back cover
front cover
The University of Sydney Students’ Representative Council acknowledges the traditional owners of this land, the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. We stand on this land today as beneficiaries of an uncompensated and unreconciled dispossession which occurred over 200 years ago. Many of the descendants of those dispossessed live just down the road in abject poverty, and as young people it is important to recognise how this history of dislocation and disenfranchisement has contributed to the inequity we observe in contemporary society, particularly in the area of education. We acknowledge both our privilege and our obligation to redress the situation at best we can: to remember the mistakes of the past, act on the problems of today, and build for a future for everyone who now calls this place home, striving always for practical and meaningful reconciliation. If you are reading this, you are standing on Aboriginal land. Please recognise and respect this.
CONTENTS NOT ACADEMICS (woo!)
ACADEMICS (aww)
- editorial p.2
- agriculture p.12
- dentistry p.28-29
- eag p.3
- arts
- ancient history p.13
- pharmacy p.29
- the future of activism p.4-5
- archaeology p.14
- business
- the basics p.6-7
- art history p.14-15
- accounting and finance p.30
- diversity of content p.8
- anthropology p.15
- marketing p.30
- free education p.9
- english p.16
- work and organisational studies p.31
- special consideration p.10
- gender and cultural studies p.16
- education p.32
- thank p. 48
- government p.17-18
- social work
- history p.18
- engineering
- Indigenous studies p.19
- law
- international & global studies p.20
- CUMBO (health science)
- languages p. 20-21
- THE CON (music)
- linguistics p.22
- SCA p.40-41
- ancient languages p.22
- nursing p.41
- media & communications p.23
- science p. 42
- sociology p.24
- biology p.42
- philosophy p.24-25
- chemistry p.43
- religion p.25
- geosciences p.43
- performance studies p.26
- IT p.44
- economics p.27
- maths p.44
- political economy p.27-28
- psychology p.45
- physics p.46
- vet science p.46 - us studies p.47
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EDITORIAL B LY T H E W O R T H Y & D AV I D S H A K E S STUDENTS THO, Welc to the most agonising, painstakingly-written, Redbull-and-Sia-and-Rihanna fuelled University handbook in Sydney Uni’s existence. We absolutely adore all students, more than our cadre of gross lefty friends who did NOT help us by continually attempting to tempt us out of the SRC offices into Hermann’s for “a quick bev”. We hope that you in turn adore our attempt at providing you with a somewhat hotchpotch handbook filled with miscellaneous pictures of budgies and clip art. The Counter Course Handbook is an SRC institution we chose to honour with a stellar ‘Due Tomorrow, Do Tomorrow’ attitude, as is the tradition of past Ed Officers. We also leant heavily on the capabilities and good nature of our m8s, commissioning them to write articles about their subjects and just about anything they had an opinion on providing that somewhere in the article they included the term ‘Fee Dereg’ and ‘Christopher Pyne more like Christopher SPYNEY Lizard! Amiright?! LOLOLOLLLLLLLL”. Ah, the lols we’ve had kids. There have certainly been a few. Like when David got paranoid a murderer was in the SRC offices one morning at 2:00 am, or when Blythe’s Mac decided to whither and die a mere two days before the handbook deadline. LOL. #fun. Seriously though, this is your guide written by massive gronky students who really care about you and the subjects you’re about to embark on. Education is incredibly important to us, which is why we got hundreds of responses from students who desperately wanted to improve their University experience.
often also trying to maintain jobs and pay rent, keep their marks up and freaking live their lives- occasionally seeing sunlight from the window of Fisher Library stacks level 7. Sydney Uni management is far too focused on prestige and glory, stroking its sandstone and bringing its stained glass saints to orgasm in fabulous mortarboard cap and gown with fur stoles and pretty ribbons to give a proper fuck about faculties that aren’t in a fancy new LAW building or ridiculously-evasive MEDICINE faculty. Education is about more than profit. It’s a freaking sword to wield against human rights violations like the war against refugees in Australia. It’s the gift you can share with others, by taking part in the Education Department’s new Refugee Tutoring Program STUDENT2STUDENT, or by attending our weekly Education Action Group meetings (EAG) and learning about activist organising to help you fight the war on Fee Deregulation. It’s something that liberates people and helps them govern themselves. It’s not a commodity. It should be free. We want to help you get the best education you can, so read this stupid scrapbook we literally poured our blood, sweat and friend’s tears into (not really ew lol #420) and learn from it. From now until the end of your degree you should never stop making use of your opportunity and never stop learning. It’s why you’re here. Love and Solidarity, Blythe and David
After sifting through these responses it became abundantly clear that our university is failing students on multiple levels. There was widespread dismay at the size of classes and amount of resources being gutted from faculties, as university management continually shave funding from departments desperately in need of support. We’re talking about Nursing. We’re talking about Indigenous Studies. We’re talking about English and Midwifery, and yes, even Engineering. We’re talking about departments that depend on students to fund their own education. The same students that are PAGE 2
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EAG D AV I D S H A K E S If you’re coming to university for the first time, or even if you’ve been here a while, you’d better beware the impending doom that the Liberal government represents for students and for society. Last year, the Abbott government proposed the deregulation of university fees, meaning that universities could charge whatever they wanted for courses. Students would pay more and the government would pay less towards the cost of education. Public universities would be expected to compete with private institutions for funding. People would be forced to pay back their HECS/HELP loan sooner, and faster. Some degree prices would skyrocket to over $100,000. Student debt in Australia was projected to double in just four years. We’d develop into a USstyle, two-tier university system, entrenching and widening the gap between the rich and poor; the winners and losers of society. The accessibility of higher education is at threat. For those of us who can’t fathom paying a six-digit figure for a university degree, whether or not to come to uni becomes a really tough decision to make. This bears a disproportionate burden on the already most downtrodden people in society: the working class, women, Indigenous people, queer people. The higher education reform Bill could be passed through the Senate before you’ve even read this. “Your future is Australia’s future”, so let’s make it worth it The current user-pays, profitchasing, individualistic approach to education is a disgrace perpetuated by the greedy bastards in parliament, but people going to university and
getting educated is in the public interest; education is a public good. It is a process, not a commodity. Education should be free, accesible for all, not just the rich. And the opportunity for so many to be educated and change their lot in life is being stripped by these rich white men in parliament who are scared of losing their power and dominance over society. The education department of the SRC has quite a history. In the last few years, we’ve seen some incredible displays of solidarity between staff and students. In 2012, the university wanted to cut 340 staff. The education department and the EAG stood with the NTEU to fight the staff cuts. In 2013 staff went on strike for seven days demanding fairer working conditions from the university. The EAG was there in full solidarity. And just last year, 156 library staff were told they’d be made redundant in 2015, as the Library becomes an empty, digital landscape. This while our Vice Chancellor (basically, if you conceived of the university as a corporation, he’d be the boss) lobbies the student body, Universities Australia and the federal government to support fee deregulation. This is despite thousands of University of Sydney students rallying against the education reforms. Despite public opposition. We have the people, but they have the power: we need to fight the corporate university.
in Sydney. It’s gonna be a big year, so now’s the time to join the fight. We meet weekly on the New Law Lawns. Check out our Facebook page for meeting times, grab a t shirt, and get in contact via email.
Last year, tens of thousands of students took to the streets to protest the Abbott government’s regressive attacks on the higher education sector, including thousands from the University of Sydney. This year, we need you to join us outside Fisher Library on March the 25th at 1pm, demanding no fee hikes, no fee deregulationfree education.
You may have seen the EAG last year disrupting national television on Q&A, escorting members of parliament off campus, or in some of the biggest student rallies ever held PAGE 3
FUTURE OF ACTIVISM B LY T H E S W O R T H Y Stealth Demonstrations and Smartphones: The Future of Activism Social media is allowing student activism to evolve and become more effective. Unlike the communication challenges of the 1960s and 70s, today’s quick-click social media sites are allowing students to mobilise quickly and have access to mainstream media sources more readily. It’s taken publications like The Daily Telegraph and The Australian by surprise, as news sources famous for their conservative content are being forced to contact students via Twitter and request photos, footage and statements.
This shows that students are adapting to new technology and its advantages much more rapidly than media outlets, police and security companies. Cloud sharing events and articles on newsfeeds is effectively doing to students what Tony Abbott’s vilification of Julia Gillard did to voters in 2013: nudging them with the same opinion presented through different formats, persuading the public to action. We’re now seeing columnists like Bob Ellis counting down the days until the imminent revolt against the Abbott government. The current generation of 18-35 year olds are using Abbott’s tactics against him by controlling how the media portray them, documenting incidents and sharing them free of charge with news outlets not quick enough to get to pertinent events. Students are effectively controlling the way the mainstream media is portraying these stealth demonstrations, intimidating publications so much they’ve responded recently by condescending to students and calling them ferals, which isn’t really PAGE 4
anything new in the history of politics. So youths continue to respond with a semi “Meh” attitude to this last strugglethis death rattle from broadsheet media and its public attempt at lampooning an entire generation of concerned young people. Getting thousands to #marchinmarch rallies is no longer the problem. The budget pretty much did activists’ job for them. It’s the smaller, constant demonstrations blocking MPs on campuses and disrupting bureaucratic events continuing the momentum for the larger rallies which only really need to happen a few times a year. Larger demographics of people are attending them, the issues discussed becoming more and more focused on the repudiation of a country sold down the river by its government, populated by ministers like Christopher Pyne and Joe Hockey who renege on agreements made throughout the election.
“Students and other young protesters are using new technology much better than pretty much everyone else and they’ve chosen the right issue and moment to do it.” Students are actually more effective in covert demonstrations, when there are less of them and more smartphones in order to flood social media with pictures and footage throughout the event. These covert demonstrations of dissent are sustaining the motivation for the rest of Australia to remain pissed off about being jerked around by the Liberal government. Caution and legal advice needs to be exercised before submitting anything to the press though, as just a few months ago Tom Raue, one of the names being thrown around Twitter on the ‘casual militant Liberal abuse list’ was identified in footage submitted to the ABC by a fellow student. The video, which shows Raue attempting to follow Julie Bishop through double doors during the SRC COUNTER COURSE HANDBOOK 2 015
#julieatusyd demonstration was interpreted by head of USYD security, Morgan Andrews, as assault on his security guards. Andrews promptly served Raue with legal documents banning him from campus for a monththough Raue was a University of Sydney Union board director and required at meetings. Raue’s not particularly famous for writing- he’s more well known for sharing confidential information concerning USYD’s co-operation with police during the protests over staff cuts last year, when students were hospitalized and arrested. He subsequently nearly lost his position as Vice President of the USU, sued the organisation, lost the case then was saved when board members went to a vote. Nevertheless SMH commissioned an article from him in response to Annabelle Crabb’s vindication of student protests and as it stands the article has been shared 795 times on facebook and 112 times on Twitter. “Politics in Australia tends to be a passive, top down experience where most people consume messages from political parties for a few years, then go vote and repeat. These protests are exciting,” says Raue, “In this way, traditional forms of protest have become even more effective because they can be packaged up and distributed online or sent to media outlets”.
Against the Liberals have access to upwards of 10,000 individuals, so the sharing of one article that is easy to engage with (like a Simpsons meme) is viewed by and has the opportunity to pique the interest of around double the original audience, considering many will reshare. We’re witnessing a huge number of students suddenly become informed and politically active because of the sharing of few. Students and other young protesters are using new technology much better than pretty much everyone else and they’ve chosen the right issue and moment to do it because the response from mass media has been absolutely fucking deplorable. People can’t talk about the demonstrations without addressing the issue at hand and it’s freaking out the professional kingpins in media because students have figured out how to revolt about an issue more serious than the lockout laws, and they didn’t even need to leave the lecture theatre; the masses have come to them.
