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Deakin's new trimester timetable provides maximum flexibility for students and employers

From November 2008 Deakin University will move to a trimester system, designed to provide maximum flexibility for students. The new system also has positive implications for employers.

Each trimester has 12 weeks of teaching (including a swot-vac/revision week) followed by an examination period. The trimester dates for 2008/2009 are as follows:

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.

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 and today’s labour market. Examples of the flexibility that the trimesters bring to employers in recruiting Deakin students include the capacity to:

• recruit graduates at a variety of times, as students will now finish their studies at three points during the year rather than just two
• offer students work experience or vacation roles over the entire duration of a semester without disrupting the students’ studies
• recruit undergraduate students who have ‘fast tracked’ their studies over two years or postgraduates who may have finished their Masters degree in one year
• greater flexibility to allow employees to combine work and study.

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 study workload in any semester and potentially allow more time for part-time work
• study in trimesters 3 and 1 and use trimester 2 to gain course related practical experience
• use trimester 3 to catch up on units disrupted by illness or other events.