Welcome and introduction to UTas

Rob: Welcome to the National Virtual Expo. I'm coming to you from Garigal land in Sydney, and welcome to this session on discovering your options at the University of Tasmania. There are some incredible options at this university. I was just there last year, my first visit in a couple of years since Covid, and I was stunned everywhere I went to see how many incredible things UTas is doing across its various campuses, both in Hobart and in Launceston. So much to discover about this institution. It really is the kind of institution that is perfect for a certain kind of student, and I'm sure you'll discover that as part of this session. As we go, if you've got any questions, you can drop them in the chat if you're on the session hub, or in the comments if you're on social media. And if you're watching the recording, the Chisholm Uni Discord and the parent Facebook community are in the description below. You can ask anything, whether it's specifically about UTas and your personal situation, or a broad, general question about going to uni. That's what we are here for. So without further ado, let's get on to discovering your options at the University of Tasmania.

Guest: Welcome, everyone, and thank you so much for joining today's webinar. My name is Ben Gillam and I work in the Future Students team here at the University of Tasmania. We're really excited for you to be joining us today virtually and discovering a little bit more about the courses we have on offer.

Guest: Before we get into everything today, I'd like to do an Acknowledgment of Country. We acknowledge the Palawa people as the traditional owners of Tasmania, and the Gadigal people in Sydney. We acknowledge the traditional owners and custodians of the land upon which we live and work, and I'd like to pay my respects to the traditional owners of the land on which everyone else is joining us today. I'd like to pay my respects to Elders, past and present, as the knowledge holders and sharers. We honour their strong culture and knowledge as vital to the self-determination, wellbeing, and strength of the community. We stand for a future that profoundly respects and acknowledges Aboriginal perspectives, culture, language, and history.

Guest: So what are we covering today? Shortly, I'm going to play a video which shows you some amazing opportunities to study with us at the University of Tasmania. You'll be able to see how our environment and community links to the courses we have on offer, the different campus opportunities we have across Tasmania, and also Sydney. This will hopefully give you a really good snapshot of what it would actually be like to study here, and to live and experience Tasmania or Sydney. After that, I'll go into a bit more detail around our course offerings, where you can study, and some student experiences and events available for students looking to study with us in the future.

UTas campuses and sustainability credentials

Guest: Hopefully that video gave you a good idea of what we offer in Tasmania, the incredible course opportunities, and the unique offerings that are part of the University of Tasmania. Before we deep dive further into our campuses and course offerings, I do want to highlight something we're really proud of. As you can see from the slide, we are ranked number one in climate action globally, and it's something we're really, really proud of. We've got some incredible accolades that we like to highlight across all of our conversations and talks, because we really are the leaders in this space. Rankings are important, and while we're never purely chasing them, we always want to make sure we're striving to be the leader in this space and hopefully have others follow our footsteps too. No matter what course you're studying with us, just know that sustainability is front of mind, and hopefully that's going to resonate well when you are studying with us in the future.

Guest: As you learned from the video, we have a few campus locations across Tasmania and also in Sydney. In Tasmania, our three main campuses are Hobart, Launceston, and Burnie. We also have our Sydney campus, which is called Rozelle, and at that location we offer nursing and paramedic science courses. A lot of our courses cross over between different campuses, and some are unique to a particular location. For instance, the Australian Maritime College is located exclusively in Launceston, and our music programmes are located at the Hedberg in Hobart. So no matter where you're studying, you'll have some unique opportunities as well as crossover courses available at our other campuses.

Earth science, Antarctic and environment courses

Guest: So let's go into a deeper dive on our courses. Our main study areas at the University of Tasmania are business and law, creative arts and design, earth science, Antarctic and environment, education, humanities and social sciences, science, technology and engineering, and health and medicine. If you're looking for more information, you can head to our course page at utas.edu.au/study.

Guest: I'm going to start with our Earth Science, Antarctic and Environment area. We have a lot in this space, including agriculture, our general science degree, outdoor and environmental education, maritime engineering through the Australian Maritime College, marine and Antarctic science, and global logistics, among others. A lot of these courses are unique to Tasmania. If you're looking to study marine biology, you won't find anything like it based on our location and the work we're doing in that space. The Australian Maritime College is incredibly well known in the industry, and a lot of industry contacts come directly to our Maritime College to recruit students because of the great work and facilities we have. These courses are incredibly hands on, and you're going to have incredible industry links and learn from the best. A lot of our teaching and academic staff are working in industry or have come directly from industry, so they are in a well-placed position to support whatever future outcomes you're looking for.