Michael Spence, the Vice Chancellor and Principal of USYD also had a stab at putting his opinion forth in SMH, which was subsequently shared 62 times on Facebook and retweeted 22 times. Cult-of-personality Twitter legions are retweeting students who cover the protests, with university publications and even organizations like the USU participating through retweeting and favouriting photos, footage and tweets. The more retweets and likes, the further up the feed these tweets are pushed and the more people see them. 500 retweets of one original tweet containing something like #pyneatusyd can cause that hashtag to trend in Australia, which means even more people view it, often internationally if the response is widespread in Australia. The next generation of politicians are currently being preened in universities; the last Education Action Network meeting was attended by almost all political factions across NSW. People had heard about it on facebook, and seen their friend’s footage of what happened during a particularly violent protest a week earlier showing students being assaulted by the riot squad. Most students won’t have the dedication to read over the front page of newspapers every day and so rely on their twitter and facebook feeds to supply them with new information. Pages like Stand with Raue and Simpsons PAGE 5
THE BASICS M A D I SO N M C I VO R & DA N I E L E RGA S Editor’s note: Some of this information is not the totally correct! See an SRC caseworker respond to this student perspective on page 10!
When Renee Zellweger is sent to prison, she is given one piece of advice. “When you’re good to Mama,” she is told by the warden, “Mama’s good to you.” This may be a quote from a movie-musical. It may be a satire of a voyeuristic public and sensationalising media. It may be one of your author’s favourite films. And it may be the only introduction he could think of at 3.42am on a Monday night (Tuesday morning?). And you may (pray) be under different, and comparatively un-bloody, circumstances with the new university environment you find yourself in. But this maxim applies equally well to our own University of Sydney. Your commitment - to your tutorials and lectures, your new mates and old friends, and new experiences here - will determine the quality of your uni experience. If you’re good to Mama Sydney, Mama Sydney will be good to you. But how do you appease Mama? Let’s go through a couple of tips.
Starting uni Choosing subjects — Make sure you’re interested in the content of the course! If ‘Did the Butler Do It: Cluedo, A Marxist Perspective’ doesn’t interest you, don’t do it. You’ll regret it. — Check out the faculty handbooks. Similar to any successful committed relationship, you need to know what you’re getting in to. All of the degree and progression requirements (ie. classes that are compulsory) are included. Graduation can be in your future too! — Read the Counter-Course guide. This is so meta. But seriously, this contains the feedback of hundreds of past students, and helps you avoid being stuck in dud classes. PAGE 6
— Chat to other students in your faculty (especially mentors). Make sure to investigate lecturers; and the assessment outlines. Nine assessable essays - that’s a dealbreaker. Switching subjects / withdrawing from Uni — Don’t be afraid to switch it up. Seriously. Your tutor won’t lose sleep wondering what could have been. Especially if you have awful teachers, and/or are hating the course. — All you need to do is go online or into the faculty office. — The final day to enrol in a unit in semester one is March the 13th and the last day to drop out of a unit without being charged for it (the HECS census date) is March 31st, although this is less certain for international students, who are unfathomably squeezed for every dollar at every opportunity. — The last day to Discontinue No Fail (DNF) is the end of week 7, where you won’t be refunded, but will receive no academic penalty. The last day to Discontinue Fail (DF) is the last day of classes for the semester, which is better than failing outright. Timetable — Very easily changeable if you have a more flexible degree. Make your life convenient. You can block out days where you’d rather not have a tutorial; and essentially only need to attend uni a couple of days a week. Do it like right now, where you have the most choice, before classes fill up. — Go online. It’s really easy. There’s a portal to your interactive timetable on MyUni. (myuni.sydney.edu.au) Textbooks — Make sure to check what you need before you commit. You don’t need them all: be discerning. — You don’t need it to be fresh from the printing press. The SRC Second-Hand bookshop (or, if you rate the new, The Book Depository; or if you rate the sharing-economy, online MyUni forums) has cheaper, pre-loved textbooks. SRC COUNTER COURSE HANDBOOK 2 015
— You don’t even need to buy at all. The university is required to put all compulsory textbooks in the two-hour loan section of the library, so you can access it when you need it. Although, especially in exam time, you may want your own copy.
normally released separately). All it requires is a bit of paperwork.
Miscellaneous
Seeking help
— People will lend you pens. Steal them. Amass a little collection. Your own little Officeworks.
— SRC Caseworkers. For whatever you might need ‚Äì from advice on assessment and university in general, to help with accommodation and Centrelink ‚Äì these legends can help.
— This is not high-school. You don’t need to laminate and cover your exercise books. It’s okay.
During uni: academics Tutorials — Don’t be a dick. Seriously. Tutors are people too. Friends within your tutorial will pay off at the 3am junction before an essay submission date; and being congenial with your tutor will pay off when they mark your content. — ‘Participation marks’ are easy. Almost always decided at end of semester: participate, and be respectful, and you’ll smash it. Research for assessments — Check out online journals and resources. Places like USyd crosssearch and Trove (run by the National Library) are insanely well-resourced and specific (hello articles about the Peruvian red-doved gazelle’s impact on twentieth century feminism).
— Again, go see a SRC Caseworker. What wonderful people. What a service!
— CAPS. For mental health issues, this free service (in the Wentworth building) is able to provide both short-term and ongoing psychological counselling and assistance.
During uni: non-academic: How to live with limited income — There are cheap food options (if you look for them). For on-campus food, the microwaves in libraries, Wentworth and Manning are a treat; and off-campus along King Street is quite a bit cheaper than main-campus fare. — Centrelink help can supplement your income. Seek help through, guess who, SRC Caseworkers! — To ensure your rights at work at protected, contact the SRC legal service. Another collection of superhero SRC employees, all of whom are trained in law, who can help you out in legal disputes. Activism
— Do your bibliography online. The bane of every 2.30am essay’s existence is the bibliography. Make sure to check out websites that collate and format yours online (and ensure it complies with the style preferred by your faculty). (Inevitable) extensions — Check faculty guide: simple extensions for Arts (easy); others, and extended special consideration often require documentation. — Go see SRC Caseworker if needed. This is a free, confidential service (which this article will spruik several times, so get keen), full with people who know the intricacies of each faculty’s system, and who can help you out. (Inevitable) appeals — First, ask tutor / lecturer to check it.
— If unsatisfactory, you can formal appeal through faculty office. This can be useful at the end of semester to discover mark breakdown with final exam (which isn’t
— Collectives on-campus! The SRC funds collectives, which are groups of individuals identifying with a certain identity‚ from the Queer collective, to the Environment collective, and are a fabulous way to get involved in activism on campus, and meet like-minded, inclusive students. — Off-campus activism! There is way too much to put here, but the Indigenous Tent Embassy is a relevant and crucial project ‚ stemming from a lack of affordable housing for indigenous people in Redfern‚ and one that you can get involved with, simply by visiting (it’s right next to the train station). C&S — The classic “get involved” at university. Clubs and societies, in all of their weird, varied and brilliant forms, are a sweet, if not the best, way to meet new people outside the awkwardness of tutorials. Don’t feel tethered to societies, feel free to explore and make mates from all across the university spectrum. PAGE 7
DIVERSITY OF CONTENT JULIA DIMITRIADIS University-level education is often considered to be progressive. The veneration of academia in our culture leads us to think of universities as havens of free thought, our teachers as neutral free thinkers. So, while studying at a university-level, it can often become easy to accept the education that we receive without question. Forgetting USYD’s place as an institution of the state, it becomes even easier to accept the education that we receive as apolitical, even neutral. The exposure of Senior English lecturer Barry Spurr’s racist, misogynistic, and ageist emails in late 2014 should serve as a wake up call to all students heading into this year to be critical about the education that we’re receiving at USYD. Spurr’s own racist and misogynist views clearly informed his whitewashed and male-dominated teaching - and that’s not the education that we come to USYD for. Actively seeking texts written by non-dominant voices isn’t something that course co-ordinators typically initiate themselves, because equal representation is not a priority for people in power. Which is why approaching your studies as a student with a critical awareness about the University’s/your course co-ordinators’/your lecturers’ potential agendas is crucial. In colonised countries, straight white men have typically determined what is valuable in terms of the education taught since their invasion. Canonised works are revered and considered essential components of any ‘good’ education. The silencing of non-white, non-male, and
non-heteronormative voices is fundamental to the white supremacist patriarchy, and our education system is one of the means through which this silencing is achieved. The voices of dead white men are celebrated at the expense of others. Through lists of venerated texts we’re taught that Chaucer is more valuable than Alexis Wright, but we’re never told why. Nor are we expected to challenge this veneration.
“The silencing of non-white, non-male, and non-heteronormative voices is fundamental to the white supremacist patriarchy, and our education system is one of the means through which this silencing is achieved.” The continued silencing of marginalised people in education only serves to perpetuate the continued silencing of marginalised people in real life: especially when people of colour and LGBTQI people are forced to learn through, and align with, straight, white people. It’s disrespectful to the majority of the student cohort who are not represented by this monocultural education, and also a disservice to all students to eliminate rich, diverse sources from their education. To advance through your education at USYD without challenging the silencing of marginalised people is to be complicit in their erasure. At the moment, we’re working hard and paying money for this white-washed, male-dominated education. It doesn’t have to continue this way, but it will unless we question what and how we’re being taught. We shouldn’t have to take Indigenous studies or gender studies or global studies courses to receive an education of diverse perspectives. We don’t have the time or the money for that, and many of our degrees don’t allow for such freedom of subject choice. While education itself has the potential to be incredibly progressive, it is important not to confuse the two as synonymous. 2014 taught students at USYD that if you want a progressive education, you have to be active about it.
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FREE EDUCATION LIA M CARRI GAN Wearing the red square - our fight against fee deregulation and the international movement demanding an education revolution If you see me around campus, you might see me proudly wearing a red square. The red square was the symbol of the successful protests against the attempted raising of university fees in Quebec. It has now become an international emblem of the fight against the neoliberalisation of education. We should wear it in Australia for obvious reasons. We are a country that briefly enjoyed free education, thanks in large part to Whitlam’s reformist agenda. We are a country that assented to the successive destruction of free education through HECS and fee hikes. We are a country that now faces the most vicious attacks on education in our history: the ever-pressing threat of fee deregulation, which will destroy any semblance of an egalitarian education system. Abbott and Pyne are not giving up anytime soon. They lost by a vote in 2014 and will continue to lobby tirelessly to enact their destructive agenda. By the time you read this fee deregulation could have already passed through the senate. We can’t give up either. Because we are part of a global movement of students, staff, teachers, unionists and community members who have and will fight for a free, fair and accessible education. Education should be for liberation, not for commodification. Imagine a series of free schools and Universities that are abundant, networked and localized. They would be free and universally accessible to everyone at all stages of their life and irrespective of identity. They would be sites of universally accessible knowledge that are controlled by the people facilitating and absorbing this knowledge. They would exist for the benefit of their communities and for humanity as a whole. Quebec in 2012, California in 2009, Mexico in 2014. Myanmar in 2015. All share a similar struggle and a struggle similar to our own.
We must join this global struggle for a fair, fully funded and equally accessible education for every Australian irrespective of race, sexuality, gender identity, class and ability. But we should not be reactionary or consider beating fee deregulation as the end of the road. The struggle against fee hikes in Quebec was won through student listening to and organising with staff, teachers and the broader community with a series of key demands. However, they won the battle but lost the war as the solidarity and affinity they had created dissipated after they had achieved their initial demands. Instead, we as students must continue to fight by organising around our common struggles and not in isolation. We need to start listening in Australia and building affinity across the spectrum of our society and planet through sharing our experiences and breaking down barriers to involvement. This is a movement we all deserve ownership of. Education has the potential to unite humanity. Our collective power is infinite. In 2014 Sydney University saw massive rallies with a strong Education Action Group leading snap actions against Liberal politicians on campus and helping to disrupt Q&A. We won the war against management during the 2012-2013 strikes. We have engaged in mass movements since our inception and have a proud radical history throughout history YOU can become a part of. Share in a vision of a democratised University run by staff and students not by corporations. Help us empower, listen to and inspire other students, staff members and ordinary members of our community. Remember that this fight goes beyond the current fee hikes and cuts we are currently faced with. Fight for student control, student power and an education revolution. Join the Education Action Group and pin a red square proudly to your chest.
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SPECIAL CON.
