postgraduate (masters and graduate diploma) courses are at UniMelb, ECU and UNE.

If you have the ability and motivation to teach, opportunities are available across Australia's education and training sectors.

Teachers are needed to provide instruction to people of all ages.
The things people want to learn about range from early language and motor skills, through to advanced art, literature and science.

The biggest demand for teachers comes from the school system.

To be an instructor in schools, you need professional teaching qualifications.
In other teaching areas, such as adult education, the main prerequisites are normally subject expertise and an ability to communicate effectively.

Here is a quick snapshot of the main teaching fields and qualifications needed.

A Bachelor of Education (or Bachelor of Teaching) is a 4-year professional degree. It qualifies you to teach in Australian schools, which include preschool, primary and secondary classrooms.

As a professional degree, each course needs to meet regulatory standards.

While regulations are made at a state or territory level, Australia has national guidelines.
For details on what is happening in this space, see the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (AITSL).

To become an accredited teacher, you need to complete supervised teaching placements in school settings during your studies.

The best teacher training programs attract students and deliver results. We can measure results in terms of course satisfaction ratings and graduate outcomes. For the best universities, close to 90% of students are employed or doing further study shortly after graduating. (Source: Uni Reviews)

Queensland University of Technology offers a Bachelor of Education degree in which you can specialise in Early Childhood, Primary, or Secondary teaching.

The Secondary education program has majors available in: biology, chemistry, earth and environmental science, English, geography, health and physical education, history, mathematics, and physics.

The QUT program receives high course satisfaction ratings from students. Graduates also find jobs easily.

You need a rank of 72 (ATAR of around 70), to gain admission at the Kelvin Grove Campus. For Caboolture, a rank of 67 is required.

The University of New England offers a unique, dual-sector Bachelor of Education degree. Graduates of the 4-year program are eligible to teach in both primary and secondary schools.

For the secondary curriculum, students can choose to do 1 or 2 majors. Available subjects including computing, drama, English, human society, languages, mathematics, and teaching English as a second language.

Much of the course can be studied online. External students are required to attend intensive residential schools in Armidale occasionally.

To gain automatic entry, you need an ATAR of at least 77.

The Australian Catholic University has the nation's largest education program, with over 10,000 students across its campuses. You can study education with ACU in Ballarat, Brisbane, Canberra, Melbourne and Sydney (North Sydney and Strathfield).

An ATAR of around 60 is normally enough to be admitted to a course.

Bachelor of Education degrees are available with the following specialisations: early childhood, primary, early childhood and primary, and inclusive education and disability studies.

For secondary education, students do a 4-year dual degree. You can gain a Bachelor of Teaching degree along with a bachelor degree in Arts, Science or Exercise Science.

Many people who are training to become teachers are enrolled in postgraduate programs.

With a non-teaching degree under your belt, you can qualify to teach by completing a 2-year Master of Teaching (most states) or a shorter Graduate Diploma of Education (some states).
Professional courses include supervised teaching placements.

Postgraduate studies are also popular among current teachers who want to gain new knowledge and skills, or non-teachers who are involved in the education sector.

A teacher can gain educational qualifications to teach a different subject by completing a graduate certificate or diploma.
Specialist courses are widely available online, allowing you to minimise time away from work or family.

The best postgraduate programs attract large numbers of students. They may be innovative. They also tend to be in universities with highly rated undergraduate courses.

Edith Cowan University is Perth's top university for teacher education and has more than 2,000 postgraduate students.

In Western Australia, a university graduate can qualify to teach by completing a 1-year Graduate Diploma of Education.

ECU offers this qualification in early childhood studies, primary and secondary.
Student do theory in the 1st semester and a teaching placement in the 2nd.
For secondary education, ECU offers a wide selection of majors, such as art, computing, drama, English, humanities and social science, mathematics, and science.

The University of New England has Australia's best online program for teacher education.

For professional courses (i.e. which allow you to register as a teacher), UNE follows NSW regulations.
NSW requirements generally match or exceed minimum requirements for other states.
Some units may require students to attend a residential session at the Armidale campus.

UNE is always a strong performer in surveys which measure how satisfied students are with courses.

The range of online programs is extensive, and includes short courses (graduate certificates and diplomas) for current teachers who want to undertake professional development.