Agricultural science: degree, scholarships, and the Feed Your Mind camp

Guest: The main agricultural science course students look at is our Bachelor of Agricultural Science with Honours. This is a four year full-time degree, or up to nine years part time. Through this course, we embed a lot of different things to make sure students are well equipped with the skills needed for employment or further study after their degree. We have a lot of fieldwork experiences embedded in the programme, and as the only university in Tasmania, we have a unique range of agricultural opportunities available as fieldwork. A lot of the work our students do also has sustainable practices embedded in the programme, making sure students are equipped for whatever the future looks like. And if you're looking for support with your studies, we do have over $250,000 worth of scholarships exclusively offered each year for our agricultural science students.

Guest: If you'd like to engage further with our agricultural science area, we have what's called the Feed Your Mind, Feed the World camp. This is a free three-day agricultural science camp for Year 11 and 12 students. If you're an in-state student, everything is covered. For interstate students, we will also cover up to $400 of your flight costs to help you get to the programme. There are limited places available, but it is a great opportunity to experience what it's like to come over and study in Tasmania, explore agriculture in Tasmania, and understand what studying at UTas would be like. Through the programme, you'll visit our farms, dairies, and research centres, and more importantly, get real-world hands-on experience to understand whether this is the pathway for you. You'll also explore sustainable farming practices and deep dive into food security and agricultural innovation. Applications will be open and we'll be kicking off that camp at the end of the year in December.

Marine and Antarctic science: degree, majors, and the Maria Island camp

Guest: The next area we're going to look at is our Marine and Antarctic Science area. The main programme is our Bachelor of Marine and Antarctic Science, which is a three year full-time degree or seven years part time. It's available in Hobart only, because we have our Institute of Marine and Antarctic Science located right on the harbour there. It's a great opportunity to get hands-on experience because it's literally located on the water and gives you full access to the incredible waterways of Tasmania. Within the degree you can study a variety of majors: Marine and Antarctic Governance, Marine Biology, Marine Resource Management, Oceans Ice and Climate, and Sustainable Aquaculture. We also have some smaller certificate options, including an Undergraduate Certificate in Antarctic and Climate Science and an Undergraduate Certificate in Climate Change Awareness and Action.

Guest: If you're looking to experience our programmes further in the marine space, we have a free subject available for Year 11 and 12 students, which is a primer in Marine and Antarctic Science. This programme runs alongside your current studies and is a first-year subject you can actually study as part of our Marine and Antarctic Science programme. It gives you an opportunity to explore what we offer as a study option and what it's actually like to study in the marine space. It will also count as credit towards your degree if you go on to study the Bachelor with us. It's also a great pathway to our Maria Island Marine Biology experience, which is a five-day hands-on marine biology camp for Year 11 and 12 students. Applications are currently closed, but we do have an expression of interest open until around 23 February. You'll learn about climate change, pollution, marine ecosystems, and biodiversity, and you'll be able to explore what it's like to actually study in Tasmania, including visiting the beautiful Maria Island, which is located close to Hobart, and exploring our IMAS facilities as well.

Education, humanities, social sciences, and business

Guest: Looking at our next study options: education, humanities, and social sciences. This is a large area with offerings such as our Bachelor of Arts, with multiple majors to choose from, including history, different languages, and criminology. It's a wide variety, and you can choose multiple majors and specialisations in that area. We also have a lot of our education programmes, including our Bachelor of Arts and Master of Teaching vertical double degree, our Bachelor of Education (Primary), and our Health and Physical Education degree. There's a wide variety of things on offer, and it really depends on the area you're passionate about. Depending on the course you're doing, there are also a lot of opportunities to do some subjects online, but it's a great experience to come to Tasmania and study in person.