SRC CASEWORKER PERSPECTIVE
M E L I S S A D E S I LVA If illness or misadventure makes you unable to perform to the best of your ability you may be able to get Special Consideration. You will need a doctor’s certificate on or before the day of the assessment, and it will need to explain the things you are unable to do and how severely affected you are. If you are too sick to go to the doctor you should call an ambulance to take you to the hospital’s casualty ward, or get a doctor to do a house call. You can Google the options available in your area. Some students think they can get away with using a forged medical certificate. This is unlikely. If you are caught using a forged medical certificate you can be charged with fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years IN PRISON. It is not worth risking for the sake of passing a subject. Help for students with disabilities and student carers Disability Services works closely with the university’s administration and faculties to support students with a disability whether it be physical, sensory, intellectual or psychological. If you find that your health is causing problems with your studies in an on-going way or that you are repeatedly applying for Special Consideration for your condition, Disability Services may be able to help you. Check out their website to see if you are eligible and how to register: http://sydney.edu.au/stuserv/disability/ website Disability Services are located within Student Support Services - Level 5, Jane Foss Russell Building (G02), City Rd, Darlington Campus. The SRC Disabilities & Carers Collective meets regularly to provide student carers with information and support, and to lobby the university for carer rights. Anyone is welcome to meetings and you can follow their Facebook page “USYD SRC Disabilities & Carers”. Alternatively you can check out their webpage at srcusyd.net.au/ disabilitiesandcarers or email them at disabilities. officers@src.usyd.edu.au. Do you need special consideration? Special consideration is different to a disability plan. If you are not able to complete an assessment due to your disability, this should be accommodated by you disability plan. If you are not able to complete an assessment due to an unexpected exacerbation of an existing condition, or an illness or misadventure that has nothing to do with your PAGE 10
disability you are able to ask for special consideration. As with all Special Consideration requests, make sure you get a specific additional Professional Practitioner’s Certificate on the day of your assessment to show how severely affected you were, and how you were affected, eg, unable to do exam or attend a lab. Most students realise that when they are sick they need to get a medical certificate for THE SAME DAY as the assessment showing how sick they are, and hand in the special consideration documentation within the 5 day deadline. However, some students do not realise that you may be able to seek special consideration if you are caring for a dependent who is sick at the time. There are special and extreme circumstances, so be careful to get the right documentation and check with SRC Help if you are not sure. Please remember though that an ongoing illness is more likely to be considered as a disability, unless it is an exacerbation of an existing condition. Talk to SRC Help about this too. Contact SRC Help by email help@src.usyd.edu.au or call 9660 5222. Notes on “The Basics” on pp.6-7. — If students have anxiety about participating in class, whether that be because of language difficulty or mental health, participation marks are not easy. — If you have difficulty knowing how to reference an assignment consult the Learning Centre or download a guide to correct referencing. If you write an essay and there are no quotation marks you have done something WRONG. You must list all of your sources in the bibliography and you must refer to where you have taken an idea, even if you have paraphrased it. — You cannot appeal a mark more than 15 working days after you have received the mark — CAPS is on Level 5 of the Jane Foss Russell Building, and doesn’t provide free ongoing psychological counselling and assistance. CAPS can only help with a set of 4-6 appointments. Ongoing counselling needs to happen with other services. Eg, Headspace, Uplift Psychological Counselling. These are free to anyone with a mental health plan and a Medicare card, or nearly free (maybe $3) to international students after the OSHC rebate. — Centrelink applies only if you are an Australian citizen and you satisfy a number of conditions. — And if you’re having trouble with your rights at work: You can also join your trade union!!! SRC COUNTER COURSE HANDBOOK 2 015
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AGRICULTURE Practical field trips and theoretical course work are just some of the super fun things you should be looking forward to as you embark upon your major in Agriculture within our wonderfully diverse department. As is usual with the smaller departments, Agriculture is renowned for having smaller class sizes, better contact hours and thus a generally nicer atmosphere as far as peers being able to chat together about course content. This nice sort of community makes learning a lot easier for students as less autonomy is needed and the contact you have with faculty staff is more inclusive and easier to get info about assessments settled outside of consultation hours. In order to get a good grasp of the agricultural environment sector of Australia, students strongly recommended the introductory units AFNR 1001 ‘The Rural Environment’ and AFNR 1002 ‘Climate and the Environment’. Their complication-resolution based assessments were highly recommended by students, as the field reports that are to be submitted to these units are similar to those that are expected in fields of work once students graduate. Peter Ampt and Dan Tan received praise for the second year in a row, with students citing their expertise and enthusiasm as qualities they hoped continued in the rest of their degree. Robyn McConchie also received glowing praise from students in later units such as HORT3005 “Research in Hort Science,” with students citing the small cohort and approachable lecturers as being the best thing about the course. Students also noted that assessments didn’t vary in form much from unit to unit, with a more formulaic approach to Ag being the preferred method of lecturers and students alike. The field-contact hours were one of the most praised things in this faculty, with students responding that it was some of their favourite time spent off campus in their whole degree. The different electives from the Government and other schools that were previously available are not all being run in 2015 however, so if you’re enrolling in your senior Ag units this year it’s best to check what’s available early on to make sure you don’t get a nasty surprise right before semester starts. PAG E 12
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ARTS AN CI E N T H I S TO RY Ancient History is about discovering the ancient civilisations of ancient Greece and Rome. Topics are as diverse and politics, mythology, religion, and law, understood through the study images, inscriptions, written history and evidence. To major in Ancient History, you’ll have needed to complete 12 junior units in Ancient History or History, or to have combined one junior unit in Ancient History with a junior unit from Philosophy, Archaeology, Latin or Ancient Greek. In second and third years, students will choose to specialise in a field, discipline, or a chronological period. Worth noting is that the Ancient History department only offers up to four senior units each year, which are repeated on a two or three year cycle. Like a box of chocolates. Ancient History is a subject that students generally feel pretty good about, but the survey suggested that there are bright and dark spots. The lecturers are mostly endorsed by the survey, with special mentions going particularly to Dr. Julia Kindt, who coordinates ANHS2622 ‘Herodotus and His World’, to Kathryn Welch for ANHS2610 ‘The Senate and the People of Rome’ and Fran Keeling for ANHS1601 ‘Greek and Roman Myth’. ANHS2618 ‘The Later Roman Empire’ did not score so highly based on our surveys, and one respondent in particular was very frustrated with the courses ANHS1601 ‘Foundations of Ancient Rome’ and ANHS1602: Greek and Roman Myth, as they felt that too much time was neither Greek or Roman mythology.
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ARTS A RC H A E O LO GY After finishing what is probably too much wine and an Indiana Jones marathon you sit in silence for a bit thinking ‘wow I’m a bit drunk. Also, Indiana Jones has a pretty wicked job and I wouldn’t mind having it’. Running through tombs, scooping up gold and battling dangerous traps set thousands of years ago sounds like something you’d dig’ (at this point, you’d congratulate yourself for your carefully crafted pun). Or, if you’re like many of the people in first year, you really like dinosaurs and thought ‘Archaeology’ was the same as ‘Paleontology’. It isn’t. Archaeology = study of people; Paleontology = study of dinosaurs. Only two courses are offered in first year: ARCA1000 ‘Early Humans: Hunters and Farmers’ and ARCA1001 ‘Ancient Civilisations’. Both of these introduce an idea of what Archaeology really is: the study of the human history through analysis of material remains and their contexts. Survey responses for both of these courses were positive and the lecturers were rated to be really passionate about their topics (a passionate lecturer can really mean the difference between a good course and a bad course). Other responses to ARCA1001 included “Not many face to face tutorials so it’s good if you don’t have much time/want to bludge” (if that doesn’t win you over, I don’t know what will). Both these subjects are a relaxed introduction to archaeology and to continue into second-year archaeology, both (or one accompanied by a replacement unit to be discussed shortly) are compulsory. If you’re un-keen on both ARCA first year units, you may, replace one of the two with one selected Ancient History PAG E 14
ART (ANHS1600 ‘Foundations for Ancient Greece’; ANHS1601 ‘Foundations for Ancient Rome’), Art History (ARHT1001 ‘Art and Experience’), Anthropology (ANTH1001 ‘Cultural Difference: An Introduction’) or History (HSTY1089 ‘Australia: Conflict and Transformation’) units. Second year is where you get to choose areas of archaeology that tickle your fancy. The only compulsory subject for a major in Archaeology is ARCA2635 ‘Explanation and Theory’, which provides a necessary background to how the field of archaeology got to where it is today. Not compulsory but recommended if you’re into the ‘hands-on’ experience is ARCA2602 ‘Field Methods’ which is a great introduction the the tools and instruments regularly used in archaeological excavations (the ‘dumpy level’ being a corker in both name and use). Previous survey responses gave a particular shoutout to Peter Hiscock from ARCA2638 ’Analysis of Lithic Technology’ for being engaging. Overall, most of the Archaeology courses offered are decent introductions to a wide variety of topics which can be studied further in third year (ARCA3601 ‘Research in Australasian Archaeology’ or ARCA3620 ‘Archaeology and Iconography’) or honours courses, survey responses for which have almost all been positive.
Studying Art History is an exercise in caricature. Around half of your cohort will fulfil any and all expectations of the contemporary hipster douche, complete with norm core nike sneakers, thick rimmed glasses and commes des fuckdown t-shirt. These victims of post modernity are off-set by the sizeable mature age student population, keen to contest the merits of Pollock’s “bullshit excuse for art” as “a far cry from the timeless beauty of Titian” (then why did you pick a course called Expand Your Mind: Pollock to Psychedelia?) or enchant you with a long winded tale from 17th century Bologna, told from experience. It’s a perplexing environment, difficult to reconcile with everyday life, but one that every art history major comes to cherish. Art History is one of the smaller departments, but by no means lacking diversity. Courses range from Trecento Italy through to Contemporary Aboriginal Art. The turnover of units offered is relatively erratic, so it is advisable to pick based on lecturers and tutors rather than the courses themselves; particularly given stark discrepancies in teaching aptitude. Before the privilege of picking units however, you must endure ARHT 1001 and ARHT 1002 - both excruciating prerequisites. Both cover extensive periods of history and thus, despite valiant efforts to focus lectures and tutorials, they leave one with blurry but largely useless snapshots of the Western canon. Shortcomings aside, both courses are a vital introduction to Art History as an academic discipline. First year tutorials are usually geared towards formal visual analysis and essay writing skills that are useful for those looking to do any senior units.
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Around half of your cohort will fulfil any and all expectations of the contemporary hipster douche, complete with norm core nike sneakers, thick rimmed glasses and commes des fuckdown t-shirt.
The Anthropology department is a good place for students to pull up a seat when sociology isn’t their gig but they enjoy studying societies, specifically in this instance, other societies. Senior lecturer Terry Woronov is highly commended for his attention to detail in courses ANTH2638 ‘Anthropology of the Body’ as is Ase Ottosson for their course ANTH2605 ‘Aboriginal Australia: Cultural Journeys’.
When picking senior subjects, look out for the following lecturers: Bruce Isaacs, Donna Brett, Stephen Whiteman and Louise Marshall. Bruce has a rigorous, technical approach and although not as lenient as most Arts faculty staff (don’t count on multiple “I was sick” simple extensions), compensates with detailed essay feedback and well-researched lectures. Donna specialises in photography and composes her courses with a range of idiosyncratic artefacts (some that are privately collected!), emphasising the role of photography in shaping society, history and culture. Stephen is a new addition to the department. Brought to us from America, his monotonous voice (with quintessential American accent), insistence on hand-written notes and love of group presentations takes some getting used to, but is offset by his expertise. Finally, students unequivocally praise Louise - you can’t claim to be an Art History major unless you’ve taken one of her courses.
Junior units are often described as good introductions to the more hefty subjects of the senior school, with some students dismissing them altogether as an annoying prerequisite to the more interesting later subjects. ANTH1002 ‘Anthropology and the Global’ for instance, was described as “interesting” and lecturer (again, Terry Woronov) was commended for his attention to Western National and praised for his critiques.
A final note to all Art History students: treat Schaeffer library like a second home. Located in the R C Mills building, the librarians are useful, the resources plentiful and readily available (it’s a reference library).
