The university degrees school leavers are flocking to
Scores of school leavers are increasingly being drawn to vocational careers that match community needs and workforce demand. These are the uni degrees most popular with Victorian teens.
Education
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University degrees with purpose are proving the most popular with young Victorians, as scores of teenagers sign up to study health, science and education.
Medicine, nursing, teaching, nutrition and business are among the most popular courses in 2020, as students focus their eyes on the prize of a well-paid and steady job.
It comes as the thousands of students who did not receive an offer last month for a place in their first preference university course, cross their fingers and hope for an offer in the January round, which will be sent out this Wednesday.
A further round of offers will be sent out in February.
Scores of scholarships have already been offered, including many for disadvantaged and rural and regional kids as well as for high-performing VCE students.
But universities say students should check their websites for any scholarships and bursaries still available, which can make study and accommodation more affordable.
Some universities offer special support for refugees, people who have to relocate to study and those who are the first in their family to study at university.
All have hardship provisions designed to help students in dire need.
At Australian Catholic University (ACU), which has campuses in Melbourne and Ballarat, the most popular courses in 2020 are its Bachelor of Nursing, Bachelor of Speech Pathology and Bachelor of Educational Studies degrees.
Nursing is also a top choice at Swinburne University.
“Young people are increasingly drawn to vocational careers that match community needs and workforce demand,” ACU Provost Professor Pauline Nugent said.
At Deakin University, which has campuses in Melbourne, Geelong and Warrnambool, marine science and nutrition (dietetics) have risen through the ranks to become two of the three most popular degree courses, alongside business.
Will Barker, 18, from Inverloch is just one of the many students from across the state moving to Geelong to study marine science.
A keen fisherman, he said he hoped the course would provide him with the chance to learn outdoors and work towards protecting Australia’s precious coastal environment.
But it’s medical, not marine, science which is proving popular at Melbourne and Monash universities.
Medicine received 2277 applications at Monash, making it the most in-demand degree course in the State.
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By comparison, only 21 offers have been made so far for admission to the university’s new Bachelor of Politics, Philosophy and Economics degree.
A spokesperson for Monash said the university had reserved 37 per cent of its
projected course capacity for the January 15 round of offers, meaning many students who were not successful in receiving an offer in December could well get one this week.
More than 4000 places have been already been offered at Melbourne University, with more international students than ever in the mix.