Guest: The next main study area is business and law. Through this area we have the Bachelor of Business, Bachelor of Economics, Bachelor of Global Logistics and Maritime Management, ICT programmes, Bachelor of Laws, and Bachelor of Media and Communications. A lot of these degrees can be combined in a double degree option. Through the Bachelor of Business we offer a variety of majors, including hospitality management, marketing, and economics, so you can really design that degree to make it your own. Our Global Logistics programme is a great option for students with a maritime interest but a more planning-oriented mindset, where you might be organising the logistics of the maritime industry and managing how goods move around the world. You really do need that business brain when you're looking to plan and manage some of those things.

Creative arts, design, and the Hedberg music precinct

Guest: The next area is our creative arts and design programmes. First, our Bachelor of Architecture and Built Environments. Tasmania is quite an old state, and because of that we have a variety of old architecture alongside a lot of modern architecture coming through, which you'll be able to see across the whole state. This gives you a great experience to understand how architecture has evolved over time and where it's heading. We have a big sustainability piece built into this area as well, and you'll see when you visit our facilities that a lot of our new buildings are designed with sustainability always at the back of our minds. If you're interested in theatre and performance, you can pursue that through our Bachelor of Arts. We also have our Bachelor of Fine Arts, offering majors anywhere from printmaking and photography to sculpture and painting.

Guest: Our Bachelor of Music is exclusively available in Hobart, where we teach out of the state-of-the-art Hedberg facilities. It is a three year full-time degree or up to seven years part time, and we offer a variety of majors, including songwriting and music technology. The Hedberg is located in the centre of Hobart, so you'll be right amongst it all when you're studying music. All our spaces are custom designed for our music students to make sure they have the best learning spaces in Australia at their fingertips. We have large collaborative spaces as well as small personal studio spaces if you're looking to book a space and work on your own music. In terms of industry connections, we have strong links to local music industries, offering students opportunities for internships, industry projects, and networking, and making sure all our graduates are job-ready at the end of their degree. As the only university in Tasmania, our students also have great opportunities to be involved in the major cultural festivals available across the state, which is a great way to showcase their work and get involved in the broader arts community.

Guest: One of our music students, Johnny, who studies flute at the Hedberg School of Music, shared his experience with us. He started his degree expecting to become a classical musician, but ended up being selected for the Australian Orchestra Creative Music Intensive, something he never would have imagined before joining the experimental music ensemble at UTas. He also has an upcoming internship with Dark Mofo. He says the Hobart music scene is incredible, and that even with a small population you can accidentally stumble on a gig almost any night of the week. He describes lots of learning outside the classroom alongside what happens in it, and says that if you really want to do well in a creative practice, all the staff will be willing to help you on that journey and provide you with the resources to do so.

Health, medicine, and biomedicine

Guest: The next area is health and medicine. We have a wide variety of course opportunities available here, from biomedicine and social work to exercise and sports science, nursing, and medicine. A lot of these courses fit directly into the community and sustain employment in the health sector, with many of our students going back to interstate areas or even overseas to contribute those skills to communities that need them most.

Guest: Touching on a few courses: our Bachelor of Exercise and Sports Science has incredible industry links. As the only university in Tasmania, a lot of the sporting and exercise industry come straight to us for student internships and, later, direct employment when students finish their degree. We offer our medical degree, which is our Bachelor of Medical Science and Doctor of Medicine, a five year programme. We also have our Bachelor of Nursing and Bachelor of Paramedic Science. The Bachelor of Paramedic Science is actually a two year fast-track degree, so you'll be finished and fully qualified in two years. Nursing also has that fast-track option available, depending on how your studies progress.

Guest: Let's touch a little further on our Bachelor of Biomedicine. This is a three year full-time degree available across our Hobart and Launceston campuses, with multiple majors available, the main areas being medical research and medical science. These two can be done as a double major or separately. A lot of it is project-based, and work-integrated learning opportunities provide hands-on research and practical experience in accredited laboratories. Many of our biomedicine students work alongside academics in that research space and understand how they can contribute to the world in the future. One of our students, Chloe, says the involvement you're able to have in the laboratories, and with people who are so passionate about what they're doing and researching and teaching, is amazing. She says it's the curiosity that drives a lot of medical researchers, and it definitely drives her too, adding that there's a lot of surprising directions you can go with a medical research degree.