If you are to undertake Anthropology it is suggested that units ANTH2623 ‘Gender: Anthropological Studies’ and ANTH1007 are good starter units that help shape students’ perspectives and round out their knowledge in order to aid them in undertaking the extension and senior units later in their degree.
personal experience on field studies in foreign cultures. There should be no comparisons of your society with one within the course material and the seriousness of this is exemplified in the weekly 200 word essays expected in some of the subjects in order for tutors to ensure your understanding of the material is of a high level. Students are encouraged to take a few subjects in ANTH in their junior years here at Sydney university as it allows students a more thorough understanding of the world around them and allows an interaction with other cultures students may not have experienced before. Gender and Indigenous People are of a high consideration in Anthropology and students should keep this in mind when approaching exams and other assessment tasks as it aids with a more comprehensive grasp of course content.
It is important to remember that Anthropology isn’t a unit where prejudices or misunderstandings about senior units abound, and that an open mind and an interested attitude go far in ensuring enjoyment of and engagement with the course material. This subject area doesn’t exist for you to parallel your experience with others or form judgments or generalisations about other cultures and is in fact a fairly intense discipline, with many lecturers expounding upon their own PAGE 15
ARTS ENGLISH In English there are two paramount responses that became obvious from our survey results. One is that the student had to love the texts to comprehend the workload and two is that the lecturer makes the biggest difference to a student’s interest in the course. When discussing lecturers and their influence it is necessary to pay attention to the “Elephant in the English department” that was Professor Barry Spurr’s 2014 suspension and subsequent resignation due to online news source New Matilda’s publishing of emails sent from his university account. The emails, containing thoroughly bigoted personal opinions of Barry’s, created a furor in the department and student’s views regarding the incident have ranged from disdainful to outright outrage. Sifting through the litany of “Fuck Barry Spurr” and “Thank god I didn’t have Spurr this year”-themed responses, it was
obvious that he wasn’t a particularly popular lecturer. David Kelley, senior lecturer and coordinator of the wildly popular courses Imagining America and Film and Literature was heavily criticized for his choice of texts, with one student exclaiming, “Out of 22 texts, 20 were men, 2 were women and they were all white. What. The Fuck.”. Huw Griffiths, Early Modern aficionado and Shakespeare guru was praised for his knowledge, as was Bruce Gardiner (“He’s a genius. Pure and simple.”) although Gardiner was also criticized for the esoteric nature of his lecturing style. Melissa Hardy was praised repeatedly for her rapport with students and insightful comments on assessments, as was Kate Lilley and Bruce Issacs. Rebecca Macnamara’s Canterbury course (an English Extension sort of subject) was highly recommended as was Bridget Rooney for her Australian Literature area, with both
lecturers described as engaging. It is suggested repeatedly that if students check which texts are on course outlines, or email coordinators during summer, that books be bought not from the co-op but from second hand bookshops to be read through summer. This cuts down on readings during semester and allows students more time to do online and elearning readings which aid comprehension of course themes. ENGL3633 ‘Introduction to Old English’ was highly recommended, with linguistics students suggesting it as a good aid to their major, and the Austen unit was also highly praised for having a “Generous and thoughtful lay-out and lecturer” that is, Nicola Parsons, as was Sarah Gleeson-White for her American Literature course. Nick Reimer was possibly one of the most consistently positively-mentioned lecturers, with one student simply declaring “PROTECT HIM AT ALL COSTS”.
G E N D E R & CU LT U R A L S T U D I E S Gender Studies is in right now. People are finally waking up to the fact that women are people, that some women smooch other women, that not all women have vaginas and that gender is actually pretty important and you can’t separate it from race or class or ability! This is a good thing. Gender Studies gives you the chance to learn how to understand our world more critically, and to be able to provide an eloquent smack down on that douchebag bro-dude at the pub who says “it’s so nice to see a pretty girl drink a beer.”
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GCST2607 ‘Bodies Sexualities and Identities’ is all about queer theory, identity and is generally considered to be a pretty sick class as its material leads to good, talky tutes. Jess Kean is the big name behind that and she has a reputation as a clear lecturer and tutor who puts a lot of effort into making class interesting and accessible. Kate O’Halloran is a tutor in this class, too. One student calls Kate and Jess “legends,” citing their teaching style and approachability, and that they would “follow them to any course”. GCST2604 ‘Sex, Violence and Transgression’ is a pretty intense
class! Students seemed to enjoy it, with praise going to the lecturers and tutors alike. One person did write in to say that though they really enjoyed it, it might be a but full on for some! Good to keep that in mind. GCST2609 ‘Masculinity, Mateship and Men’s Lives’ got good feedback, too. Much of the praise was for its lecturer, Liam Grealy, who many considered to be one of the better tutors you can find. According to our feedback, the class is wellorganised, the content is interesting and that no one should worry, “it’s not a men’s studies course” (perhaps more about knowing your enemy, aye aye?) Kate O’Halloran got a couple
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ARTS of mentions for good tutoring in this class, too. Another name to look out for is Jane Park, who several students considered to be the “BEST LECTURER EVER”, citing her intelligence, welcoming feel and safe space and one person called her class “more intersectional than the Town Hall crossing.” Cultural studies is an amalgam of disciplines - a mash-up of philosophy, sociology, film/lit/media studies, political science, history, as well as pretty much every other undergraduate arts major. There’s a heavy focus on pop-cultural elements at play - lectures and tutes will routinely cutaway to Youtube clips of just about any HBO series ever. Another noteworthy boon of this major is its distinct lack of the all-dreaded-end-of-sem-exam (excepting an occasional take-home exam). Tutors pride themselves on being with it, which means you’re as likely to find yourself writing
‘blog posts’ or ‘fan-fics’ as you are ‘essays’ (disclaimer: you will still predominantly be writing essays). In 2015, Youth and Youth Cultures (GCST2612) will be taught by Catherine Driscoll who, in our online survey, generated polarizing reviews. Described by one as allcaps ‘AMAZING,’ and another as ‘uncritical’ in her reliance on dead-white-dude-philosophers (I’m paraphrasing). It is the opinion of this reviewer that she is, indeed, an engaging and sympathetic tutor, a generous marker, probably an actual genius, and someone who for better or worse takes a ‘no fks given’ approach to Tumblr politics. As courses go, Youth Cultures is on the slightly boring side - tutes tend to revert to a big circular discussion of “Well in 2012, when I was in high school …”
Park, this course will provide you with ideological tools necessary to ~dismantle the master’s house~ i.e. to fight hegemonic power systems / racism. You should take this course. You should take this course. You and everyone you know should take this course. This is an intelligent, thought provoking, engaging and excellent effing course, take it. Intimacy, Love and Friendship (GCST2610) is a class with a bad reputation - being described as both ‘boring’ and ‘problematic’ in our course survey, this aligns with anecdotal evidence about how this is a shitty class. All very counterintuitive, in consideration of the fact that it sounds like a great class - what’s not to love, amirite? New course coordinator in 2015, Rowena Braddock, could potentially turn things around … potentially.
Race and Representation (GCST2605) is so good, it should be mandatory. Taught by Saviour of the People, the illustrious Jane
G OV E R N M E N T Have an insatiable lust for power? Then begin plotting world domination with Government as your major! While students on the whole find their studies rewarding, a disciplinary hazard is the chafing from rubbing shoulders with Liberals who are cartoonish caricatures of evil. If you can tolerate group discussions in tutorials with them, you should be fine. In this department, there are a variety of options for junior units. As the name promises, GOVT 1104 ‘Introduction to Political Thought’ is regarded as “a good intro to the theories and concepts for further years”, although is at times tedious
and dry. ‘Australian Politics’ GOVT 1101 is seen as a recycled high school civics unit, so if you’re looking for an easy unit look no further. Students are unanimous in their hatred of “the spectre of” ‘World Politics’ GOVT 1202, with Gil Merom being “the worst lecturer I’ve had the misfortune of having” and creating a final exam described as a “kaleidoscope of evil.” I don’t know what that means, but it sounds bad. John Brookfield continues to be a divisive lecturer at the helm of ‘Geopolitics’ GOVT 1105, who is praised for being interesting- then swiftly condemned for chaotic lectures crammed with 80 slides, a massive reader and a universally condemned end of
semester exam that shows no mercy. Similar criticisms are also made of Brookfield’s unit ‘International Organisations’ GOVT 2226. Once you break into senior units, however, there are many engaging units on offer. If you’re interested in domestic politics at a more substantial level, ‘Australian Political Party System’ GOVT 2114 is seen as much more interesting than Australian Politics, offering “very unique and creative” assessments that deviate from the essay norm of most government units. Peter Chen, as always, is seen as “unbelievably brilliant” and an “incredible lecturer.” His unit ‘Social Change and Politics’ PAG E 17
ARTS GOVT 2331 consistently had feedback describing tutorials as well structured, with interesting reading and fun and enjoyable assessments. ‘Modern Political Thought’ GOVT 2112 also receives rave reviews, with Alex Lefebvre choosing two key texts to study in depth for the unit, an approach that makes “complex theoretical discussions on the nature of the state and man interesting and understandable.” ‘Political Analysis’ GOVT 2991 is another unit to look out for, with Ariadne Vromen being a “fantastic” lecturer who provides content that gives
students “solid grounding in the actual practice of political science.” A unit to be wary of is ‘US Politics and Foreign Policy’ GOVT 2445, loathed for being based entirely on one textbook and having confusing and badly organised assessments. ‘Policy Analysis’ GOVT 2552 is also reported as being particularly awful, with lecturer Alan McConnell running a unit “so common sense that it hurts.”
H I S TO RY Like many Arts subjects over the last few years, History’s tutorial sizes have grown exponentially, making the three contact hours one gets with their teachers precious and frustratingly brief. The author advises students to attend as many extra-curricular events that aid their major as possible, these include visiting collections at the museum and (if you’re taking art history) anything at the many art galleries around Sydney. The department sometimes has visiting professors lecture too, so you should really try to make as much use of the university as possible. This even extends to the resident campus dust cabinet, The Nicholson Museum. The Nicholson is surprisingly extensive once you traverse the scary souvenir shop at the entrance and dodge all the primary school kids groups, and we think you’ll be mildly in awe of some of the gorgeous Egyptian artifacts on display. As the contact hours for History are miniscule, when choosing an essay topic the author would suggest that you contact your supervisor or tutor during their consultation hours and make sure they agree with your perspective. History is a bit of a tricky school as many of the new courses include aspects of Gender and Cultural Studies into their other materials, which allow for a more rounded and comprehensive reading of past phenomena. This means that you can’t just go off fact-based material when constructing (especially senior) essays, so to have a more impressive and well-informed approach to your essay just ask your tutor, dude. History staff really like helping students so don’t EVER feel like you can’t talk to them or that you’re bothering them. It’s their job- supposedly they enjoy it, so go forth and contact them! This also goes for library staff friends! It is 100% ok to be like “Hey library staff who are trained in expertise pertaining to university study- help me find things to study”. The staff AND collections have been sorely depleted as of late, but that shouldn’t stop you making use of what’s still there. #savefisherjobs. PAGE 18
Take-Home exams were a hit for most students, with broad criticism being served to some courses for being too Eurocentric (we’re looking at you, Middle Ages.) Many students were critical of guest lecturers, complaining that they weren’t particularly capable, whilst other students attacked the coordinators themselves, criticising their wanderings into tangents and even HSTY 2640 ‘20th Century China’s head lecturer, Andres Rodriguez for breaking into Mandarin frequently, leaving many students confused. That being said, not all feedback was compatible with itself. Some students wished for more Australian History courses whilst others complained that too many ‘white countries’ got attention that displaced their Indigenous history. HSTY 2628 ‘A History of War’ was panned and loved by many, with lecturers John Gagne and Frances Clarke receiving praise and criticism for their lecturing style. Some thought the course was well-balanced between historical events and theory whilst others complained that it had a broad focus on war without honing in on any one war in particular.
