California State University, Sacramento
Study Abroad Program
Study in Australia at Edith Cowan University
Named in honor of Edith Dircksey Cowan, the first woman elected to an Australian Parliament in 1912, Edith Cowan University is located in Perth, Western Australia and has a well-deserved reputation for teaching excellence. ECU has several campuses participating in the program with California State University, Sacramento: the Churchlands Campus situated in a lovely setting in Perth about 15 minutes from the city center and close to Perth's spectacular coastline; the Joondalup Campus to the north of Perth with its state-of-the-art facilities, multi-million dollar recreation center, and kangaroos; and the Mount Lawley Campus located minutes from the central business district of Perth. The future will see the university consolidate its activities on the Joondalup and Mount Lawley Campuses and includes the redevelopment of the Churchlands Campus.
Facilities at ECU include the latest in music, arts and media study venues, science laboratories, computing laboratories accessible 24 hours a day, a library at each campus, sporting venues on each campus, a state-of-the-art health and fitness center at the Joondalup Campus, health and medical services, proximity to public transportation, and excellent student services.
Beautiful Perth itself is the largest city in and capital of Western Australia with a population of about 1.4 million and is located on the shores of the Indian Ocean. It has an excellent standard of living and low crime rate. Perth is known as friendly, safe, and relaxed, yet it offers all the cosmopolitan attractions of a large international city. There are thousands of restaurants, cafés, cinemas, and music venues as well as great shopping. The Swan River runs through Perth and out to the Indian Ocean at the charming port city of Fremantle, which is only 19 kilometers from Perth. The magnificent Kings Park in Perth offers 400 hectares of natural bushland and parkland, a botanical garden, and incredible views of the city. Many intriguing fieldtrips and travel destinations are located not far from Perth.
COURSE OFFERINGS
Edith Cowan University offers many undergraduate and graduate courses at its three campuses. (Please note that TAFE, "technical and further education," classes are not available to our students. The ECU Handbooks and the ECU web site class listings will indicate if a class has TAFE delineation.) Those disciplines relevant to our students are:
Faculty of Business and Law: accounting, business law, economics, electronic commerce, finance, hospitality management, human resource management, industrial relations, information systems, international business, justice studies, leisure sciences, management, marketing, police studies, psychology and criminology, sport management, and tourism management.
Faculty of Computing, Health and Sciences: applied & analytical chemistry; applied mathematics and statistics; biological sciences; computer and networking security; computer science; computer systems; counterterrorism, security, and intelligence; digital media; electronic systems; electronics and communications; environmental engineering; environmental forensics; environmental management; exercise and sports science; forensic and biomolecular science; human biology; information science; information technology; library technology; network technology; nursing; nutrition; occupational therapy; physics; psychology; psychology and addiction studies; psychology and children and family studies; psychology and criminology; psychology and women’s studies; public health; security and justice studies; security management; security science; and software-engineering.
Faculty of Education and Arts: anthropology, Asian studies, Australian cultural studies,communication studies (advertising, journalism, mass communication, media and cultural studies, performance writing and criticism, public relations), contemporary arts (contemporary fashion; contemporary performance; visual arts includes painting, print media, sculpture, textiles and electronic arts), creative industries (creative technologies, photomedia, film and video, game design and culture, interactive multimedia, two-dimensional design, three-dimensional design), digital media, early childhood studies, English, French, geography, history, Japanese, kindergarten through primary education, philosophy and religion, politics and government, social justice and public advocacy, social science (children and family studies, community studies, disability issues, gerontology, women’s studies, youth work), social work, sociology, and writing. Included within this faculty is the Western Australia Academy of Performing Arts, offering courses in dance and classical music.
Be sure to choose only courses offered at the Churchlands Campus (CH), the Joondalup Campus (JO) or the Mount Lawley Campus (ML). Graduate students should be aware that graduate level course availability will need to be approved on a case by case basis.
ACADEMIC REQUIREMENTS
Applicants should have upper division standing with a declared major or classified graduate standing at this university by the time of departure, good academic records, and a 2.75 cumulative grade point average for undergraduates and a 3.0 for graduates or better at the time of the application deadline. The applicant also should be prepared to accept the challenge of study in a country with an educational system different from our own. The Writing Proficiency Examination must have been passed at this university prior to departure, and, in most cases, the lower division courses of the appropriate field of study must have been completed prior to participation in this program. Applications will be accepted for one semester or one academic year. Students are required to be full-time while studying in Australia and, thus, take the equivalent of 15 units during each semester for undergraduates and 12 units per semester for graduates.
