Researching Courses
There are several ways that you can research courses. You can explore course information on the internet by searching course databases or by going directly to the websites of universities, TAFEs and private course providers. Attending open days, taster days and career expos are other ways to research courses. A useful publication The Good Universities Guide .
As you approach the end of your secondary education you need to engage in both broad-based and in-depth exploration of post-school courses. You need to find out what you will study in courses that interest you and how student experiences and graduate outcomes compare for the same course at different institutions. This is important because research has found a positive correlation between in-depth course research and study choice confidence (Parks, Mills, Westwell, Weber, & Barovich, 2018). In-depth exploration of post-school courses helps you to choose courses that have units of study that you are likely to enjoy. In turn, this helps reduce risk that you will change or leave the course you have chosen.
The links below provide access to information about a wide range of learning opportunities.
Course Databases
MySkills is an Australian Government website where you can search for vocational education and training courses offered by TAFEs and private providers.
StudyAssist provides information about Commonwealth Government student loans to finance tertiary study. It also provides links to higher education institutions and private providers of vocational education and training courses that are eligible for student fee help.
The Good Universities Guide is a directory of university and TAFE courses in Australia, searchable by course or career field.
Myfuture enables you to search for university, other higher education, TAFE and private provider courses.
See Quality Indicators of Learning and Teaching and ComparED to compare study experience and employment outcomes from Australian higher education institutions, fields of study and courses.
Open Days, Expos, and Taster Days
Many tertiary institutions have open days. It is never too early to start going to these open days to research course options and to become familiar with university, TAFE or private provider campuses, facilities and student life.
Career and tertiary education expos are held in many parts of the country. Your school may take groups of students to these events. Some events may be held in the evening or on weekends, giving you a chance to attend with your parents or guardian.
Some tertiary education institutions offer taster events where groups of students participate in workshops or information sessions presented by various faculties or programme areas.
Open day dates can be found by selecting the link towards the bottom of the Good Universities Guide home page.
The Open Day website lists open day dates as well as career expo and career fair dates in each state and territory.
Check the website of universities, TAFEs and private providers and your school career service for information about other expos, information sessions and taster events.
Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs)
These are free courses delivered by higher education providers throughout the world. You can study these courses online anywhere and anytime they are available. Examples of MOOC courses can be found at: Class Central, Coursera, Udacity, edX
References
Parkes, A., Mills, J., Westwell, M., Weber, D., & Barovich, J., (2018, January). What should I study, Project outcomes & recommendations. Adelaide: University of South Australia.
