For Miriam Randall, online university study just makes sense. When you’ve got two kids under five, part-time work, and all the other stuff that comes with running a household, you need study to be flexible.
Especially when you have ambitions like Miriam’s.
Currently studying a Bachelor of Psychology1, Miriam wants to help people when they need it most.
“I started my career in nursing, but after having my second child and being a single mum, I realised shift work was going to be difficult and not really where I wanted to be in my life. I had always had an interest in psychiatric nursing, and that’s what led me to my bachelor’s, which I’m studying online now.
“My goal is to do my master’s then become a clinical neuropsychologist. After my bachelor’s I’ll do a Master of Psychology to become a registered psychologist and then do a further two years of study to become a clinical psychologist. That role is particularity pertinent in psychiatric hospitals – places like Bloomfield in Orange – and focuses on assessment of patients, working out what people’s needs are and how we can assist them to get help.
“I’d also love eventually to come back to Charles Sturt to do research. After some time in a clinical role I would love to come and do my PhD.”
The flex that means university online study works
Mariam has found that university online study with Charles Sturt makes managing, well, life that little bit easier.
“I have a lot going on with work and the kids, so online study has been really good as I can still manage what I need to do in my personal life. For me, Charles Sturt is really, really good at online study. And the support has been great, which is a good example of the university’s value of inclusion. It’s that flexibility which is really important and what Charles Sturt does really well.
“On your online portal there’s all your resources, a reading list, your subject schedule which tells you exactly what you need to do when, so you can pre-plan everything a whole fortnight before semester starts.
“The subjects are very streamlined. If I could sum up the online experience in a word I would say ‘streamlined’. Everything is uploaded a week in advance – sometimes more – so we can tackle the content and resources that support the tutorial and lectures well before the actual live get-togethers. The lecture content is really well thought out. The tutorials combine all that as well as a more practical take on what we’re learning about. And those live tutorials are very interactive.”
The supporting cast
University online study isn’t a solo expedition. At Charles Sturt, you have a whole suite of support services that you can tap into when you need. There’s everything from wellbeing and careers advice to academic feedback. Miriam found it invaluable.
“You can always talk to people online to get the assistance you need. I know friends who have spoken to a student wellbeing officer and got help. You can also schedule an online Zoom meeting with a member of the library staff if you’re looking for resources or materials for your assessments, or get advice about any area you’re interested in.
“The academic skills team; I’ve certainly utilised their services via Zoom. For instance the maths skills support person was invaluable to help me get to grips with my advanced statistics subject.
“Charles Sturt knows that mature-aged students have a lot of responsibilities: we have jobs, we have children, we have lots of stuff going on in the background. They know that we’re all humans so they work around what you have going on. I do feel they prioritise student wellbeing and the fact that we are all just trying to get through.
“Personally speaking I’ve had lots of personal stuff going on in the background, so I’ve needed support in terms of special consideration and extensions. Which the Charles Sturt team really helped me with. Without that support to help me manage things, I know I wouldn’t have been able to complete some of my subjects. It’s been pivotal to ensuring I can keep going.”
The online community
University online study has the potential to feel isolating – but at Charles Sturt we want to help you feel part of the community. So, as Miriam discovered, there are lots of ways to connect.
“The other great thing with the online subjects is that we have discussion boards. There will be discussion topics for anything you need. It’s a really good way to get to know your peers. There are meet and greets online as well, especially at the start of semesters so as much as possible you avoid what can feel isolating.
“There are also lots of uni Facebook groups for people with similar interests. Plus, there are online clubs. For example, I’ve started the psychology club. As the president my goal is to give online students a community outside of their study discussion boards. So we can get to know each other across all psychology courses and years. We’ll have professional and social development events, from PD sessions to trivia nights, all online. So people can get to know one another across the discipline.”
Any final advice, Miriam?
“Just do it. Because you’ll never know until you try. Based on my experience you’ll really enjoy it. This uni has been so positive for me in terms of studying online. So if you’re worried don’t let the fear stop you.”
Chat to our team of uni advisers to find out how online study can work for you.
1CRICOS: 025518G
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