In this issue

During the first week of term, we held our annual Year 10 Careers Conference Camp at Phillip Island which provided students with key information for their upcoming subject selections. We were lucky enough to have Class of 2008 alumnus, Adrian Salvatore, speak about his career journey from St Paul’s to becoming a financial planner. We also had Tyson Day from Arrive and Thrive who ran two career design workshops.

I would like to thank all of the teachers, presenters and especially the students who were well engaged during the presentations and approached the activities positively and maturely over the three days.

Term 3 is always abuzz with discussions about subject selections for next year and it was fantastic to see so many families attend the Senior Information Evening on Monday to discuss options for next year. As always, please contact me if you have any questions about subject choices and future pathways.

“It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.” – William Shakespeare

Sarah Luck
Head of Careers
sluck@stpaulsags.vic.edu.au

VTAC

Key Dates
VTAC timely applications are now open, applications must be submitted by 28 September at 5:00 pm.

You can also download the VTAC Quick Reference Guide for Year 12 Students or a postcard with key dates.

VTAC Year 12 Guides 2024
The online VTAC Year 12 Guide and the downloadable VTAC Tertiary Research Guide are designed to provide students with useful information regarding course research and the application processes for entry to tertiary study in Victoria in 2024.  Year 12 students are encouraged to browse both resources and begin to familiarise themselves with what lies ahead over the coming months.  This includes requests for special consideration (SEAS), scholarship applications and other supporting documentation that may be required by institutions.

As already mentioned to Year 12 students, you need to create an account through VTAC to apply for university and some TAFE courses.

Unique Student Identifier (USI)
You will need to create a USI number to be able to apply for courses via the state-based Tertiary Admission Centres. To create yours go to, Get a USI
If you have studied a VET subject at school or a short course, you will already have one – you can retrieve your number via, www.usi.gov.au

Subject Selections For Current Years 9, 10 and 11 Students 

Subject selections for next year are upon us again and we want to reiterate Ms Butterworth’s advice from last week’s Grammarian:

Year 9 Students
In Year 9 we encourage students to continue with the subjects they enjoy or try something new.  Subject selections must be submitted online and a hard copy of the forms submitted to your Head of Year by Friday 18 August.

Year 10 Students
Please consider the following:

1. Prerequisite and compulsory subjects – English is the only compulsory subject in VCE; students may choose English, English Language or Literature. Many post-secondary courses specify prerequisite subjects and students should take this into consideration.
2. Choose subjects you enjoy – Once you have selected your English subject/s and any prerequisites then choose subjects you are passionate about.
3. Be prepared, become informed – Do your own research, attend Open Days and speak to family and friends for inspiration.

Your subject selections must be submitted online and a hard copy of the form submitted to your Head of Year by Friday 11 August.

VTAC has a handy guide for Year 10 Students: VTAC Year 10 Guide

Year 11 Students
Students in Year 11 are expected to attempt ten VCE units made up of five Unit 3 and 4 sequences, including at least one English study. We encourage you to base your choices on your interests and future goals.

Your subject selections must be submitted online and a hard copy of the form submitted to your Head of Year by Friday 11 August.

Open Days

Many universities are holding Open Days during August. For a full list click here or look up the website of the university you are interested in applying to: Open Days

Requirements to Apply for a Teaching Degree

Casper is an online test designed to assess an applicant’s personal and professional attributes.  Casper is a requirement for applying to many initial teaching training courses in Victoria – Casper.  It asks what you would do in a tough situation and more importantly, why.  This helps determine the behavioural tendencies of applicants pursuing people-centred professions.

Most universities offering undergraduate teaching courses require students sit the Casper online test as part of the selection for teaching degrees in 2024.  Students are encouraged to browse VTAC and determine which courses will require the Casper for selection.  Students might also like to browse Casper FAQs and have a look at Casper Preparation too.   Students might find this YouTube clip useful.

University News

Engineering at Deakin University
From 2024, Deakin will offer a consolidated undergraduate engineering course – the Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) – and it will be available at both the Melbourne Burwood and Geelong Waurn Ponds campuses.  This will mean that the full four-year engineering degree will be offered at the Melbourne Burwood campus.

Students will have a choice of five different majors spanning civil, electrical and electronics, environmental, mechanical or mechatronics engineering, and students will have the chance to explore which area of engineering excites them most.  In most cases, students will have the ability to change their specialisation as they progress.

In 2024, the following engineering majors will be offered at Burwood:

• Environmental
• Mechanical
• Mechatronics

In 2025 the remaining two majors – Civil and Electrical and Electronics – will commence.  Importantly, from 2024, this course will be available to students studying General Maths, Methods or Specialist Mathematics, allowing more students to pursue your dream of becoming an engineer.

Pathways Finder
There is no need to downsize your dreams just because you did not get the ATAR you wanted, or you do not meet the entry requirements for your chosen course. There are more pathways into university than you might think.

Deakin’s Pathways Finder helps students discover all the opportunities available to them, so you can walk away with an achievable plan to make their dream course a reality.

