Postgraduate Health students: share your feedback to help us improve the student experience
If you could change one thing about your postgraduate experience, what would it be? Is there something that you think the Faculty of Health does really well in delivering your postgraduate course? Whatever you think, we want to hear from you!
Kelly Joy, the postgraduate student member on the Faculty of Health Board, is currently seeking feedback from fellow postgraduate students. Kelly is particularly interested in learning more about your experience of studying at the postgraduate level in the Faculty of Health, including hearing any suggested areas for improvement in curriculum, student support and assessment.
We asked Kelly (pictured) to tell us a little bit about herself, her studies and how your feedback will help improve the postgraduate experience for both you and your peers.
What course are you studying?
Master of Human Nutrition. I initially enrolled in the Graduate Certificate which I completed last year, and have decide to continue on to Masters.
What are you hoping to do after university professionally?
I currently work as a senior public servant at the Department of Health, so my studies are more to complement my existing knowledge of agriculture and food safety rather than to progress my career per se. It is also just personal interest – these bodies are all we have, we need to take the best care of them!
What have you enjoyed the most about your postgraduate studies at Deakin?
Studying online has been great, it is convenient and saves time on commuting. Having recordings of sessions available, so I don’t need to meet a set schedule, provides flexibility that meets the needs of my demanding work schedule too.
In your experience, what are some of the challenges of postgraduate study?
I think one of the main challenges of postgraduate study, compared to undergraduate study, is that (in many cases, not all) postgrads are at a later stage in life which comes with more responsibility and greater demands on our time – work, children, home life. Though having said that, I did my undergrad as single parent at 24 years old with a toddler in tow!
How did you become involved as a student member on the Faculty of Health Board, and what does your role involve – what do you hope to achieve ?
Membership on the Faculty Board is by election. It really is as simple as I saw an advertisement and thought I could contribute here. I nominated myself, ran a very small campaign and was voted in by fellow students. Essentially my role (as I see it) is to represent the postgrad cohort by providing feedback to the Board about the postgrad experience for the purposes of raising awareness and advocating for improvements.
What project are you currently working on, in which you’re seeking feedback from other postgraduate students?
I am currently seeking general feedback from students on how they are finding their postgraduate studies at Deakin, whether they are based on campus or online. And particularly how students are adjusting to the post-lockdown return to study.
Tell us what you think!
If you are a postgraduate student in the Faculty of Health and you have any feedback you would like to share for possible discussion at Faculty Board, please email Kelly at [email protected].