Deakin's trimester timetable provides maximum flexibility for students
In November 2008, Deakin University moved to a trimester system which is designed to provide maximum flexibility for students. Each trimester has 12 weeks of teaching (including, where possible, a swot-vac/revision week) followed by an examination period. The timetable for 2012/2013 is as follows:
| Trimester 1 |
5 March 2012 - 15 June 2012 |
| Trimester 2 |
9 July 2012 - 19 October 2012 |
| Trimester 3 (summer) | 12 November 2012 - 22 February 2013 |
Subject to the availability of units, students holding a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP) will be able to study in any combination of trimesters on a CSP (with access to HECS-HELP) basis. Students holding a domestic fee-paying place have the same flexibility on a fee-paying basis (with access to FEE-HELP).
It is expected that the majority of students will continue to study four units in each of trimesters 1 and 2 only as they do now. However, the trimester system provides a number of new choices for students. Examples include:
- commence certain Deakin courses in any trimester
- study three trimesters per year and complete a three year bachelor degree in two calendar years or a 12 unit Masters degree in one calendar year
- study less than four units per trimester over three trimesters to reduce your study workload in any semester and potentially allow more time for part-time work (note that enrolment in at least three units in two trimesters per year is required to be considered to be a full time student by Centrelink)
- study in trimesters 3 and 1 and use trimester 2 to travel to Europe in the northern hemisphere summer or to go skiing in Australia
- use trimester 3 to catch up on units disrupted by illness or other events
- use trimester three to complete the Graduate Certificate of Arts and Sciences without delaying or overloading your undergraduate program
Not all units and courses will be available in all trimesters and you should check the University timetable for availability.
Deakin aims to be recognised as Australia's most progressive university. The move to a trimester system is an innovative demonstration of Deakin's responsiveness to the needs of students.