The University of Melbourne Residential Colleges
Applications for the University of Melbourne Residential Colleges are now open for 2024 entry.  Students are encouraged to browse UniMelb Colleges – How to Apply for more details and/or to submit an application for next year.  Students should also note that in 2023, the University’s Residential Colleges awarded $7.5 million in scholarships and bursaries to support its resident students and one in three students residing in the colleges receive financial assistance.

Interested students should note that all ten of the Residential Colleges will also be welcoming visitors for tours during the University’s Open Day on Sunday 20 August 2023.

Master of Sports Rehabilitation
The Master of Sports Rehabilitation offered by the University of Melbourne is designed for passionate exercise science professionals who want to train in assisting injured athletes back to performance health.  The Master in Sports Rehabilitation is designed specifically for exercise scientists with a minimum of three years of relevant sports injury prevention and management experience and for doctors, physiotherapists and podiatrists with a minimum of three years of relevant sports performance and injury management experience.

In order to be considered for entry, applicants must have completed:

• A bachelor’s degree or equivalent in the discipline of Physiotherapy, Medicine, Podiatry, Exercise Science or another relevant discipline; and
• At least three years of documented practice experience in clinical sport or health.

Victoria University (VU) has revolutionised tertiary education in Australia with its multi-award-winning VU Block Model.  Unlike the standard university model where students juggle multiple subjects at once over a semester, at VU, students get to focus on one unit at a time over a four-week ‘block’.  Students typically finish their block on a Friday and receive their results on the following Monday, taking away uncertainty and a long wait for results.

The top three reasons VU’s Block Model is the “New Way To Do Uni” are listed below:

1) Achieve more
Not only has Block Model seen pass rates increase, but more students are also becoming high achievers with Distinctions and High Distinctions grades increasing.

2) Stand out
Block class sizes are small, students get to know their classmates and teacher and become a working team, not just a face in a lecture theatre.

3) Build confidence
Learning in small, collaborative working groups, students are empowered to share ideas, debate concepts and explore learning opportunities from their first class.
Students might like to watch a YouTube clip on the VU Block Model, as well as browse the link: Why Choose the VU Block Model?

Read further on in this newsletter under ‘Snapshot of Victoria University’ for information about the University.

New Bachelor of Human Rights at ACU
ACU’s Bachelor of Human Rights is an exciting new course that will assist in preparing you to be one of the leading human rights advocates of the 21st century.

Human rights is a rapidly growing area of multidisciplinary study that supports an expanding job market in the human rights sector.  The Bachelor of Human Rights will provide students with a deep understanding of human rights that is enriched by perspectives from law, philosophy and the humanities.  Students will apply their knowledge to practical professional contexts and will also complete a placement in the human rights sector.  Graduates of this program will bring their multidisciplinary expertise in human rights to a wide variety of professional settings in the corporate, government and non-government sectors.

Graduates can pursue careers in:

• Advocacy: domestic and international advocacy, humanitarian services, disaster relief, policy development and volunteer coordination
• Law: human rights law, international law, immigration law and diversity/equity law
• Social services: human services provision, public health, economic development and policy development
• International relations: diplomacy, peacekeeping and foreign affairs
• Communications: foreign news reporting/correspondence, investigative journalism and research

Besides the single degree – Bachelor of Human Rights, students might be keen to learn about the double degrees of Bachelor of Human Rights/Bachelor of Laws and the Bachelor of Human Rights/Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice that are also on offer.

Information on becoming a Dietitian

To be an Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD), you will need to hold a degree accredited by Dietitians Australia. (Unless you complete Dietetic Skills Recognition.)

A useful article to read is on the Open Universities website titled Dietitian vs nutritionist in Australia: What’s the difference?.  To summarise the article:

Dietitians help their clients navigate the connection between food and health.  They do this by translating the latest scientific and medical research into practical advice that people can apply to their lives.  In this role, they use their knowledge of food to develop guidelines for managing and treating health conditions like food allergies, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and even cancer. 

Nutritionists do many of the same things as dietitians, specialising in general diet advice, feedback and encouragement.  However, unlike dietitians, nutritionists are not qualified to provide medical advice or work in medical centres and hospitals. Instead, they are consultants in public health, deal in food policy, ensure food safety standards are maintained and work with individuals to create healthy dietary goals.

