What it’s like to study Community Health 100% online

Why have you decided to study at this point in your life?

I was working in administration in a 24-hour hospital department for almost a decade. After the passing of my long-term manager and friend, I re-evaluated my career and decided I needed to take steps to advance and tackle new challenges. I knew I wanted to stay in health and was very interested in public health policy and health promotion, rather than clinical health.

Was there a particular moment when you decided that you wanted to pursue a university degree?

I had been thinking about doing a university degree ever since I finished high school, but I always thought I would need to give up my job to do it. As I wasn’t in a position to be able to support myself without working, I had always seen university as something I would do in the future. But, once I saw how UniSA Online worked, I thought it sounded like the perfect fit. I could keep working while studying without having to worry about how to fit in-person classes around my work roster.

What kind of opportunities does studying 100% online give you?

Studying 100% online means I can fit study around my work and life, rather than trying to fit work and life around my studies. Without the flexibility of studying 100% online, I wouldn’t be where I am today. The format of a 10-week term, rather than semester-long courses means I never feel overwhelmed by having to manage too many deadlines at once. I can go at my own pace and continue ahead when I find a little bit of extra time.

Studying 100% online has also meant that I’ve been able to continue studying while travelling on the other side of the world. Without being able to study 100% online, I wouldn’t be anywhere near finishing my degree, and wouldn’t have had the tremendous opportunities for career progression that I have gained along the way.

Did you have any concerns before starting your degree? Was there anything holding you back?

I remember being nervous about whether I was capable of studying at a university level. I was concerned about what the academic staff would expect from me and wasn’t sure I would be able to keep up or produce the kind of work that would be required to pass. It took a lot of courage to take the leap, but once I did, I felt supported and engaged and haven’t looked back since.

What were the personal and professional motivations for advancing your career?

After undertaking a few short-term secondments acting in higher-level roles, I knew I could advance my career. To make that happen, I knew I needed to broaden my skillset to stand out from the competition. Completing a relevant university degree will give me an edge and help me to accelerate my career at a much faster rate.

If you could give your past self a few words of advice knowing what you do now, what would you say?

Someone very wise once said to me, “in life, you have to roll the dice.” I did this with UniSA Online and I ended up a winner. I think my experience goes to show that you never know what you are capable of until you try, and sometimes your capabilities can surprise you. Looking back now it all seems so logical and I can’t even imagine not having chosen to study at UniSA Online.