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Best Undergraduate Business Schools in Australia

Andrew Lancaster — Thu, 08 Sep 2016 23:43:36 +0000

The best undergraduate business schools in Australia engage students in active, useful learning. By delivering excellent teaching and job-relevant content, they set you on a path towards a successful business career.

The quality of an undergraduate business school can be measured by course ratings and graduate salary statistics.
Good schools teach foundation and specialised skills of current and enduring value.

Here we identify the top 3 Australian business schools for Bachelor of Business and Bachelor of Commerce degrees. Each school offers something different.

The University of Melbourne is exclusive.
The University of Wollongong is highly rated.
The University of Canberra has an innovative, 2-year program.

There are good reasons why business and commerce is the most popular study area at Australian universities, with close to a quarter of a million bachelor-degree students enrolled (uCube).

1. Versatility

If you're unsure what to study at university, business and commerce is a good option.

For your first year, you can generally choose a study program which combines business and 1 or 2 other fields. For example, you could start your degree by combining business studies with arts, biology, computer science, psychology or statistics. You normally don't have to start committing to a specialisation until your 2nd year.

But the real versatility is in the degree itself. A business degree allows you to work in many different roles across many industries. Business specialisations include accounting, economics, entrepreneurship, finance, human resources, international business, logistics and supply chains, management, marketing, and quantitative methods.

2. Interesting

As a business student, you engage different parts of your intellect and are required to be academically well rounded. You are constantly presented with a variety of mental challenges. A good business program is stimulating, avoiding the repetition, rote learning and drudgery which can be found in other degrees (e.g. law and hard sciences).

Business students:

do problem solving (both mathematical and qualitative)
develop written, verbal and visual presentation skills
explore how businesses and economies function
gain insight into how to be efficient and productive
learn principles for managing people, teams and organisations.

3. Payoff

Make no mistake, a business or commerce degree has a strong long-term payoff. Average starting salaries in Australia are solid, sitting somewhere between a science degree and an arts degree (Source: Uni Reviews). Over time, business graduate salaries improve in relative terms.

A US study of mid-career earnings found that business graduates earned only slightly less than the highest paid group – science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM). Business graduates earned more than other groups, including health, arts and teaching, and around 10% higher than the average for a college graduate. (Source: Georgetown CEW)

The Bachelor of Commerce course structure results in a flexible degree that allows students to explore different fields of study in business and economics as well as other complementary disciplines. As a Bachelor of Commerce student, you will have the opportunity to make an informed decision on what you would like to study before you are required to choose a major. You would usually choose your major at the beginning of second year. Depending on subject choices, you can complete a double major.

~ UniMelb

A Bachelor of Business (BBus) or Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) is normally a 3-year degree. Students with high grades may be invited to do a 4th year and be awarded a BBus or BCom with Honours.

Any good program will teach core business skills, including some accounting and statistics, economics, and management and marketing principles.
It will also provide flexibility and allow you to specialise.

The purpose of an undergraduate business degree is to prepare you for a diverse range of potential business careers. It provides foundation skills, and an academic platform for further study (e.g. an MBA) as your career progresses.

The best undergraduate business schools offer something extra. The 3 programs we've selected as the top bachelor courses in Australia excel in different areas while providing solid value overall. One is highly innovative, another delivers excellent graduate outcomes, and the third produces a high satisfaction rate among students.

Ducere Global Business School (based in Melbourne) delivers an exciting range of online business degrees in partnership with Torrens University Australia. You can study these from anywhere in Australia.

You need an ATAR of 60 to gain automatic entry.
The degree is exam free. Instead, you do project work, assignments and quizzes.

The curriculum is comprehensive but especially strong in the areas of entrepreneurship, marketing and management. Subjects include innovation, communication, digital business, leadership, marketing, finance, fundraising, and project management.

The University of Melbourne produces the best outcomes for students completing an undergraduate business degree. Around a third of Bachelor of Commerce graduates continue studying. Those who don't receive solid starting salaries.

The University's reputation helps make the business faculty successful.

The commerce program is exclusive, with an ATAR cutoff of around 93.
Employers can trust that graduates have strong academic ability.

The program offers 7 majors: accounting, actuarial studies, business, economics, finance, management and marketing.

