How to choose a course
Each course is a unique mix of many different ingredients — from subject matter, to fellow students, to the jobs it leads to. The following points can be used as a checklist of things you need to find out about courses of interest.
Think about what you will learn and how you’ll learn it …
- Subject matter. The first step to success is studying something you are interested in.
- Intellectual style. Some courses are mainly 'quantitative' (how's your maths?), others are 'verbal' or language based. Some encourage you to have your own ideas, ask the big questions and find out about the world. Others (especially VET courses) focus on developing practical skills.
- Work patterns. Courses vary in the time students spend in lectures, tutorials, studios and lab classes and completing self-directed study. Some courses (especially VET courses) also have an industry-based learning component.
- If it is tough to study and pass. Some fields of study are notoriously tough, with high failure and drop-out rates. VET courses are generally less demanding than higher education courses but the most important thing is determination and persistence.
- How long they take. VET certificates generally take a year or less of full-time study, diplomas and advanced diplomas around two years and bachelor degrees three or four years. Double degrees, 'honours' courses and part-time programs will take longer.
- How much choice they allow. Some courses require all students to complete the same ‘core’ subjects, while others allow you to choose a lot of electives.
- International study opportunities. Optional summer study tours or study abroad and exchange programs may offer credit towards some courses.
- How you can study. Courses may be offered full time, part time, by distance education or on an accelerated trimester schedule. Not all courses offer all options.
- Quality. Regardless of their subject matter, courses should be well run by experienced staff and (if applicable) meet industry standards.
Think about the conditions, cost and the pay-off …
- Entry difficulty. High-demand courses (for example, medicine and law) are harder to get into, but entry difficulty varies considerably between institutions. Generally VET courses will be easier to get into, although some require a talent or interest in the area.
- Whether 'special' applications or applicants are accepted. Alternative criteria, as opposed to just an entry score, may be considered by the admissions office.
- Whether there are prerequisites. Applicants may need to have completed certain subjects (mathematics, for example) before they can be considered for admission.
- Cost. VET course fees are almost always cheaper than higher education costs, but university students can often defer their fees while VET students may need to pay upfront. Don’t forget extras such as textbooks or painting materials and additional costs if you will need to move.
- Where you can do it. Most courses are offered in a range of locations, but some are available in selected cities and centres only.
- Where it leads. Some courses (for example, dental therapy, surveying, hotel management) lock you into an occupation. This type of vocational study is the main focus of most VET courses. Others (especially arts and science) are much broader in scope. Courses in business or law are somewhere in between, offering skills that would be relevant to a range of jobs or occupations.
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