What did you study at the undergraduate level and when did you graduate? What are you studying now? Are you studying and working at the same time?
I'm currently studying a Bachelor degree in science, in my second year of study and want to hopefully finish the degree by 2021. I'm not working any full-time job, but I'm regularly doing small tasks on AirTasker.
What have been the most important stages of your life?
How did you get to your current (or most recent) job position and for how long have you occupied it (if applicable)?
I have been getting some regular tasks from a poster on Airtasker.
What made you decide to progress with further study?
I wanted to get a solid career in something that I love doing. I had been through a really bad experience for 7 years where I was unable to work or study anything full time. After my experience ended I wanted to turn my life around and further my education. I chose science because that's what I love.
How did you choose your particular further study course (compared to others)? / Were you weighing up any alternative degrees or career pathways before choosing this qualification?
I had contacted OUA (Open Universities Australia); I spoke to a student adviser and she asked me what my interests are and gave me a few options. I was tossing up between law or science because I lacked confidence that I would be able to complete a science degree. She helped me to get my confidence and encouraged me to believe in myself.
What was the process to get accepted into your course? What were the prerequisites?
I had to complete 2 core units for the degree and once my grades were released from that, OUA made an application for my entrance into the degree with RMIT. I was accepted into the degree based on completing 2 core units. I didn't need any prerequisites to complete those units.
What does your study involve? Can you describe a typical day? (if it’s difficult to describe a typical day, tell us about the last thing you worked on?)
I am completing my degree through OUA, which means I can do it at home. A typical unit requires about 12 hours per week on it; depending on what unit it is, I sometimes have to attend Prac lesson in the lab on RMIT campus. I usually read and copy out all the lecture notes, watch the lectures and then complete my weekly quiz. I will re-read and re-watch to make sure I haven't missed anything. I am currently making plans for my major essay that is on a science fiction topic and its credibility in modern society in the present day or future.
Will this course be beneficial in your career? Where could you or others in your position go from here? Please explain your answer.
Science is a very broad field. This degree will 100% be beneficial to my future because I can keep studying different areas of science and research new things. I plan on doing my honours in forensic science and hopefully get a job in that field or if not then most likely something in chemistry or astronomy.
What do you love the most about your course?
I love all the different things that I get to learn and how everything connects up as my degree progresses. I love going to campus and attending the lab classes because it's very hands-on and you can see for yourself everything that you have been learning in theory. I love being able to learn new things.
What are the limitations of your course?
Sometimes they don't have a lot of units available for some certain study periods which can be frustrating due to having to wait and it drags the degree out longer. Some units that were a bit harder than I thought would be, so I have had to then withdraw from them due to lack of knowledge and understanding on my part.
Which three pieces of advice would you give to a current undergraduate student? They don’t necessarily have to be related to your studies, or even to one’s professional life.