Career opportunities for business graduates are boundless.

If you are a graduate in your early 20s, you will be competing for entry-level positions. These are available in all industries and sectors, including government agencies and non-profit organisations.

You may have an advantage competing for jobs in the field where you majored. You may also prefer to work in that area. But the most important thing is to start getting professional experience.

Business is a fluid occupation where you don't do the same job for life.
Opportunities to try different roles will emerge, no matter where you start.
All business fields contain management roles for high performers.

To have a successful career, you need to figure out where your talents and interests can be put to best use. Then you can focus on this area, building expertise and professional networks. Some of the jobs open to young business professionals are these:

The post Best Undergraduate Business Schools in Australia appeared first on Good Universities.

Top Law Schools and Degrees in Australia

Andrew Lancaster — Sun, 04 Sep 2016 08:44:33 +0000

The top law schools in Australia offer a great learning experience and a pathway to a successful practising or non-practising legal career.

Law degrees can be tough. To make it enjoyable and intellectually enriching, you should have access to high quality teaching and a variety of electives and double degrees.
At the same time, your studies should open up diverse career opportunities. The fact is that only a minority of people who start studying law end up as professional lawyers (AFR).

Comparing law schools and degrees

The top law schools and degrees in Australia are shown here. For Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degrees, the top university programs are identified using statistics on course quality and student outcomes. For Master of Laws (LLM) and Juris Doctor (JD) degrees, the top law schools excel in the areas of reputation and course depth.

Law students often do a double (or dual) bachelor degree.

By combining subjects, you earn another degree for as little as 1 extra year of study.
That is, you get 2 degrees for 5 or more years of study instead of just getting a single law degree over 4 years.

Here are the top 5 most popular subjects for law double degrees.

1. Arts and international relations

To excel in law, you need to be a good writer. Many law students capitalise on their writing skills by studying arts as well. Popular arts majors include international relations, journalism, creative writing, and media and communication studies.

A risk in studying arts is that, from a career perspective, you don't gain many additional skills beyond those demonstrated by your law degree.
However, with an impressive arts/law double degree, you are well positioned to compete for jobs which rely on critical thinking and good writing.

2. Business and commerce

Studying business and commerce in addition to law opens up many different career opportunities. You can potentially work in business, in law, or in both.

Knowledge of business is useful in certain legal roles (such as commercial law).
Likewise, legal knowledge complements business administration (e.g. in complying with regulations).

Popular business majors for law students include accounting, actuarial studies and economics. Law / commerce graduates are also well positioned to do an MBA or other postgraduate business degree.

3. Psychology

Psychology is perhaps the most popular subject at university as a complementary study stream.

It is an interesting study area which complements many other academic topics, including law.
Students also need to recognise that career opportunities in the psychology field itself are limited due to job competition.

4. Justice and criminology

For law students interested in work in the field of criminal justice, the ideal double degree combines law with the study of justice and criminology.

As well as learning about criminal law, students examine topics such as juvenile justice, drug addiction, offending and victimisation.
Graduates may be employed in policing, administration of justice, juvenile and correctional services, public policy and legal practice.

5. Science and technology

Studying science and technology can add significant value to a law degree.

Specialist positions exist at the intersection between law and technology activities such as medical treatment development, cyber security and industrial engineering.
Graduates have the option to pursue a career primarily on either the legal or technical side.

There are nearly as many intersections between law and psychology as there are areas of policy regulation. Conflict resolution and negotiation; judgment and decision-making capacity; prejudice and stereotyping; criminal responsibility; competency; assessment of evidence, including the reliability of eyewitnesses, and lie detection; hedonics; developmental psychology and educational policy; addiction and drug policy—these are just a few of the frontiers open to scholars and practitioners educated in both law and psychology.

~ Stanford LS

A Bachelor of Laws (LLB) is a 4-year degree at most Australian universities and is open to school leavers as well as graduates. The curriculum consists of mostly law units, though some units may be selected from other faculties.

If you want to do a double degree, your studies will normally be extended to 5+ years.
3-year law degrees for school leavers are now available from some universities (e.g. USQ and UNE).

Undergraduate law schools can be compared and ranked statistically.

