INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION OFFICE

Study at Curtin University of Technology

University Information | Location Information | Courses Available | Academic Credit | Eligibility | Costs | Deadlines & Dates | Orientation | Housing | What's Next? | Photos | Helpful Links

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University Information
Curtin University of Technology, located in Perth, Australia, is the largest university in Western Australia, offering more than 850 undergraduate and postgraduate courses across a wide range of disciplines, including the arts, architecture, social sciences, indigenous studies, the sciences, engineering, business, health, mining and agribusiness. These practical and innovative courses are geared to the current needs of industry and the changing demands of technology. Over 31,000 students attend its two campuses.

Curtin has a long-standing reputation in the international market and is recognized as a pioneer in the provision of international education. In the 1998 and 1999 surveys by Asiaweek in which more than 40 of the leading universities in the region participated, Curtin was identified as the best science and technology university in Australia. Curtin has ranked consistently in the top 15 overall in the region. Because Curtin students are encouraged to see themselves as citizens of the world, they are well prepared for employment overseas, where many exciting career opportunities await. At Curtin, you will be part of large and friendly campus community which offers a wide range of facilities, including restaurants and cafés, book shops, retail outlets, clubs, theaters, markets, sporting facilities and a world-class art gallery. It's a great place to develop networks that can provide friendship, information and advice for a lifetime.

Curtin is comprised of four teaching divisions or colleges:

1. Business School -- Curtin Business School (CBS) has 60 double majors and 22 single majors to choose from, making it one of the largest and most comprehensive business faculties in Australia. The applied and practical nature of the curriculum means units undertaken are as current and relevant to the present day business world as possible.
2. Engineering and Science -- Curtin has an international reputation for the quality of its graduates in engineering, computing, and science and for its research achievements in engineering. There are 28 areas of study in the sciences and engineering.
3. Health Sciences -- The Division of Health Sciences offers an extensive range of programs, including the only courses in Western Australia in physiotherapy, occupational therapy, human communication science, and health information management. Human biology, molecular genetics, and psychology are also found here.
4. Humanities -- Imagine UMD's College of Liberal Arts, School of Fine Arts and the Education component of College of Education and Human Service Professions combined with an even broader range of courses! The Division of Humanities is sub-divided into the following departments with a wide range of course offerings in the arts, humanities and social sciences:
   
   Built Environment, Art and Design (BEAD)
   Department of Architecture and Interior Architecture
   Department of Art
   Department of Construction Management
   Department of Design
   Department of Urban and Regional Planning
   
   Education, Language Studies and Social Work (ELSSW)
   Department of Languages and Intercultural Education
   Department of Education
   Department of Social Work and Social Policy
   
   Media, Society and Culture (MSC)
   Department of Communication and Cultural Studies
   Department of Media and Information
   Department of Social Sciences
   
   Centres
   Centre for Aboriginal Studies

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Location Information
Curtin University of Technology is located in Perth, the capital city of Western Australia, the largest of Australia's eight states. Western Australia covers one-third of the Australian continent, spanning over one million square miles (2.5 million square kilometers). Bordered largely by desert to the east, Western Australia is bounded by 12,500 kilometers (7,814 miles) of the world's most pristine coastline to the west. It is adored for its brilliant blue skies, warm sunny climate, and white sandy beaches. It is a land blessed with some of the world's most precious natural phenomena including the dolphins of Monkey Mia, 350-million-year-old Bungle Bungle Range and the towering Karri forests of the southwest.

Perth is home to over 1.5 million people and enjoys more hours of sunshine than any other capital city in Australia. It features a broad cultural diversity which is reflected in the way of life, incorporating a wide range of restaurants, events and the arts. Sophisticated yet uncomplicated, the lifestyle in Western Australia is relaxed and friendly.

Curtin's main university campus is in Bentley, approximately 10 kilometers (six miles) south-east of the central business district. Most of the university's courses are offered from this campus.

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Courses Available
Classes at Curtin are referred to as “units.” Courses are considered areas of study, or majors. Curtin offers hundreds of units in their teaching divisions/colleges of Business School, Engineering and Science, Health Sciences and Humanities. Most units are 25 Australian credits, the equivalent of 4 UMD credits. Students are not allowed to take more than 100 Australian credits.

To view the most up-to-date course offerings, please visit Curtin's Courses Handbook at the Curtin University of Technology website. Also, please view current course equivalencies for Curtin University of Technology.

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Academic Credit
UMD students who study abroad are registered for a block of Foreign Studies credits by staff in the International Education Office (IEO) so there is no “transfer credit.” Course choices are examined by the department heads in appropriate departments to determine whether the courses will count towards the student’s major, minor, or liberal education requirements at UMD. When students return from abroad and grades are posted, the block of credits disappears and individual courses appear on the transcript with the equivalent UMD course also listed. If there is no equivalent course at UMD, the foreign course title is listed. To find out which courses have already been approved, please look at the IEO website for Curtin University of Technology equivalencies. New courses are added as they are approved.