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INDIGENOUS STUDIES The vast and complex history of Indigenous people is as interesting and beautiful as the tutorials are manageablysized and earnest and the tutors engaging and dedicated, willing to impart their wisdom and knowledge. The historical and theoretical functions of the subjects you’re about to embark upon will filter into other courses you undertake too, as they teach students the historical relevances of events that occurred in the past that still affect Australian life today. Popular units of study include KOCR 2611 ‘Issues in Indigenous Rights’, a subject students have found useful in order to engage with discussion about current Indigenous issues such as Native Title rights, the Northern Territory Intervention and the future of Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander rights and culture. KOKCR 2600 ‘Indigenous Australia: An Introduction’ was praised for its construction, which allows participants a comprehensive and simple overview of Indigenous culture and history. The most interesting section of the subject was the theme of Indigenous resistance to assimilation, exploring historical events and lasting impacts European colonisation has had upon Indigenous ways of life, with a focus on creative endeavours and forms of resistance, through art and poetry.
Like more and more Arts subjects, Indigenous studies has take-home exams (well… the majority of them do) which makes the end of the year so much less stressful for students and teachers alike. You don’t have to study for a two-hour stress session, you don’t have to freak out the morning before and undergo the anxiety of waiting outside the exam hall staring awkwardly at your notes and not taking anything in. It was discussed by some students, however, that the oral assessment is a popular torture of the Indigenous Studies assessment schedule, and is something the tutors enjoy inflicting upon unsuspecting students. Sometimes, it was reported to be worth 50% of your assessment, which, for those with public speaking anxieties was particularly stressful. KOCR2607 ‘Introduction to Aboriginal Literature’ and KOC2612 ‘Indigenous Creative Expression’ received highly favorable reviews due to the engaging course content and the dedication of tutors and lecturers. Overall, Indigenous Studies got an incredibly good rap, with the only negative reviews expressed being disappointment that more students didn’t undertake this course during their time at Sydney Uni.
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ARTS I N T E R N AT I O N A L A N D G LO BA L S T U D I E S In many ways, INGS is the best part and the worst part of the modern university wrapped together in one degree program. On the one hand, it has great teachers who are passionate about the inner workings of the world, and students who share that passion. On the other hand, it’s not too different from an Arts degree, with the exception that a marketing department has made it sound more glamorous. It comprises of one core unit in most semesters. That unit is compulsory. A different faculty or school hosts the core unit each semester. It is now compulsory to do a language major as well. The remaining units can be selected in the same way that they are in an Arts degree. One respondent called the core units “bullshit” and “a total waste of time”. They wish they had done an Arts degree with a language major. Another respondent suggested that units like socio-legal studies and the first year INGS units have “hectic crossovers” that mean
you can essentially do three units for the effort of one. Respondents tended to agree that the core units provided a sound basis for understanding different perspectives of international and global workings. INGS can be a helpful degree program for those who know their interests and want a more directed study program. If this is not you, you might consider embracing the freedom of an Arts degree. A final word should be said on a certain other matter. It’s called the United Nations. Since its inception, many people have passed through the INGS program with the dreams of becoming Secretary General of the UN. Maybe you’ll work for the UN, maybe you won’t. Just be careful not to pin that dream solely to your INGS degree and your Model UN membership. Don’t let the dream possess you, occupy your every decision, and dictate your choices. Get out and live a little.
L A N G UAG E S Achieving a major in a language involves completing three years of pure language classes, which include improving on speaking, listening, writing and comprehension skills. Every department is different, but the majority of languages require you to complete cultural units in relation to your country/region of study. These units are pretty varied, so you’ll find something worth doing – whether you’re interested in film, history, literature or linguistics. If conversation skills are important to you and your fluency is not developing quickly enough in class, it might be worthwhile seeking out conversation groups run by University of Sydney language clubs and societies, which give students an opportunity to practice in a friendly environment outside of class. Some students said that being self-motivated in this way was essential, and that at the end of the day it is the individual’s responsibility to improve. SPANISH AND LATIN AMERICAN STUDIES
however Level 5 students complained of all assessments being pushed to the last couple weeks of semester. Students in SPAN 2614 praised Macarena Gordillo as a confident and enthusiastic tutor. She was especially noted for making the classroom a safe place for class discussion and speaking practice. Tutors in earlier years of Spanish did not get as glowing reports, with students recommending attendance at Spanish conversation groups (meetings held outside of the courses’ compulsory 3 contact hours) to improve on speaking skills. CHINESE STUDIES The Chinese department was praised across the board, boasting excellent tutors and lecturers including Ms Xiaowei Zhang “who makes a tricky language fun to learn”. The textbook in CHNS 2601/2602 also sounds like a worthwhile investment with useful practice exercises and examples.
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Learning Japanese at university is a challenging but rewarding endeavour. The skills you learn are gradual, by second year you will be able to have a basic conversation, and by third year you can speak about life experiences. The tutors are “excellent” but just like all language subjects the tutorials are overcrowded. Japanese is admittedly hard right from the get-go, and it’s only uphill from there. One student said that “If you don’t break down at least once in ‘Japanese 7’ JPN S3621, then kudos”. Maybe don’t go in presuming it will get easier. Bonus review for one of Japanese’s culture units: JPN S 3675 ‘Japanese Cinema’. This one isn’t for the light hearted. If you have a good knowledge of post-war Japan and are prepared to work hard for an incredibly rewarding class, then this one’s for you. But don’t choose this as an easy film studies class; choose another, because there are others. Pro tip: head of department might be French, but he’ll try and help you as best as possible.
French is the language of love, and students truly love tutor Jacqueline Murgot. Other things to like were the small classes for Senior French 10 (I wonder why the cohort was so small?) and the interesting content offered in some French classes. Apart from that, people criticized pointless marking of homework (les devoirs are always a killer) and the fact that absolute beginners were expected to perform as well as more experienced students in their class. Comme ci, comme ça.
KOREAN First and second year Korean classes are made up of many low-weighted assessments to gradually improve and test language skills. Some students complained that learning in second year hadn’t advanced quick enough, that activities were still very basic and often not conducive to advanced learning. The department was let down by lacking online resources, vague assessment criteria and poor student feedback. There were mixed reviews for Korean tutors, however Ana KRNS 1621 was a student favourite. Bonus review for cultural unit ‘Traditional Korean’ ASNS 2641: covers heaps of history, but be prepared to read everything you’re given, which is a lot. Student reviews have indicated that the lecturer for this unit was less than engaging, so not a class for the easily distracted.
GERMANIC STUDIES Class sizes continue to be too large, with not enough emphasis placed on oral skills in beginner’s classes, leading to problems later on. Although students report that the classes and tutors are fun, skills are not acquired quickly enough. Bonus Culture Unit: Topics in ‘German Film’ GRMN 2633 run by Dr Andrea Bandhauer is a great class, which covers three films over Germany’s illustrious film history. Andrea is a wonderful and generous teacher, who makes the class comfortable for students of all levels of German. DEPARTMENT OF HEBREW, BIBLICAL AND JEWISH STUDIES Although this department received few reviews, its culture subjects received glowing recommendations highlighting generous lecturers and useful assessments. Students recommend JCTC 3601, JCTC 2606, JCTC 2605, while they advised giving JCTC 2604 a miss.
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ARTS LINGUISTICS Many students shared their 2 cents on the two first year courses. LNGS 1001 was very popular with overwhelmingly positive reviews. The lecturer of this course, Bill Foley, received a range of evaluations, from being described as ‘great’ to ‘AMAZING LECTURER THE GREATEST EVER’. LNGS 1002 on the other hand, whilst considered somewhat interesting, was described repeatedly as being dry. So if you only want to choose one Linguistics course to do in your first year, LNGS 1001 looks like the people’s choice. However, be aware that some senior linguistics courses require both as prerequisites. An overall message concerning senior units was that they were ‘super interesting’ yet ‘very difficult’ (one student even used the word ‘brutal’). This was especially the case for LNGS 3605 ‘Structure and Use of a Language’. Students have left a number of warnings and precautions to consider before selecting this course. Firstly, the official description in the faculty handbook is deceiving, as the content and structure of the unit of study will depend on who the coordinator is. This year it will be Bill Foley, as it was in 2014. This means it will be focussed on Syntax, so if you didn’t enjoy Syntax, probably don’t even consider doing this subject. If you did, this might just be your favourite subject. Another warning is that there are only 2 assignments worth 50% each and they are open-ended
with little instruction. If you don’t like vague instructions, this might irritate you, otherwise it could be good as it allows flexibility in your research aims. This course is very challenging and you will need to stay on top of readings (i.e. it’s kinda hard to wing it) however it students have stated it is rewarding and great if you are up for the challenge. Staff evaluations in the Linguistics department have been positive overall, with particular mentions going to Nick Riemer and Monika Bednarek. Monika’s courses (LNGS 3694, 3692 and 3608) have received praise for being well structured with interesting content and assessment tasks. Irina Agafonova, who lectured LNGS 2615 ‘Language, Brain and Mind’ received poor reviews, which were attributed to her not presenting lectures very well. One student gave her the benefit of the doubt, assuming that she probably doesn’t have much teaching experience. In any case, it seems she was only a temporary lecturer for the course, taking it in 2014 only, whilst the department was in the middle of finding new permanent staff members. LNGS 2615 should have a different lecturer this year, so we won’t know what to expect just yet.
A N C I E N T L A N G UAG E S Ancient languages enjoy enthusiastic praise from students. Studying Cicero and Demosthenes may sound dull, but if you plan on doing Ancient History honours, you’ll need to finish 12 units of LATN or GRKA. So plan ahead. Students are overwhelmingly positive about Latin. Not only are they enamoured with the language itself, but they hold the lecturers in very high esteem. Anne Rogerson is organised, thorough, and “probably the best lecturer you’ll ever have at uni”. Paul Roche and Bob Cowan are also extremely well-liked. If you decide to embark on a journey in Latin, you’re in for a lot of work. First year students unanimously complained about the study load, usually in capital letters. Weekly quizzes encourage constant revision and exasperation. Which is all for the best, because if you don’t keep up with the fast-paced course, “you will fall behind and you will DIE”. Senior Latin even more dire, with disproportionate amounts of time taken up by hundreds of lines of PAGE 22
translations, week after week. Nevertheless, students insisted that they enjoy doing all this work. Ancient Greek is known to be both more difficult and more quickly taught than Latin but, despite this, students who study both Latin and Ancient Greek tend to prefer the latter. Note that both languages are available at a beginners level without prerequisites in as both junior (LATN 1600/GRKA 1600) and senior (LATN 2600/GRKA 2600) units, which are jointly taught but separated in case you want to treat beginners’ courses as senior units.
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M E D I A A N D CO M M U N I CAT I O N S Welcome to the MECO department, where students will spend time being brainwashed into leftist thinking, sitting next to Sharri Markson and still somehow find time to intern every other day.
people). Despite the long contact hours, (I thought this was an arts degree?) the practical units are still generally students’ preferences. “All the more practical units have been fun but whenever MECO tries to masquerade as the pinnacle of academia it flounders.” By contrast, MECO 2603 ‘Media Relations’ has been described as WAM-boostingly easy, and, with engaging lectures, its only shortcoming is the question of its realworld usefulness or purpose. As one student attested, “although being a media relationist definitely isn’t a real thing Tiffany Junee lectures with confidence and tries hard to convince everyone it’s their future.” MECO 3603 ‘Media, Law and Ethics’ and MECO 3606 ‘Advanced Media Writing’ stood out as well organised and interesting units, with students warming to the interest and professionalism of Steven Maras and Megan Le Masurier respectively.
Part Arts, part Communications, MECO attempts to provide students with the practical skills favoured by UTS while maintaining the theoretical basis of USYD’s arts faculty. At times this succeeds, but the degree often ends up feeling more like a jack-of-all-trades approach where you are introduced to editing software and semiotics alike, but won’t master them without substantial autonomous practice and exposure.
With Internships such an integral part of the degree, and with lecturers encouraging you to be interning straight out of first year, it can’t be ignored that MECO has quite a restrictive prerequisite structure, withholding the actual internship units until at least your third year and not crediting paid employment. This factor also arises if you plan to go on exchange, as finding MECO approved composite units overseas can be incredibly difficult, and missing a semester to pursue your arts major abroad can also set you back a semester in the MECO structure, so make sure you plan ahead.
