Dear colleague,
I am pleased to report that early 2008 VTAC preference data shows a welcome indication of a strong student response to the University's New Generation degrees.
This news comes at a time when the University has reduced the number of courses offered in 2008 to 28 - from 96 in 2007 - while still offering around 5000 undergraduate Commonwealth-supported places for commencing students in 2008.
Over the past two years, many academic and professional staff across the University have been involved in shaping the New Generation undergraduate courses - Arts, Biomedicine, Commerce, Environments, Music and Science - which are the cornerstone of the Melbourne Model. They all provide excellent employment opportunities and pathways to a wide range careers and further study options.
The early 2008 preference data indicates that our hard work is being recognised; that many prospective students share our belief that the Melbourne Model offers the best higher education opportunities in Australia.
The VTAC data shows CSP first preferences for Arts, Science and Commerce have all recorded increased demand compared to the current programs of the same name.
Arts is up 35 per cent from 1496 in 2007 to 2026; Commerce is up 65 per cent from 881 to 1451; and Science has recorded a 98 per cent rise from 405 to 802. Biomedicine and Environments are being offered for the first time in 2008. Preference data indicates that both programs have been well received by prospective students.
The Biomedicine degree with 360 first preferences has outperformed (up 136 per cent) the former Biomedical Science degree (152 in 2007). Music has fallen slightly from 147 in 2007 to 127.
And it is not surprising that the new Environments degree (with 520 first preferences) has captured the imagination of prospective students as it offers a unique interdisciplinary program of study in natural, constructed and virtual environments leading to a wide range of career options and further study options.
The preliminary data from VTAC backs up our own feedback on the New Generation degrees that students like the idea of being able to undertake depth in their discipline plus breadth of study, and they like the flexibility of career pathways that this offers.
Of particularly good news is the strong showing of Science where the minimum entry score for 2008 has been set at 85 - up five points from the minimum entry score in 2007. We sent students a signal that we expected a high standard for entry to our new Generation Science degree and they have responded positively.
This is a welcome trend for Science at Melbourne and runs counter to a declining interest in science across the Australian university sector.
The introduction of the Melbourne Model in 2008 is setting the University of Melbourne apart from other Australian universities. No other Australian university is embracing such significant educational reform.
In this new environment it is therefore pleasing to see that prospective students are confidently putting the New Generation degrees as their first preference. They will not be disappointed.
Glyn Davis