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Eligibility
Students must have a minimum of one full year of college prior to beginning of program. For some areas of study, students should have completed substantial upper division course work in their field of study. If students wish to study in the areas of science and engineering, they should have a strong background in mathematics and physics.

A GPA of 2.75 is required by Curtin University of Technology. Students with a GPA slightly lower than 2.75 may be accepted if an additional letter of reference is provided with the Curtin application. (One letter of reference from a faculty member or academic advisor is required.)

Students are tentatively accepted by the International Education Office at UMD after an interview by a staff member in the International Education Office. Final acceptance is given by Curtin University of Technology. Students outside the University of Minnesota system are eligible to apply and may be interviewed by phone. Many areas of study require pre-requisite courses.

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Costs
The International Education Office at UMD tries to keep the costs of its study abroad programs as affordable as possible. The program cost per semester to attend Curtin University of Technology is $9,450 during the 2008-2009 academic year. The program cost includes:

• the $100 application fee to the International Education Office
• the $400 deposit to the International Education Office
• tuition at Curtin University of Technology
• CISI (required international health insurance) for up to 5 months
• Australian national insurance (required by the Australian Government)

The program cost does not include room and board, textbooks, airfare and other additional costs. Room and board is estimated to be about $3,700 per semester during the 2008-2009 academic year.

Costs in Australia will vary depending upon the exchange rate between the US dollar and the Australian dollar. Fluctuating currency exchange rates may increase or decrease the cost of your international experience. Financial aid may be used toward the program fee, except for tuition waivers such as Best in Class. There are several study abroad scholarships for University of Minnesota students.

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Deadlines & Dates
Deadlines to apply to a program occur during the semester previous to that which you wish to study abroad. In general, deadlines fall around March 15 to study during the fall semester or October 15 to study during the spring semester. A student registered for study abroad during UMD's fall semester will be studying during Semester 2 at Curtin, which runs from July until November. A student registered for study abroad during UMD's spring semester will be studying during Semester 1 at Curtin, which runs from February until June. Keep in mind that climatic seasons in Australia are opposite from seasons in North America. Thus, UMD's spring is Curtin's fall and vice versa.

Study: Fall semester 2008 or UMD full 2008-2009 academic year
UMD Deadline to apply: Monday, March 24, 2008
Fall semester: July 28 - November 21, 2008

Study: Spring semester 2009 or Australian full 2009 academic year
UMD Deadline to apply: Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Spring semester: February 18 - June 20, 2009

For more information on deadlines to apply, click here.

For more information on the academic calendar at Curtin University of Technology, click here.

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Orientation
At least one pre-departure orientation and one on-site orientation will be held. Pre-departure orientation will be held to assist participants for their term(s) abroad. Items addressed will include student visa, housing options, classes, travel tips, general study abroad handbook, Australian handbook. Curtin also holds an orientation week (O Week) for students before classes begin. Students should arrive the week before O Week. Tickets should not be purchased until official acceptance is issued by Curtin University of Technology.

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Housing
Curtin University offers a comprehensive housing service to its students and staff. On campus housing is always in high demand, so early application is advisable. Student on-campus housing generally consists of single study bedrooms with shared facilities such as kitchens and bathrooms. The exception is Japan House where each student has their own bathroom (priority is given to students of Japanese language) and Rotary International House, which has a limited number of family flats.

A typical apartment will accommodate six or eight students. All bedrooms are furnished with a bed, wardrobe, desk and book shelves. Students must supply their own small electrical appliances, cooking and eating utensils, and linen. All houses have Residential Assistants (like UMD's RAs) who are senior students, available for assistance to students.

Past participants recommended living in Erica Underwood, Don Watts, George James, or Vickery. Students are not allowed to stay in Japan House. For more information on the flats available go to http://housing.curtin.edu.au/OnCampus/Where/

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What's Next?
Before applying, it is a good idea to follow the steps under steps to studying abroad. The IEO website also provides information on financing, health & safety and other important information to consider when choosing to study abroad. When ready to apply, the UMD study abroad application may be downloaded from the IEO website. Please complete the application with required accompanying materials and return it to IEO. Students should also apply for a passport, which due to a lenghty application process may take more than ten weeks.

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Photos

• Australia Photos

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Helpful Links for Australia & Perth

• Australia.com
• Western Australia
• Travel Western Australia VR Map
• World Executives Perth Guide
• Events in Western Australia

• City of Perth
• Your Guide to Perth and Fremantle
• Perth Airport
• Curtin University of Technology
• Curtin University of Technology International Office
• Curtin University of Technology Inbound Study

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