The top law schools do consistently well when graduates are asked to rate their satisfaction with the course overall.
The best law schools also perform well in terms of graduate outcomes, with high average starting salaries and employment rates.
Currently, the top ranked schools are UNSW, QUT and the University of New England (source: Uni Reviews).

The University of New South Wales (UNSW) only offers dual law degrees to school leavers and other students without a university education.

The range of dual degrees is wide and includes the following subjects: actuarial studies, art theory, arts, city planning, commerce, computer science, criminology, economics, engineering, fine arts, international studies, media, medicinal chemistry, music, psychology, science, social science and social work.

Applicants need an ATAR score in the high 90s and must sit a Law Admissions test around late September.

Queensland University of Technology (QUT) offers a flexible Bachelor of Laws degree.

Extensive use is made of online learning, and students outside Brisbane can enroll as external students (meaning you only have to attend the campus occasionally).
Options for double degrees include: business, creative industries, justice, creative and professional writing, science, information technology, media and communication, psychology, journalism, and biomedical science.

The program develops legal skills in interviewing, negotiation, drafting and advocacy. A Queensland OP of 5 (rank of 92) or equivalent is required for entry.

The University of New England (UNE) offers 3-year and 4-year Bachelor of Laws degrees which may be studied online. An ATAR of around 84+ is required for entry.

Students who study externally (rather than attending the Armidale campus) can complete all compulsory units online.
UNE operates on a trimester calendar, allowing for study over the summer months.
Both the 3-year and 4-year degrees (and double degrees) are accredited for admission as a legal practitioner.

UNE has a large law school with a wide selection of subjects. Double degrees are available in agriculture, arts, business, computer science, criminology, economics, environmental science and science.

At a postgraduate level, the best law schools can be judged on reputation and course depth. The top law faculties in our assessment are at the University of Melbourne, UNSW and University of Sydney.

Master of Laws (LLM)

LLM degrees are often specialised and may be as short as 1 year of full-time study. Masters programs are usually intended for law graduates but courses are also available for graduates of other disciplines who wish to learn about legal principles and practice.

Juris Doctor (JD)

JD is a professional degree for university graduates who potentially want to become practising lawyers. It is typically 3 years of study.

You may prefer doing a JD rather than an LLB as a graduate (which is also typically 3 years).
Although a JD may be more expensive, it is designed for mature-age students.
To gain accreditation, you need to do Practical Legal Training after finishing your law degree.

UNSW Law is another high-ranking law school in international surveys of academics. It offers a JD as well as general and specialised masters courses.

UNSW Law aims to support busy students by offering intensive sessions and evening teaching periods, as well as accelerated and part-time options.
Instead of relying on lectures and tutorials, students participate in small to medium interactive classes.

The law school has a purpose-built law building which features a moot court, law library and dedicated postgraduate study rooms.

Sydney Law School is Australia's oldest. The School is a leading research institution internationally and has a global orientations in its JD and masters programs.

Available specialisations include administrative and government law, Asian and Islamic law, climate change, commercial law, criminology, dispute resolution, energy and resources, environmental law, health law, human rights, intellectual property, international trade, international law, indigenous law, jurisprudence, labour law, international development, social Justice, and taxation.

The post Top Law Schools and Degrees in Australia appeared first on Good Universities.

Australia’s Best Nutrition and Dietetics Programs

Andrew Lancaster — Fri, 26 Aug 2016 05:58:09 +0000

You can study nutrition and dietetics at many Australian universities. But not all programs are created equal. The best degrees set you up for a great career.

They teach you about human wellness and vitality in an engaging way.
You build a strong foundation of knowledge and skills in health science.
Plus you learn how to convert your education into clinical or non-clinical job opportunities.

Top 5 program rankings

The best programs are featured right here.

In terms of statistical rankings, the top 5 universities for nutrition and related health fields are currently: University of Queensland, University of Wollongong, University of South Australia, University of Western Australia and Curtin University (Source: Uni Reviews).

If you are serious about a career in nutrition, you probably should be aiming to become an Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD).

Only accredited dietitians are qualified to work in private clinical practice, hospitals and the medical nutrition industry.
Even for non-clinical roles, being an accredited dietitian gives you an advantage over other nutrition professionals.

Accredited university programs

To become a professional dietitian in Australia, you need to complete an accredited university degree.

