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Deciding on a Course or Program

The following steps are designed to assist you decide on a course or program that is right for you!

Refer to the following worksheets to assist you decide on a course or program:

Identifying Career and Employment Goals

Most people have general but not specific career and/or employment goals. Identifying your these goals involves a process of looking inward through self assessment and looking outward by investigating relevant and current information about the workplace. Factors such as values, interests and personality preferences can impact upon the identification of these goals and your ability to achieve them.

Outlining your career and employment short and long term goals will get you thinking about the future and what area  you would like to work in. Think carefully about the demands that each of these goals will make on you. Successfully completing a university course and undertaking work in that field are two separate things and there will be a range of issues that you will need to consider. Once you have made a list of these goals identify the appropriate courses.

Refer to Matching Goals, Courses and Programs.

Identifying Courses

It is important to select a course or program that matches your own personal and career goals in addition to your personal circumstances. The processes of identifying and weighing all the different course options offered by tertiary institutions may take time but it is important to identify the different career options that each course may lead.

To find out about the different courses offered by tertiary institutions log onto their websites and search under the heading 'courses'. Most universities produce a  course handbook that lists all the courses and subjects that are offered by that education provider. University and TAFE handbooks are available to purchase from university and TAFE bookshops and through most large newsagencies.

Course Guides

The tertiary admissions body/centre in each State and Territory also produces a course guide that lists all the courses available at TAFE and university and all the course codes that are needed for filling out an application. These guides can also be purchased from large newsagencies and are available for loan from your local library. You can also purchase copies from the offices of the tertiary admission body/centre directly or contact them to send you a copy in the post.

Career Information Centres

Commonwealth funded career information centres are an excellent source of information about jobs and courses. These centres provide a wide range of resources to assist clients make informed course decisions including access to career counselling services and related workshops. See career weblinks for access to career planning websites.

Open days

Universities and TAFE also hold a number of open days where course and faculty staff are on hand to answer direct questions about the courses they run and the different career pathways that graduates from that course have taken.

Matching Goals, Courses and Programs

Once you have identified the courses that match your employment and career goals ask yourself the following questions:

It is important to find out exactly what each course involves. This includes the practical aspects of the course in addition to the academic components so that you don't run into any surprises.

Career Counsellors and Course Coordinators

Talk to people who can advise you on the different career options that may stem from the courses that interest you such as friends, relatives or career counsellors. Career counsellors are trained to assist clients identify their strengths and to make right decisions about courses. Most universities and TAFE offer the services of career counsellors and advisers. This process will ensure that you make informed decisions regarding your course and where it will lead.

If you have an idea of the particular course that you wish to study speak to the course coordinators at the different tertiary institutions to identify the aspects of the courses offered. This will assist you decide on a course that best meets your needs.

See career services at tertiary institutions for further information on course advice and career paths.

Meeting Pre requisites

Once you have short listed the courses that you are interested in studying you need to research the prerequisites for that course. If you do not have the assumed knowledge or meet the pre requirements you need to make an honest assessment whether you are ready for that particular course. To determine this discuss any weaknesses in your preparation with a course coordinator or career counsellor. It could be that you need to spend some time preparing yourself before you start rather than risk a negative experience or a failure. TAFE, universities and private RTOs run bridging, introductory and foundation courses to provide students with the assumed knowledge they require to apply for certain tertiary courses.

For further information see preparation and bridging courses.

Testing Skills and Abilities

Even though it is helpful to be clear about your study goals before your start it is not unusual for people to be unsure or to have changed their mind once they have begun their course or program. If you are uncertain about what you want to achieve test your interest and abilities by looking at a course or program that will give you a range of subject choices and career options before committing yourself in one direction. However you need to be aware that changing courses or programs once you have started studying may delay the start of your final career choice and add to your study expenses.

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