At Charles Sturt University we want to make sure that you can prepare for university and have the skills to succeed from day one. That’s why we have Study Link.
Study Link is a unique program that offers short, self-paced courses that:
- fill knowledge gaps
- enhance skills
- build confidence.
If it’s been a while since you last studied, or you’re concerned that you might be a bit rusty when it comes to, say, writing essays or grappling with statistics, a Study Link subject could be just the ticket to get you back up to speed and ready to take on the challenges of a degree, whatever you plan to study.
After all, university study is different from any other kind, requiring a unique set of skills. When you study a university course, you need to be able to not only express your ideas but also to question received knowledge, approach learning with a critical eye and develop your own skills and personal resources to take control of your learning.
That’s why university study incorporates a whole range of skills that employers look for, especially in a dynamic, changing workforce. Besides expert knowledge in a subject, the experience of university also fosters critical thinking, effective communication, self-reliance, entrepreneurship and adaptability. Study Link courses are your first step to gaining these crucial skills.
So Study Link courses are here to help prepare you for university study. They are also available if, once you start your degree, you find that you have a skills or knowledge area you would like to improve. You can take a Study Link subject during a session break so that you return to study at the top of your game.
A wide range of subjects to help you
There are four categories of Study Link subjects.
- Transition subjects
- Writing subjects
- Mathematics and statistics subjects
- Science subjects
So, you can take a subject that will, say, prepare you to take the step from TAFE to university study. You could brush up on your grammar skills. You can take a subject to familiarise yourself with statistics, calculus, anatomy or physics.
All students starting at Charles Sturt University will also be enrolled in the Introduction to Learning Online subject. This gives you the chance to familiarise yourself with the online learning environment used across the uni – by both on-campus and online students.
How a Study Link subject works
Most Study Link subjects are delivered online, and can include videos, diagrams and text. You set your own pace, as you can access the learning materials whenever suits your lifestyle and take up to five months to complete a subject if needed. And they’re non-credit bearing, meaning there’s no pressure because they don’t count towards your degree.
When you register for a Study Link subject, you also get access to a subject coordinator. They will support and guide you as you study to prepare for university, and can answer any questions you have about the content of the course. The subject coordinator will also give feedback on your progress, and they can point you to resources and contacts if you have questions about starting at university that are outside the scope of the Study Link subject.
If you’ve already accepted a place in a course with us, you can access Study Link subjects through your university login. If you want to just try online study or dip your toe into university study, you can enrol online.
When you log in to the learning portal, you’ll find an easily navigable system that shows you your Study Link subjects and charts your progress through them.
You’ll learn about the objectives of the course first, then meet your subject coordinator and find details of how to contact them.
As you navigate through the course, you’ll find knowledge reviews that let you test your learning.
And once you’ve completed all the sections and knowledge reviews, you receive a Certificate of Satisfactory Completion.
Get together
We also run some subjects as a weekend workshop, typically in Sydney.
During these intensive sessions, you can benefit from interaction with the subject coordinator and your fellow students, covering a wide range of topics in workshops, group discussions and activities.
Mark Arsic signed up for a Study Link workshop soon after starting his course.
“I attended a Study Link intensive weekend workshop on essay writing and it was the best way to learn about academic language features and how to use them in an effective essay plan. My marks improved immediately.”
Taking that step to prepare for university
Study Link can be particularly useful to prepare for university if you’ve been out of education for a while, or are coming to university for the first time some years after leaving high school.
Time away from an educational environment can mean that students feel a little uncertain in their study abilities, particularly when new to tertiary education or returning to university to help forge a career change.
Helen Barnett returned to university after “a really long break”. She found Study Link helped her adapt to the university study environment.
“The advantages of the Study Link subjects for me was that I got to learn the online space before I started back at uni.
“I was also having a change of career, coming from an arts background and going into a science course. So the Study Link subjects that I did in maths and chemistry gave me some grounding in the subjects that I was going to be doing in my university course. That gave me a bit of confidence going into the degree.
“The access to the subject coordinator was also really good, as I could contact them and clarify questions on the content of the subjects.”
We want you to succeed
At Charles Sturt University, we’re committed to ensuring you get the most out of your study. And that includes helping you prepare for university. So you’re ready from day one.
Study Link gives you skills and confidence, and familiarises you with the university’s learning systems.
Prepare for university with Study Link
There is no better time to give yourself the best shot at success than right now. Take the leap and enrol in a subject today.