With more practical subjects like MECO 2601 ‘Radio Broadcasting’ and MECO 3601 ‘Video Production’ forcing you into long hours of group work, there is little respite for the introverted and socially anxious amongst us. This complaint, however, may also prove to be an asset in the industry’s increasingly stagnant job-pool where networking can be your only lifesaver. In both subjects, Dominic Santangelo’s tutorials were described as somewhat meandering, but became useful when instead devoted to group work (provided of course that you networked yourself in with the
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ARTS SO C I O LO GY If you came to university to acquire an intellectual mystique, then sociology is the major for you. Prepare for most who ask about what you study to react to your vague explanation with polite confusion, as you explain that your chosen discipline’s purview is the study of everything in society. Fear not if the cynical regard you as a layabout who simply makes the motions of studying- even if they are correct. Because if there is one thing sociology teaches its students, it is how far its superficial sheen of middle class respectability can get you. This awareness comes early, perhaps, with the Introduction to Sociology 1 & 2 SCLG 1001 and SCLG 1002 feedback describing these compulsory units as being “extremely dull and silly” and “awful.” It is no wonder, then, that the course coordinator Robert van Krieken “sounds constantly tired.” I would too, if my students recommended
“skipping lectures so you have time to work on other things.” Academic rigour will not be your problem in these units, as the “topics are fairly straight forward to discuss if you don’t live under a rock.” The next core unit, ‘Sociological Theory’ SCLG 2601 seems to be no improvement, with one student describing it as “the biggest drag of my life”, citing the lectures, tutorials, readings and assessments as “ridiculously bad.” Regardless of the quality, I recommend you do the readings anyway, especially if you have the course coordinator Jennifer Wilkinson as your tutor. A student reported that she “appeared to revel in embarrassing unprepared students.” For the core research units, you have a choice between ‘Qualitative Methods’ and ‘Quantitative Methods’ SCLG 2602 and SCLG 2632. Kind words are finally given, with
the assessments of ‘Qualitative Methods’ described as “surprisingly enjoyable”, where students are able to undertake practical fieldwork “with a wide scope.” As for ‘Quantitative Methods’, it was well regarded as the “best bludge subject ever”, but otherwise “really boring.” In a disturbing sign of cult activity, many students reported worshipping “the absolute god of a human being” Laura Beth Bugg. Her Glory was witnessed in both ‘Social Inequality in Australia’ SCLG 2604 and ‘Sociology of Religion’ SCLG 2626, where she was said to have “baked cookies to bring to class” and “changed my life.” In some devastating news, however, Bugg is leaving the country. Thankfully, students report the course content itself to have “interesting subject matter relevant to modern society.” Her Glory will live on.
PH I LO SO PH Y Philosophy gets unfairly pigeonholed as the kind of thing that qualifies you to work at McDonalds, but after years of study, all I can say is “Do you really want fries with that?” As a line of inquiry, philosophy widens ideological horizons and allows you to clarify your own beliefs (and destroy others’). You should study it. First years—or anyone really!— should take PHIL 1011 ‘Reality, Ethics and Beauty’ and PHIL 1013 ‘Society, Knowledge and Self’. Each provides an overview of three areas of philosophy, while also introducing students to a method of thinking and writing that will improve their work in all subject areas. Both courses have PAGE 24
rotating lecturers, meaning you’ll have six lecturers by the end of the year, giving you an idea of who you’ll enjoy in the future. Yarran Hominh (Philosophy of Law) and Andrew Cooper (History of Ethics) received rave reviews for being both engaging and committed to students. Their teaching should be sought out. Similar praise was heaped on Talia Morag (Philosophy and Psychoanalysis) and Adrian Currie (Reality, Time & Possibility: Metaphysics). People love Alex Lefebvre, but warn—as does he—that ‘Philosophy of Human Rights’ is closer to Government than Philosophy. However, this isn’t necessarily a criticism. Here,
I must note my fanatical devotion to David Macarthur (Contemporary Pragmatism), who orbits a skeptical gravity beyond everyone else’s. People also loved ‘Practical Ethics’ PHIL 2617 and ‘Justice’ PHIL 2663, though it’s worth noting the lecturers have changed.
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The majority of criticisms for the department focused on individual lecturers, many of whom were subsequently praised by other students. What I’m saying is: your mileage will vary, and, as David Macarthur notes in his opinionated course introductions, studying philosophy is often a matter of dealing with a point of view. It’s easiest to use first year courses to clarify your interests and follow those interests into senior study. That said, it doesn’t pay to be dogmatic, and ‘controversial’ courses like ‘Philosophy of Mind’ PHIL 2643, ‘Logic’ PHIL 1012, and ‘Truth, Meaning and Language’ PHIL 2621 are among the most praised. ‘Critical Theory’ PHIL 2644, however, was panned across the board.
Courses are typically structured around an essay and either an exam or take home, with remaining marks divided between editing tasks, participation, or shorter papers. Students should note their tutor’s consultation hours and use them to clarify concepts that are unclear. Philosophy does not reward students who disregard course material, and people expecting to coast by on vague allusions will do poorly. Don’t be intimidated—take time with the readings and speak in your own words. An overreliance on quotes suggests you don’t know what you’re saying. Read widely and write skeptically, especially when it comes to editing your own work. Good luck.
RELIGION Students who have an interest in all things Holy, have their sights set on becoming a saint or just blitzed their R.E classes in highschool and need something interesting to fill out their degree requirements should go down on bended knee and pray for enlightenment through the university’s Religion department. In order to qualify for a major in Religion, one must hope to high hell that they can pass through not only one, but two required junior units, RLST 1001 or ‘Paths to Enlightenment’ and RLST 1002 ‘The History of God’. Then, once six senior Religion units have been completed and you’ve returned from the desert of textbooks and rosaries, you get to receive a degree in Religion yayyyy!! The units you will study in senior years are non-negotiable so you don’t really get to pick and choose like you can in other subjects like, English for example. You could complete an Honours pre-req if you want but it’s not that common. Many students criticised this practice and there were reports that the department has taken/is taking measures to try and correct these criticisms.
approach to schools of thought. Jay Johnsen was praised for their lecture-focus as well, with RLST 2635 receiving rave reviews and many students commending the department on its openminded approach to the often-taboo subject of sex in religion. Class sizes are often attractively small in Religious Studies due to the relatively small cohorts that pass through its pearly gates. Though there was a criticism of there not being enough choice in senior units (as was discussed above), students seemed relatively unconcerned by this as the course content was “Interesting enough to keep me interested if you know what I mean” and by God, I think I do.
The department has, however, also taken it upon itself to expand other units and make the undergrad courses a little more interesting as a common response a few years ago was that the course was too focused on Western religious practices. ‘Sex, Desire and the Sacred’ got a pretty good rap, as did ‘Creativity, Art and the Sacred’, and anything taught by professor Carole Cusack came with a highly recommended sticker, although some other staff members were criticised for being frequently uninteresting and not expounding upon course material enough, with some labelled as “downright offensive”. The department was praised for its introductory unit RLST 1002, taught by the ever-lauded Chris Hartney, who was universally praised for his interesting lecture style and ability to engage students in the course content. The course was, however, criticised for being a little too hotchpotch in its methodological studies, focus and PAGE 25
ARTS PERFORMANCE STUDIES
Performance Studies is more than just taking your socks off and dancing around. Deep within the dark, mosquito ridden basement of the Woolley Building lies the Department of Performance Studies. Performance Studies (PRFM) is hard to explain to someone without sounding like you take yourself too seriously, but basically it’s a mishmash of a few cognate disciplines (Theatre studies, Sociology, Anthropology, History, Drama, Dance etc) in which the student assess all aspects of performance. You’ll be studying not just a play, but how that play was made, who wrote the script, who saw it, where it was performed, how the culture and time surrounding the performance shapes the final product. It’s broader than your regular garden variety Theatre studies, and therefore something that arts students should probably care a bit more about. Sydney’s PRFM program is particularly excellent, and you’ll learn about the growth and development of the contemporary Australian theatre scene right where a lot of it began. The core units all follow a similar assessment structure; small essay or journal, larger group project and larger reflective/analytical essay. Lectures and tutorials aren’t just sitting in bench seats being talked at for an hour, you’ll be required to engage with the material in hands PAGE 26
on and interactive exercises, ranging from group warm up activities to devising your own scripts to taking part in a ritual. Sounds like a weird bludge but there’s a point to all of it, and it can be an incredibly fulfilling and academically rigorous discipline if you put yourself out there and drill down into the concepts. Some of the initial, core subjects have been unpopular in the past, but it’s good to see a revised subject list does not include 3606 (notoriously disliked by students and yet it stayed for a few years?). Unlike a few years ago, you can now leap straight into PRFM in first year, so don’t delay. This department is staffed with exceptionally dedicated and passionate people, whose genuine love of performance, it’s production and history infuses coursework and assessments, making PRFM a pretty unique, academic university experience. It’s a great way to break up your timetable from regular, run of the mill lectures. Considering last year Dr Glen McGillivray spent twenty minutes during a lecture picking previous Counter course handbook PRFM descriptions to pieces, it’ll be interesting to see what he thinks of this year’s. So, Dr McGillivray, did we get it right this year?
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ECONOMIC S Oh my GGGOOOODDDDDDDD ECONOMICS IS SO BORING!!!! Said no economics major ever. Economics is fun for us, so if you fancy yourself as a capital number cruncher then get your durables in order and export yourself into an economics major. Stay tuned for more economics-themed puns. The first thing you should be aware of is that in order to get the most comprehensive approach to your degree, having a good, well-informed choice of subjects is imperative. Slayyyyy the competition by keeping in regular contact with your lecturers, please don’t be afraid of them friends. They’re here to help you and most of them are proud number-nerds who love having a chin-wag in their offices during consultation hours so make use of them! Degrees are expensive so you should get as much out of them as possible. Whether you want to major in it or not, you have to do compulsory junior economics subjects in first year that include ECON1001 or ‘Introductory Microeconomics’ (inventive name isn’t it! You’ll join other imaginativelynamed courses such as ‘Introductory Macroeconomics’ (ECON1002) and ‘Introduction to Econometrics’ (ECON1020) too, which sounds like fun, doesn’t it? It does to me… Because I am an economics major...) These junior subjects didn’t really seem to wow students all that much, but apparently the teaching was “pretty good”.
Well, if that dazzled you, then surely you must be an economics major! Pray do keep reading then, as we introduce second year: ‘Intermediate Macroeconomics’ and ‘Intermediate Microeconomics’!! HOW FUN!! Seriously though, this is heaps of fun, and you do get to do some more challenging stuff, though if you plan on pursuing Honours then you’ll need to take a closer look at the subject handbook. You have way more interesting units ahead of you <3 These units were described as more entertaining, maths-focused and exhaustive (of the material, not you) components of the junior and intermediate micro and macro schools of thought. Be aware of textbook prices if you can. The Econometrics School used to be one of the best in the country however due to the funding cuts university management seems to keep having to serve to every department the faculty is kind of all over the place, with more generic and broad subjects and lecturers taking all kinds of courses. If you can figure your way around it and maybe be a bit more autonomous about your subject selection we advise exercising caution in this area. That would be good. I would really encourage you to gain an honorary degree in ECON because the subjects get way better the further in you go and hey, it’s not such a bad faculty after all, you just have to be willing to put in the work :)
PO L I T I CAL E CO N OMY Political economy is the kind of course that teaches you a lot of useful shit about how the world works and is as likely as the Gender Studies department to make you reconsider your life, your choices, your future. ECOP recognises the functioning of the economy not removed from its social and political context: it teaches the politics of economics. ECOP covers a comprehensive spread of economic theory, and studies its intersection with globalisation, the environment, gender, inequality and development in a global context. It’s a very unique department recognised as a leading centre of economic analysis and research. The first year units have been consistently well-received by survey respondents, with Lynne Chester continuing
to take on ECOP1001 ‘Economics as a Social Science’ in first semester and Bill Dunn taking ECOP1003 ‘International Economy and Finance’ in the second in 2015. They give a consistently well-received introduction to the department, though respondents to the survey warn there’s a bit of a learning curve with 1003. Things get serious really quickly in the senior units, and if you’re looking to major, you’re going to have to slay some theoretical behemoths. If you started your degree before 2014, like a certain washed up education officer, ECOP2011 and 2612 are mandatory. If you started in or after 2014, you can drop one of those if you take on ECOP2012 ‘Social Foundations of Modern Capitalism’. ECOP2011 ‘Economic Theories of Modern Capitalism’ PAGE 27
ARTS is a mighty beast that once tamed will help you conquer a lot of the more difficult aspects of the area of study. The course, and coordinator Joseph Halevi, can be notoriously hard to follow, but I’d definitely recommend it. Things start to make sense eventually, and then you’ll be proud of yourself for knowing all this new stuff. Read the lecture notes. ECOP2612: Economic Policy in a Global Context received mixed reviews. While some people recommended some of its “fundamental content”, others noted it was “dry” and didn’t appreciate Friday lectures without recordings.
received. ECOP2614: Political Economy of Gender was not so well-received, which is a shame, because the ECOP department and student body can be very white and dude-y. Such is life. People over the years have suggested that Political Economy is one of the more politically left-leaning, progressive areas of study, even saying that the course content is not particularly diverse. I totally disagree. This “lean” hasn’t been reflected in course content or tutorial discussions in my experience, only in my own political consciousness. ECOP covers a lot of ground quickly, it’s up to you to draw your own conclusions. And, as I learned in my first semester of ECOP1001, you don’t have to say “according to Marx” if it’s the truth.