The Dietitians Association of Australia (DAA) maintains a list of accredited 4-year bachelor and 2-year masters programs. These are available from more than a dozen Australian universities.
The full list of accredited programs can be found here.

After you graduate

To qualify as an Accredited Practising Dietitian, you need to enter into a 12-month support arrangement with a full-status APD mentor.

With the help of your mentor, you demonstrate continuing professional development (CPD) to the DAA.
To maintain accreditation, you need to complete a further 30 hours of CPD each year.

Nutrition and Dietetics is a science-based field in which practitioners are expected to be scientifically capable.

The DAA has a philosophy that dietitians are scientists with a special focus on nutrition and dietetics (according to the Program Accreditation Manual).
Bioscience, chemistry, physiology and biochemistry must comprise at least 50% of subjects in the first 2 years of an accredited bachelor program.
To be eligible for entry into a professional masters program, you need the requisite science units in your bachelor degree.

While your career as a dietitian may not be orientated towards basic science, you need to do well in science studies at university. It is a way the industry maintains high professional standards.

The best Bachelor of Nutrition programs in Australia allow you to become an Accredited Practising Dietitian without having to do a masters degree. They give you options to do:

an accredited 4-year dietetics degree or
a 3-year degree which qualifies you for an accredited masters or
a general degree in nutrition science.

The structure of bachelor programs is shaped by requirements of the Dietitians Association of Australia. These include minimum content rules for bioscience, chemistry, physiology and biochemistry, and a compulsory 100-day placement program in the final year.

We've selected the best programs in Australia based on course features (including electives diversity and placement opportunities) and graduate satisfaction ratings.

The University of Wollongong (UOW) offers 2 pathways to become an accredited dietitian.

If you have an ATAR of 93+, you can enroll in the accredited 4-year Bachelor of Nutrition and Dietetics (Honours) course.
If your ATAR is 78+, you can enroll in the 3-year Bachelor of Nutrition Science course. Earning this degree qualifies you for entry into the accredited 2-year Master of Nutrition and Dietetics program.

Students of the bachelor program learn about nutrition and exercise, food chemistry, biochemistry, and metabolism, and are trained in nutrition research.

The top Master of Nutrition and Dietetics programs give you a head start on a professional career.

They develop your knowledge and skills in nutrition science.
Through work placements, the programs help you to develop professional skills and make industry connections.

The masters programs selected by Good Universities are all professional courses which allow you to become an accredited dietitian. Each university's health program achieves high graduate satisfaction ratings.

To qualify for admission into an accredited dietetics masters, you need to have completed relevant science units in your bachelor-level studies.
The DAA requires that you completed at least a year's worth of bioscience, chemistry, physiology and biochemistry at 1st and 2nd year university levels.

A degree in nutrition and dietetics opens up many career and job opportunities. But what you do with your qualification depends on your talents and ambitions. To be successful, you need to find a niche where good nutrition advice is valued.

Clinical dietetics

Clinical dietetics is a popular career choice for graduates of fully accredited nutrition programs. Dietitians work in hospitals, outpatient care, medical practices, and in nursing and residential care facilities. Your job is to provide expert nutrition advice that extends to prescribing dietary treatments for medical conditions (such as diabetes, food allergies, gastro-intestinal disease, obesity, and cancer patient sickness).

Food and nutrition management

Management dietitians plan meal programs in places such as hospitals, corporate cafeterias and schools. You may oversee food purchases and budgeting, and the ways meals are prepared.

Products and sales

Nutritionists work across the food, catering and supplements industries. You can do jobs such as recipe development, labelling and product information, sales and marketing, media and public relations, advocacy and quality control.

Public policy and education

Nutritionists work in government and non-profit organisations which are responsible for matters such as food regulation, dietary guidelines, public awareness campaigns, and health research. Nutritionists also teach people about diet and wellness, from primary school through to university and online education.

Consultant / private practice

Experienced nutritionists may be self-employed or work for a consultancy firm. In private practice, you may provide dietary advice to individuals or groups or offer other expert services. Jobs could include one-on-one consultations, writing diet articles and books, and corporate training.

The post Australia’s Best Nutrition and Dietetics Programs appeared first on Good Universities.

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