Phoebe Sewell was working in school-aged childcare when she realised her passion for education, and chose to enrol in a Master of Teaching (Secondary). She chose this degree so she could stay true to her core interests, History and English, while achieving her career goal of becoming an educator.
Online learning is one of the primary reasons Phoebe took up the degree at Charles Sturt.
“I knew they were well-established to support online students. The flexible approach to study not only supports me in my current career, but furthers me in my chosen profession,” she says.
Phoebe is one of many students studying and working full-time. When she first started her studies, she met with her Course Director to discuss her options.
“My Course Director helped me tailor my subjects to suit my interests and support me maintaining fulltime work while progressing through my master’s. To me, it just made sense to use the full academic calendar each year, and that’s why I choose to study in Session 3.”
“Last year I studied two subjects in Session 3, and this year I’m enrolling in another. I still feel like I get a break because we get time off over Christmas and the festive season.”
For some courses at Charles Sturt, it’s compulsory to enrol in Session 3. This isn’t the case for Phoebe, but she was glad to find out that her course does offer a range of interesting subjects over summer.
“I really enjoyed the social subjects offered. I feel as though they have positioned me well as a pre-service teacher. I’m hoping this will enable me to be a positive influence on the industry.”
Phoebe feels that studying in Session 3 is similar to studying in the main two sessions, with access to campuses, facilities and teaching staff still available.
“I’m still able to access the library at the Wagga campus, and the online library loan system is efficient and helpful. It’s available even over the festive break.”
“I love the accessibility of my course content. The subjects aren’t super flexible on due dates, but I can access and complete the content when it suits me.”
This flexibility means a lot to Phoebe as it allows her to complete her studies while celebrating Christmas and New Year with her family. Phoebe is also grateful for the invaluable flexibility and support offered to her classmates during the bushfires that tore through the Snowy Mountains earlier in the year.
“I had an assignment due on the 2nd of January, when we were evacuated from our holiday home in Talbingo, NSW. I had already finished my assignment, but the teaching staff were incredibly understanding of everyone’s circumstances with the bushfires. It was made exceptionally well known that should students need to apply for Special Consideration, it was available for them.”
Studying in Session 3 is an easy way to get ahead in your studies. If you have difficult subjects coming up or find the full-time load difficult to maintain, it’s a great opportunity to relieve the stress associated with managing your studies.
See what subjects are available in Session 3, or use the new Graduation Planning System to plan your enrolment. You can also contact your Course Director, like Phoebe did, to tailor your studies to fit in with your lifestyle.