The non-core subjects are a blast in Political Economy, and you should consider them if you can. Dr. Elizabeth Hill got the most accolades from our survey responses, with very favourable reviews of ECOP2616: Inequality & Distribution, which one respondent suggested was the best ECOP unit ever. I recommend it too. ECOP3015: Political Economy of the Environment was said to have great content, ECOP2619: Development in Emerging Economies and ECOP2911 (pre-Honours) were also well-
DENTISTRY
Being aware of the level of commitment needed for a dentistry degree is paramount to you undertaking the specific and very mouth-odoury subject area. In order to wear a nice white medical apron and have a cute practice, clean silver tools for miles and millions of bucks, you have to be willing to be at uni for up to 45 hours a week for the next few years. First and second year are teamed with medicine subjects with more contact and lab hours than a lab rat sees in its few short weeks of life. One student commented “dentistry is very fiddly and time-needy, with a bunch of contact hours and exams. It’s difficult to make time I your schedule for anything else like university activities or society functions or time with your friends and family. It can be really stressful, though it’s usually worth it when you get the marks you need.” Students responded that complete face-to-face clinical placements were the most invaluable and important learning experience for their degree and all-round pleasers in the course. “a good example of this is the radiography department in the detail part of Westmead. If you have a bit of a problem comprehending the radiography course you can apply to have a consultation with them there and they take care to try and teach you as much as possible.”
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The difficulties that arise with the cost of dentristry however, averaging at about three thousand dollars a year, what with the long contact hours and frequent practical placements can really take a toll on student’s mental health. Participants report rarely having spare time to work to pay for lab materials and textbooks, however if you can manage it, dentistry students do recommend getting some occasional part time or casual work. One student confessed she was lucky enough to be hired as a dental nurse when she was in high school, however due to the fact that dental nursing doesn’t require any previous study or qualifications means that dental nursing jobs are quite rare and lucrative if one is lucky enough to bag one. Students were glowingly positive in their rating and responses to their tutors and lecturers, with one student writing “the tutors so far have been exceptionally helpful in getting the learning process going”. The Tooth Conservation course was highly recommended due to the “outstanding lecturers, Dr. Dracopoulos and Prof. Bryant”. Practical labs were also a massive hit with students, with many commenting that it enhanced their comprehension of theory and helped with the sometimes confusing assessment tasks. Exams were criticized for being oddly-heavily weighted (sometimes up to 80%!) SRC COUNTER COURSE HANDBOOK 2 015
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and assessments were reported to have been lumped awkwardly together at the end of every semester- not something that really aids in preserving student’s stress levels but hey- as long as sugar remains one of the most highly consumed foods by university students, dentistry will keep consumers and dentists happy for years to come.
PHARMACY
Pharmacy at USYD is pretty demanding, and received positive and negative reviews from our survey. First of all, it has a faculty to itself, so you know it’s legit. A Bachelor of Pharmacy is described as a “four-year, fulltime professional degree combining advanced scientific investigation with training in clinical practice and optimum patient care”. Like most “professional” degrees, there’s little room for flexibility in content, but if you know Pharmacy’s your gig, this could be a great degree for you. It is worth noting though that the requirements are intense. Final exams are frequently 60-80% of your grade; some labs can run for as long as four hours, classes tend to be quite large, all labs and tutorials are mandatory. Also, there’s a ton of group work in this area of study (one respondent noted that even an essay was to be produced by a group). If you can handle the above, well, good on ya. The degree starts with a “foundation year” where students study biology, chemistry, basic pharmaceutical sciences and are introduced into the profession of pharmacy. MBLG1001 was a talking point for our survey respondents. It was said to be difficult, with heaps of
assignments worth 3-5% due every fortnight, 4-hour labs, with a high standard for marking. It is however recommended as a useful prerequisite with course coordinator Dale Hancock receiving good reviews. Higher levels of biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences are studied in the following years, with much of third and fourth year spent in clinical placements for practical experience. We didn’t receive any responses from the higher years, so unfortunately you’ll have to figure that out for yourselves, as you choose between a major in rural, international, and industrial pharmacy. Additional course costs involved with studying Pharmacy certainly add up, through the purchase of textbooks, lab coats, etc., which makes studying Pharmacy tough if you also need to work to support yourself. This is a real shame! Drugs can be great and pharmacists can be of great social value. Lab coats, dissection kits, safety goggles and calculators are all on loan free from the SRC if you find yourself in a pinch, but otherwise you can get subsidized equipment from Sydney University Pharmacy Association (SUPA), which is in the Pharmacy building.
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BUSINESS ACCO U N T I N G & F I N A N CE As has been tradition around here in these schools, the Accounting and Finance departments yielded us few results and so we have condensed the two schools into one article. So here we go. We’re glad to report that all seems well in the Accounting and Finance faculties, with almost every respondent reporting that they thoroughly enjoyed their subjects and lecturers alike, with most saying they had adequate assessments that weren’t too heavily weighted or overly difficult. So that’s a plus for the money men this time round! As usual, Business students firmly encouraged first years to talk to their teachers and other students if they needed to, especially concerning course content considering if you don’t have much of a background in
Business apart from high school Business Studies you might need a little more help than others. Talking to your friends who do Business can also really help with planning your major, and students who have already completed the FINC and ACCO courses can give you advice on how to best pursue the area you’re interested in. This is pretty important considering Accounting and Finance often branches into other areas of Business and degrees separate from those offered by the Sydney Uni department. Courses that received positive recommendations include FINC3023 ‘Behavioral Finance’ and FINC3015 ‘Valuations’, with students citing that although the work was often a little dry and expansive, it was worth it when passion pushed you through.
MARKETING Doing marketing major at the University of Sydney is like walking around in a full-body black latex suit on a hot day: it’s great. Both marketing and black latex have a degree of social stigma attached to them, but if you can manage philosophy major kids and alike rolling their eyes after learning about what you are studying, this major can be a very useful thing that (just as latex) synchronises with almost anything. For whatever reasons one considers doing marketing at all, two things should be weighted on with utmost thoroughness. Firstly, this choice will result in three years of unavoidable group work. Secondly, marketing could be combined with almost any major from business to arts and although might it not be appealing at first, it would equip one with practical knowledge of how to make any idea likeable and sellable, which is quite a handy skill to have. .Although it requires a lot of sacrifices (obsession with $180+ textbooks happens to be a cancerous departmentwide thing so sourcing some second hand copies should be done beforehand) this major will deliver exactly what it promises: a very practical skill set. Since marketing is not technically a science of any sort, the
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degree was designed to fuse some basic elements from other disciplines ranging from behavioural psychology to finance to business management to statistics, in order to compensate the ontological impotence of the core subject itself and also so to stretch it into a threeyear long major. As a result, it might be quite insightful for non-business school students, like BAs who have slight entrepreneurial tendencies or wish to work in communications. For those majoring in Commerce, Finance, or else, marketing with its vast range of practical subjects could be of help when studying business strategy from a bottom-up perspective. Not designed to be overly intellectually challenging but rather a useful supplementary major, marketing is often picked to improve one’s GPA. Since most of the assessments will be done in groups the GPAboosting process can turn into a nightmare, especially considering the fact that marking criteria for an ‘IMC campaign for a NFP organisation’ or assignments alike can be quite obscure. On the other hand, if you are into fancy abbreviations of all sorts, leadership and presentation skills are the two core aspects of your personality (or at least are something you wish to develop), this major will be all pleasure.
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WO R K A N D O RGA N I SAT I O N A L S T U D I E S Work and Organisational studies AKA Industrial Relations or Human Resource Management units are pretty enjoyable study areas. There is some debate of whether or not WORK units deserve to exist in the hallowed halls of the Business School. But don’t be fooled by the idea that WORK subjects are the airy fairy major as the units are challenging especially if one doesn’t do the readings. You may be able to get away with not doing your readings in WORK1003 but trust that you may not be so lucky come semester two. It’s easier to do the readings because the tutors aren’t afraid to call you out on the bullshit you just made up to try and sound academic. This technique of academic bullshitting may work in Sociology but not WORK. Also don’t be one of those douchebags that tells their tutor “I got a 99.9 ATAR and always get 99% in everything and now I’m barely passing”. This is university and tutors will mark you harshly and if you tell them they can’t do their job it won’t be a good start for you. Ask for constructive criticism instead. Also try and ask where you can find the cheap textbooks as they can range anywhere from $50-$190 new. It’s not all doom and gloom however. Compulsory units in the major such as WORK2203 and 2205 are very
straightforward units. Bradon Ellem and Di van den Broek taught these units last year and they are fantastic. If you have questions about assignments they aren’t scared to help. Bradon made time this past year in his class (WORK2203) for us to see him during consultation hours about assignments. That isn’t to say though that they will do the work for you, but they will clarify things for you to make sure your assignment is on point. Di takes a similar approach and dedicates time on how to write an essay in IR with collaboration with the learning center. Some students really seemed to have an issue with the electives. Marking some of those units as “Useless”. Whilst units can feel like that, it’s really about what you make of it and if whether or not you can think positively. WORK units try not to make you do the same form of assessment over and over. The teachers aren’t afraid to mix it up and give different tasks to be assessed on (posters, essays, exams, and group presentations). WORK IS still work, so don’t go in expecting an easy course and always remember if shit hits the fan to call the SRC if you need help.
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EDUCATION AND SOCIAL WORK E D U CAT I O N Choosing a course in the Faculty of Education and Social Work usually entails signing away up to five years of your life as you grind through units of questionable value and placements you’re hopelessly under-prepared for. Oh, and then there’s all the other feedback from last year; including awful tutors, poorly explained and weighted assessments (a lot of them in pairs or groups, ugh), expensive compulsory textbooks, and content ranging from confusing to sexist. What fun. Unfortunately, some of these units are compulsory while not being all too important. Many respondents said they were thankful to be “finally” learning something hands-on and worthwhile in some second year units. Others, such as EDUF2006, were described as having “sexist subject content” that was promoted by lecturer Paul Ginns, making students feel uncomfortable when statements were made like “boys are better at Science subjects”. Yikes. That wasn’t the only comment made about staff. A respondent studying the Bachelor of Social Work course described some teaching staff as “pathetic” and that you would have to “deal with the hit your marks take” as a response. Poor teaching staff was, ironically, a problem across the faculty, with every response mentioning that it was something they had to deal with.
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The faculty isn’t all bad, however. Units such as EDSE2002, which is about Indigenous Education, and EDUF2007, a broader look at social issues in Education, were lauded for their progressive stance, well-taught content, and important insights. Many of the staff taking the Masters courses received positive feedback as well. Another great way to counteract the many drawbacks of these degrees is to ask older students in the faculty for help – if they did the same course, they almost certainly did the same units and went through the same troubles you will have. The Education and Social Work Society (EDSOC) has multiple social events throughout the year, and is a great way to make friends that can help you down the line. Whichever course you are in, it’s a tough slog – remember that the SRC can help with academic appeals and any other issues, and the Faculty can be really helpful if you find yourself in trouble.