Science, technology, engineering, and maritime engineering at the AMC

Guest: Our last study area is science, technology, and engineering. We have a variety of courses here, including our general Bachelor of Science with a wide variety of majors, our Bachelor of Engineering with Honours with different specialisations and a strong sustainability component, ICT, Bachelor of Applied Science, and maritime engineering. Let's deep dive a bit further on maritime engineering. Through our Bachelor of Maritime Engineering with Honours specialisation, this is a four year full-time programme or up to nine years part time, and is available exclusively in Launceston because the Australian Maritime College is located there with the state-of-the-art facilities needed for our students. The two majors available are naval architecture and ocean engineering. Either way, you're going to get incredible hands-on experience through the programme, both from the facilities and from the practical experience opportunities. A lot of our students go out to do their work internships and placements with leading industry experts, and many of those students get picked up pretty much straight away when they finish their degree because their skills are so highly employable. Depending on your degree and major, you'll be using facilities like our wave pool to test model boats, among a wide variety of other practical learning experiences. You really will be learning with some of the best in the world when you're at the Australian Maritime College.

Double degrees and how to design your own study path

Guest: Another option available to you is double degrees and combined study. We have a wide variety of double degree options, and all you need to do is head to the double degrees section on our website, where there's a tool that lets you play around and see which combinations are available to you. At the end of the day, this is your degree and we want to make sure it's as flexible as possible so you can design it to have the skills you actually want to be employable in the future. We highly recommend doing a double degree where there is a possibility, because you'll come out with two qualifications instead of one. If you've got two study areas on your mind, say the arts and the marine space, you can combine those. There's a wide variety available on our website.

Applying to UTas: early entry, key dates, and getting in touch

Guest: So let's look at how you can apply. If you're in Year 12 this year, or going to be in Year 12 soon, you can apply through our early entry programme called the Schools Recommendation Program. This opens on 25 June this year. It's as simple as starting your application, entering your main information, making sure your school is linked, putting in your preferences, and ticking the box to apply for early entry, and we handle the rest. We'll get a recommendation from your school, and if that recommendation is strong enough, you'll receive an early offer, provided your course is eligible for the programme. That early offer could come through as early as 3 September. Essentially, that is your ticket into the course. We always recommend accepting that offer, because it holds your place, and then at the end of the year when your other offers come out, you can weigh up where you want to go. It's just another way to take away some of the stress when you're looking to apply. If you do have any subject prerequisites, you still need to meet those, and they'll generally be confirmed at the end of the year. Some courses are not available through this programme, such as our medicine and paramedic science degrees, due to the competitive nature of those areas. But I highly recommend anyone coming through school to apply via early entry. If you're not successful through early entry, we also have the opportunity to assess your ATAR at the end of the year, so you essentially have two chances to get into our programmes.

Guest: Just a reminder on key dates: if you're looking to study with us in 2027, you can apply from 25 June if you're in Year 12, or from that time if you're not. Applications are made directly on our website and are free. Applications for early entry close on 5 October. If you're applying as a non-Year-12 student or want to change your application later, applications stay open all the way through until early the following year. Just check the website to confirm dates for your specific course, as some may have different deadlines.

Guest: In terms of getting in touch, you can email our team directly at futurestudents@utas.edu.au if you have any follow-up questions or want to discuss how you'd make the move as an interstate student. We also have one-on-one appointments available through our website, where you can book a time that suits you, and you're welcome to bring along a parent or family member to discuss your options. If you want to engage in person and explore the campus and chat to our academics, our Open Day dates this year are: Sydney on 26 July, Launceston on 2 August, Hobart on 9 August, and our Burnie campus on 16 August. We'll also have a booth at most of the major expos across Australia, including Perth, Sydney, Brisbane, and Canberra, so if you're attending any of those, please come and say hello.

Guest: I just want to say a really big thank you to everyone for tuning in. You're always welcome to call us as well on 1300 363 864 during normal business hours. If you're looking for more information about any of the programmes I mentioned, head to utas.edu.au. And if you're ever looking to come down and visit in the future, get in touch. We'd love to support a campus visit too. We wish you all the best for the rest of your studies, and if you need any more support, reach out. We're here to help.