Please note that students applying to take courses in dance or classical music will have to submit an audition tape in addition to the other requirements for application.
CALENDAR
Courses are taught on a semester basis at Edith Cowan University. Classes for the fall semester (first semester) begin around the third week in February and end around the third week in June. The spring semester (second semester) classes begin in late July and end around the third week of November. Candidates should plan on attending the International Student Orientation, which takes place about a week prior to the start of classes.
FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Students accepted to the program will pay the usual California State University, Sacramento fees, remain eligible for financial aid (except work/study), if otherwise qualified, and receive resident credit just as if they were attending classes at this university. (Please note that equivalency of courses falls under the jurisdiction of the academic department.) ECU has agreed to waive non-resident tuition, making this a particularly attractive opportunity for participants. Students will pay for their travel to and from Perth, room and board, books, and incidentals. In addition, each student must have the required insurance during his or her stay in Australia. Expenses for a semester in Perth are estimated at the following: usual undergraduate fees - $1,640 (graduates would pay the graduate fee), airfare - $1,760, insurance - $280, housing and meals for 18 weeks -$3,300, books - $300, incidentals for 18 weeks (including local transportation, clothing, entertainment) - $2,200. Total $9,480. The estimated expenses for an academic year are about $17,200. This estimate is given for planning purposes only and is subject to changes from currency fluctuation, inflation, and fee changes. Keep in mind that the cost to obtain a passport and a student visa is not included in this estimate.
SCHOLARSHIPs
For information on scholarships for study abroad, you should register for and attend a scholarship workshop in the Office of Global Education.
HOUSING AND MEALS
ECU International organizes temporary accommodation for all international students arriving in Perth for the first time. The temporary accommodation venues are an excellent value at AUD$35 to $45 per night. Temporary accommodation arrangements are made only once ECU has received the completed Airport Reception Form provided in the Pre-departure Guide upon acceptance by ECU.
There are several options available for permanent accommodation. On-campus accommodation is available in self-catering units at the Joondalup and Mt. Lawley Campuses. The minimum tenancy period is one semester. Most units have six separate single bedrooms. Each unit has a large well-equipped kitchen and lounge area and two bathrooms. The bedrooms are furnished, but students must supply their own bed linen, pillows, blankets, crockery, and cutlery. On the Joondalup and Mount Lawley Campuses, the student residences are set on the university campus and places are limited. Thus, students should apply early for on-campus accommodation.
Many students choose to live off campus in rented accommodation, typically an apartment, townhouse, villa, or house. There are many affordable options in the suburbs around the ECU campuses. Prices vary and are estimated at: from AUD $85 per week for an unfurnished 1 bedroom apartment, from AUD$90 per week for a furnished 1 bedroom apartment, from AUD $95 per week for an unfurnished 2 bedroom apartment, and from AUD$120 per week for a furnished 2 bedroom apartment.
Students also can choose to live in a private home with an Australian family. The chance to be involved in the daily life, the learning of the Australian culture and customs are just some of the reasons homestay is popular. The prices for homestay are around AUD $150-$165 weekly, which includes food and electricity. The Off-Campus Housing Service has a list of homestay providers.
YOU SHOULD CONSULT THESE RESOURSES FOR FURTHER INFORMATION:
The Office
of Global Education home page: http://www.csus.edu/oge/
The
ECU home page: http://www.ecu.edu.au
The
ECU Housing Office: http://www.ecu.edu.au/fas/village
The
ECU International Student Office: http://www.ecu.edu.au/iso
The
ECU On-line Handbook: http:// handbook .ecu.edu.au
for course descriptions
The
ECU Timetable: http://www.ecu.edu.au/apps/simo (for
course locations and times)
For more
information about Perth, visit:
http://www.lonelyplanet.com
http://www.pertheducationcity.com.au/
http://www.gowesthandbook.com/
http://www.tourism.wa.gov.au
To obtain an application or to speak with a study abroad advisor, please call the Office of Global Education at 278-6686 or go to Lassen Hall, Room 2304. Applications, references, and transcripts should be sent to the address below. The deadline for materials to be received is March 1. Please note that there is an interview process for this application, also.
| Monica G. Freeman |
Janis Silvers |
last update 9/06
