When I knew Swinburne was right for me

Deborah knew Swinburne was right for her when she discovered she’d get real industry experience

After finishing school in regional Victoria, Deborah followed her instincts to study Psychology and Psychophysiology at Swinburne.

‘The moment I walked onto Swinburne’s doorstep, I definitely knew this was the place for me.’

Not only did Deborah love the energy on campus, she discovered she’d get professional experience as part of her degree. Deborah completed a paid work placement at the Royal Children’s Hospital and now feels confident about a career in understanding and treating people with epilepsy.

‘I was fortunate enough to spend the year conducting EEG recordings and seeing first-hand the many neurological conditions that affect people, while learning from a range of industry professionals.’

‘I also had the opportunity to intern with the Swinburne BabyLab, which specialises in cognitive, social and brain development of infants and children.’

Swinburne guarantees all bachelor degree students will have an opportunity for real industry experience, such as an internship, placement or industry-linked project, just like Deborah.

Lewis knew Swinburne was right for him when he heard it was an Adobe Creative Campus

After beginning an arts degree at a different university, Lewis found Swinburne was the obvious option when he wanted to totally pivot from studying global politics to a Bachelor of Screen Production. 

‘I chose Swinburne because I wanted to study film, and Swinburne has a reputation as one of the best film schools in Australia.’

Keen to develop and refine his technical skills, he was also drawn to Swinburne because of its status as Australia’s first Adobe Creative Campus, meaning all Swinburne students get free access to over 20 Adobe applications. 

‘I was very excited to have full access to the Adobe suite… without having to pay.’ 

Lewis is now particularly comfortable using Adobe Premiere Pro and believes that his familiarity with the program has prepared him to confidently adapt to other editing software he may encounter during his career.

Nic knew Swinburne was right for him when he met his teachers

Nic recently graduated with a Bachelor of Business, majoring in Logistics and Supply Chain Management. He chose Swinburne for its skills-focused approach to learning.

‘I felt like Swinburne was designed around students, whereas other universities seemed designed around scores.’ 

It was also the attentiveness and enthusiasm of his teachers that made Nic feel at home. 

‘The teachers were really grounded... some of the best people I’ve ever met. It felt like they were really focused on helping you learn how to contribute to society.’

Claudia knew Swinburne was right for her when she saw the flexible course structure

For Claudia, the versatility of a Swinburne bachelor degree was what she found most convincing. 

‘I was tossing up between a degree in journalism and a degree in creative writing. After a bit of research, I saw that with a Bachelor of Media and Communication at Swinburne, I could study both as a double major.’

The broad scope of majors that a Swinburne degree offers meant that Claudia didn’t feel boxed into a single area of interest. Instead, she had the opportunity to follow multiple avenues and discover what clicked.  

‘Thank god I didn’t throw my lot in with a degree solely focused on journalism and creative writing, because I’ve since switched majors.’

‘It was a relief to have so many options for majors. When I realised journalism wasn’t for me, I was able to swap without extending my degree. Even then, the skills I learnt while studying journalism remain incredibly useful.’

Lachlan knew Swinburne was the right place for him when he learned he’d fly a plane in Semester 1

Wanting to get in the air as soon as possible, Lachlan settled on studying aviation at Swinburne, where students learn industry theory as well as undertake practical flying training.

‘There are only two aviation degrees in Victoria, and the Swinburne one has a much better course setup: flying and learning about the aviation industry at the same time.’

Having been a leader in aviation education for over 30 years, Swinburne was the best option for Lachlan to achieve his career goals, with a Bachelor of Aviation providing all the necessary training for students to obtain their Commercial Pilot Licence.

The Hawthorn campus location also sweetened the deal.

‘It’s near everything. And Glenferrie Road is a great place to catch up with friends after class.’