Marie-France
PhD candidate (Communication & Media Arts)
Why did you choose to study Communication at Newcastle?
1. The University has the expertise in my field of study.
2. The flexibility that the University provides with regards to off campus study.
3. The proximity of the University to Sydney, which affords greater ease of international travel and therefore generally better airfare arrangements from Canada.
4. The University's reputation in the areas of media arts, marine sciences, and human-environmental relationships.
What was the best thing about your degree program?
1. The excellent supervision which I receive - very kind and helpful advice.
2. The large and extensive pool of resources available through the University.
3. Location - as a Canadian student, my program is situated at a fabulous international location which provides me with a unique outlook on issues pertaining to my field of study.
4. The flexibility to undertake a course of studies that fits with my interests.
How did you find the support and service of staff at the University?
The staff offer support and helpful advice relative to their position and expertise. What I have found most useful is how staff forward an issue or concern to precisely the most senior or most knowledgeable individual who then clearly articulates what course of action I need to take with regards to addressing the said issue.
Where are you currently working and what are you currently doing? How has your Communication degree helped you in your professional life?
I am currently the Nursing Research Coordinator for St Paul's Hospital in Vancouver, Canada. I was awarded this position on the basis that I am a PhD candidate at the University of Newcastle in the areas of media arts and animal therapy.
What advice would you give to future students considering studying Communication at Newcastle?
1. Be prepared to know that you will be working almost exclusively on an independent basis as a PhD student.
2. Recognise that staff are available to support you but within the context that they too have a busy schedule and therefore have human limitations.
3. Find a supervisor(s) that you can work with and who reflects your values.
4. Make sure you budget very carefully for the cost of study, and manage your time to complete the program with the recognition that the any time you spend not on your degree program during your study period is a loss in future revenue/work.