The following universities offer degrees accredited by Dietitians Australia:
Deakin Burwood: Master of Dietetics
La Trobe University: Master of Dietetics
Monash University Clayton: Master of Dietetics
Swinburne University of Technology: Master of Dietetics

University Snapshot

Victoria University (VU) in 2023

• More than 45,000 students from around the world study at one of VU’s many campuses, with its largest one being Footscray Park – VU Campuses.
• VU has a number of academic colleges including arts and education, business, engineering and science, health and biomedicine, law and justice, sport and exercise science – VU Academic Colleges.
• VU has very strong industry connections with over 900 industry partnerships, including the Western Bulldogs, Melbourne Victory, Western Health, FIFA and various others – VU Industry Connections.
• VU has agreements with over 50 exchange partner institutions worldwide and students can often gain credit towards their degree by studying for a year or a semester with one of the international exchange partners – VU Study on Exchange.
• VU is a dual-sector institution, offering both vocational training (TAFE) and higher education with very accessible transition between courses at all levels. These pathways mean that a student’s dream qualification is within reach, regardless of their study background, prior experience, or their ATAR score – VU Pathways.
• VU is one of Australia’s leading sport universities, ranking number 7 globally for sport science education in the Shanghai Rankings 2022 – VU – Leading Sport University.
• VU sport students may gain behind-the-scenes access at Real Madrid Football Club through a partnership – VU Real Madrid Partnership.
• Within the Law and Justice College, VU offers a number of courses from certificates and diplomas to postgraduate degrees, giving students more options to achieve their goals while balancing life and study commitments through flexible pathways – VU Law and Justice College.
• VU is one of only two universities in Victoria that offers a course in osteopathy – Osteopathy at VU.
• VU is the only university offering a dermal therapies degree in Victoria – VU Dermal Science Degree.
• VU offers a number of courses linked to clinical practice and has dedicated clinics where current students put into practice what they have learnt. Courses linked to clinics include dermal therapies, massage, osteopathy and psychology – VU Health Clinics.
• In 2018 VU introduced the VU Block Model – all bachelor degrees taught at the Melbourne campuses see units delivered in a more focused way, one at a time. Students have more one-on-one time with their educators as they complete each unit and experience a significantly more immersive, collaborative and enriching learning experience.

Becoming a Paramedic

Deciding to become a paramedic is a life-changing decision.  For many people, the first decision to make is to decide what type of paramedic training they need.

Being a paramedic is about a lot more than lights and sirens and rushing to help someone in need.  Paramedics perform clinical procedures, administer drugs, maintain patient records and decide the most appropriate medical facility to take someone to.

There are different types of paramedics – visit Types of Paramedics.  In Victoria, the following universities offer degrees in paramedicine:

• ACU
• Monash
• La Trobe
• Victoria

To find out more about being a paramedic in Victoria, browse the Ambulance Victoria website at Paramedics.

VET

What is VET in the VCE?
VET stands for Vocational Education and Training, and vocation refers to work or employment.  VET in the VCE programs are designed to give students exposure to practical skills and an understanding of what it is like to ‘learn through doing’.  Students can opt to do a VET subject while completing their VCE and, in most cases, the VET qualification contributes towards the VCE and the ATAR.   Visit Get VET in the VCE.

Scholarships

Why You Should Apply for Scholarships
Receiving a scholarship means more than just financial support. Some scholarships come with lots of other benefits and even the application process itself can help you in ways you might not have realised. If you are heading off to study and are keen to get some extra support, here are some of the top reasons why you should apply:

Financial support
Yes, scholarships are often more than just money, but this is still one of the main reasons most people apply for them! Whether we like it or not, education can get expensive, from tuition fees to textbooks, laptops to accommodation; the list can go on and on. Scholarships are a great way of relieving some of that financial pressure, allowing you to stress less and focus on your studies.

Expanding opportunities
Other than money, heaps of scholarships offer a whole host of other benefits as well. These can be things like access to mentoring and special study support, being invited to exclusive events and workshops, internship and work experience opportunities, connections with major employers and other organisations, travel opportunities, and more. They can be a great way to boost your study experience beyond the classroom.

Increasing your confidence
Imagine the thrill of receiving an email letting you know you have just been awarded a scholarship – it is more likely than you think! Going into your studies knowing you have that extra support can be a big confidence boost. And even just plucking up the courage to go through the application process (which can sometimes include interviews and essays) shows you have initiative and determination.

Supporting non-academic excellence
There is a pervasive myth that most scholarships only go to the best and brightest students. In reality, scholarships are awarded for a whole host of things. Whether you are a virtuoso on the piano, love to volunteer in your community, lead your local sporting team to victory, or are just super passionate about a particular subject, there are many scholarships out there that will reward your efforts in all aspects of life, not just your studies.

Keeping things fair
If you find yourself in a difficult position and think further study might be unattainable, think again. Lots of scholarships are designed to help people from all walks of life access education – whether you have overcome hardships at home, come from an underrepresented background, or are just facing circumstances you cannot control.

Building skills
Even if you do not end up winning a scholarship, the application process is more handy than you think. It can help you build valuable skills like time management (getting applications in on time), communication (writing the perfect application essay), presentation skills (if you have to attend an interview), and even just show that you are motivated and passionate. These are all skills you will need no matter where you end up in life.

Hopefully some of these reasons have left you motivated to apply for a scholarship (or two). If you still want to learn more about scholarships or are ready to start your search, you can find out more on the website here.

Biomedicine/Biomedical Science Degrees in Victoria in 2023

A Biomedicine or Biomedical Science degree is often regarded as an excellent pathway degree to graduate medical careers.