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EDUCATION AND SOCIAL WORK SOCIAL WORK In order to enjoy your Social Work degree, it’s imperative that you have a passion for community organisation, belief in the local and a desire to help people. If you don’t, you’ll just feel more and more alienated the further you get into the department, as coursework tends to get increasingly more specific the further on your study goes. Whether you are doing the single Social Work degree (four years) or a combined degree with arts (five years) if you are passionate about social work, you will enjoy yourself. Although Arts degrees are only three years, a lot of other degrees are five years and social work is one of few vocational courses you can do, therefore you can leave after four/five years and go straight into pursuing a professional career. In your first year of social work, you probably will not feel like a social work student at all. This is because you have to take arts subjects and your only compulsory subject is sociology, which most arts students do with you. Advice from head of departments can be a little patchy, according to some responses, so it’s best to enrol in compulsory courses ASAP in order to ensure you don’t end up with an incomplete degree because you forgot Sociology. After finishing these junior units some of the fun starts
as you now go on to doing core subjects for social work, which many students praised as being more progressive than other subjects. You are required to do Indigenous studies, social policy, research skills and psychology for social work. Psychology for social work in first semester is a bit dull just because it is very foundational and focusses on important theories of psychology which you will need to know as a social worker. The second semester unit of psychology, however, allows students to start engage critically with social policies and some traditional psychological interventions, which students found a lot more interesting and hands on. Third and Fourth (or fifth and sixth for the combined kids) is where placements start. There is a lot of prep to do for these placements with paper work, ensuring you have for vaccinations, a police certificate and a working with children certificate, amongst other paperwork. You will have a lot of assistance with all of this but it is important to be proactive about getting a lot of this done as well in order to get the first pick of placements. Margot Rawsthorne, one of the senior lecturers for Social Work, was praised for her “unbelievable teaching”, so it’s safe to say that if you’re interested in the course material and helping people, you’re going to love Social Work.
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ENGINEERING Unlike some other degrees we could name, engineering is not a relaxing interlude between high school and wage slavery. It is hard work, with all degrees featuring high contact hours, heavy assessment schedules, compulsory subjects and more mathematics than you can shake a triple integral at. The upside of this is that engineering cohorts are closely bonded by the shared suffering, with a very active set of societies providing the requisite amber refreshments that a student may require after a hard day of being relentlessly pummeled by their degree.
Engineers will also graduate with exceptionally good employment prospects, with graduate full time employment rates varying from 75% in mechanical to a whopping 93% in civil, all at a very healthy rate of pay. So if you’re (un)fortunate enough to be entering this faculty, just remember that no matter how much those art students mock your lack of social skills and the gross gender imbalance in your degree, you have a future. And probably some cool t-shirts too.
CIVIL ENGINEERING If there’s one thing civil engineering students hate, it is the chronic overcrowding of their degree. And architects. Alright, two things. 2nd and 3rd year tutorials consist largely of squeezing hundreds of people into the PNR Drawing Offices, allocating a smattering of tutors who may or may not know what they’re talking about to wander around and hoping that everyone has an absolutely top-notch learning experience as a result. Happily though, lecturers are by and large enthusiastic and knowledgeable about their subjects, with Tim Wilkinson attracting bouquets for his clear explanations of concepts in Structural Mechanics and Steel Structures 1, but also some brickbats for his harsh marking. Richard Weber got plaudits for his realworld practicality and Federico Maggi for being a chill dude. No civil courses were considered outright bad (although one respondent did pan the entire MPE degree, recommending doing the BE instead), but there are several ones worth watching out for. Topping the list is
the third year Concrete Structures, with some ferociously difficult examinations (Go to your lectures. If you don’t, you will fail, as an enormous chunk of this year’s class found out too late.) Also to be wary of is the third year Engineering and Society, due to its randomly allocated groups. Some students found Steel Structures – Stability to be overly mathematical and of limited use. Hydrology features a substantial amount of mathematical derivation, but if that doesn’t float your boat do it anyway for the open book examinations, excellent (and available online) lecture notes. Numerical Methods was described as the most interesting and enjoyable of the 4th year units. Respondents who completed their thesis in 2013 indicated that it was a lot of hard work, but very enjoyable if you were interested in the topic, although a note of caution was sounded about being supervised by an external lecturer, who may not have the same availability or enthusiasm as a full-time member of staff.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING Chemical engineers are a close-knit group and they seem to be very positive about almost all aspects of their degree, which is a refreshing change from the other schools’ attempts at finding new and innovative ways of making students suffer. Class sizes are very reasonable, to be expected in a school of only 50-60 students per year. Students were very keen on the content of the degree, finding it to offer a good range of material, from the heavily mathematical and theoretical courses, often featuring quite involved tasks and some programming, to broader and possibly gentler courses such as Industrial Systems and Sustainability that examines environmental issue in engineering practice, one student telling us “It’s the closest thing you get to doing an arts degree and a breath of fresh air”. PAGE 3 4
However, despite the love for the content of the courses, lecturers came in for a bit of a tougher time. “Professors in general won’t give you a straight answer” when seeking advice, and the marking schemes of some, such as Perry Johnson, left students unable to satisfactorily complete assignments because they didn’t go above and beyond what was specified. The tutors however, were well regarded and were tipped as the best sources of information on what electives to take in later years, depending on your personal interests. Respondents emphasized the importance of attending your classes and finding a good group to work with, both because many courses involved group assignments and as a way of reducing what would otherwise be a heavy workload. SRC COUNTER COURSE HANDBOOK 2 015
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING Electrical engineering is based in one of the contenders
for ugliest building on campus, and unlike architecture they can’t even revel in the irony. The one constant that electrical engineers face is maths. So much maths. All of the maths, all of the time. Students felt that the upside of this teaching approach was that they were equipped with extremely strong theoretical knowledge that they would be able to put to practical use in industry. Lecturers were generally praised as very knowledgeable, but also occasionally lazy, either simply reading off slides or deflecting questions and expecting individuals to fill in the gaps in their knowledge from external sources. Signals and Systems was regarded as a particular offender in this category, which is unfortunate given that it is a core compulsory unit and essential knowledge for a large number of units subsequent to it. Craig Jin and his
unit Electrical Devices and Circuits escaped censure and was praised as “fantastic, very engaging and generally helpful”. Tutors were also regarded as being helpful and supportive, so this made up for lecturers occasional slackness to a degree. Students criticized the assessment structure of the degree, with a common complaint that the assessments during semester were given an inappropriately low weighting and the final exam an excessively large weighting. Laboratory classes were criticized as “oversimplified and not stimulating”. The broad range of units on offer in third and fourth years means that there’s something for every interest in electrical engineering, leading to more senior students being quite happy with the content of the courses and their provision of relevant and specific knowledge.
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ENGINEERING A E R O S PA C E , M E C H A N I C A L A N D M E C H AT RO N I C E N G I N E E R I N G
DEPARTMENT
AMME contains three degrees, aeronautical, mechanical and mechatronic, each of which share some but not all units with the others. Engineers in this school were largely happy with their lecturers and the content of their courses, finding the degree interesting, informative and giving them a good practical understanding of the skills required for working in the industry. However, they also universally complained about their workloads, and particularly the distribution of assignments, with some aeronautical engineers in particular experiencing weeks having more assessments than days in them. It was rare for any units to be panned, with only Mechanical Design being described as “a complete failure of a unit”, with others such as Mechanics of Solids described as “boring” at worst. 3rd year units in particular worked people incredibly hard, with some students loving Aerodynamics 1 and Propulsion because of their content while others hated the combination on the basis of the incredible
combined workload. Some students found the objective of assessments to be (deliberately) unclear in some units, adding to the already incredible workload and the number of all-nighters students had to suffer. Students recommended one of two options – either be prepared to sacrifice your social life, or take up a double degree in a related field like physics, mathematics or computer science, simply to lessen the workload. The space engineering program is administered by AMME and can be taken as part of a mechanical, aeronautical or mechatronic degree. All of the respondents who mentioned its units praised them as interesting, challenging and crucially, with an appropriate workload. The only criticism made was that AERO 2705 Space Engineering 1 was a bit unclear in what was required in assessment tasks, but apart from that, this program comes highly recommended.
A D VA N C E D E N G I N E E R I N G The advanced engineering program can be taken in addition to the standard B.E. of whatever stream you’re doing, provided you have an ATAR > 98 for entry to first year advanced engineering, and a distinction or greater average for second, third and fourth year courses. If you complete three advanced engineering courses, you’ll end up with a nice shiny Certificate of Advanced Engineering in addition to your plain old B.E. (Hons). If you’re invited to do 1st year Advanced Engineering 1A, accept without hesitation as it replaces the near-useless filler unit Professional Engineering and you’ll get to know some of the smarter people in your faculty. The 2nd year
entrepreneurialism-focused course Business Planning offers something very different to your standard degree but be aware that it is a substantial amount of work, will compress the amount of time available for you to focus on other subjects, and isn’t marked particularly rigorously. 3rd year Technology Education will appeal if you like the idea of teaching high school students, and the work load is gentler, being spread over two semesters. The two 4th year courses in second semester are based around project delivery for a real client and try and give students the best possible preparation for life as a professional engineer.
From the editors: We’re really sorry that we upset survey respondents by grouping all of Engineering together in the survey. We don’t mean to insult you guys, and you should know that there’s a lot the SRC can do for engineering students, including the services they can provide, so don’t be put off by a survey monkey form! For clarification, we’re not Honi. Respondents from this year identified numerous problems with the engineering department that I felt deserved a special address. Consistently overcrowded lecture sizes (can be over 300) and tutorial class sizes (can be over 50 apparently). An arcane special consideration policy used very begrudgingly. No late submission policy (I guess the policy is you fail). You can’t get lower 40% on any individual assessment or you fail, regardless of your average. Negative marking systems - penalties for incorrect answers - have also frustrated engineering students. People seem to enjoy studying engineering, even if it gets hard in the later years, but these learning conditions are fukt. Thank you for all of your insight, and again, we apologise for offending. PAGE 36
SRC COUNTER COURSE HANDBOOK 2 015
LAW
Look at you! Sydney Law School. Aren’t you great? You must have achieved an incredible ATAR, which either means that you’re Einstein or that standardised testing in a private school environment works well for you. Or perhaps you’re a philistine transfer student from an Arts degree, like me. Whatever your story, we’re all in the same boat now.
said to bring a calming presence in the corporations law course. Sheelah McKraken (introduction to property and commercial law) is also said to be a “clear and funny” teacher.
This is my sixth year at university, and in that time I’ve discovered that there are two broad categories of advice that are helpful. The first involves day-to-day tips about studying, assessment, and organisation. The second involves deeper philosophical advice about career direction, purpose, and work-life balance. With the help of our survey respondents, I will convey some common (and not-so-common) pointers in terms of these categories. After all, you don’t have much (read: any) choice about what law subjects to take in your first few years.
-Many people with a law degree do not work in the law. The job market is tight, and law is increasingly a general degree rather than a professional degree. - Studying law involves a lot of studying law. You should be prepared to read a lot of banal case law that you later discover has been made obsolete by a convoluted legislative instrument. - There are a lot of wankers at Sydney Law School. It’s better to resist them than to join them. - Across the country, thousands of new law students are aspiring to reach The Hague. They believe they can change the world by becoming the next Geoffrey Robertson, Michael Kirby, or Erin Brockovich. The fact is, most lawyers who actually make a difference don’t have fame or money. Moreover, if you want to change the world, start right now by joining an SRC collective. For example, join the Education Action Group to fight for a universally accessible, free higher education.
The day-to-day tips: Textbooks are very expensive and not always as useful as notes from other students. If you can’t find a recent set of notes, collaborate with some friends to prepare a set as the semester unfolds. Include class notes and case summaries. Most cases can be read online. The Law School is not interested in making students’ lives easy. Compassion is not a strong suit. Special consideration is “obscenely hard” to get. Although there is a DNF policy, it can be applied arbitrarily. If you are applying for special consideration or the like, it’s best to have your paperwork in order, together with clearly enunciated reasons.
The deeper philosophical advice:
So there you go, chew on that for a while. If you do a full study load, you’ll be here for five years (three for JD students). The best advice I can offer is this: the road is long and there are many ups and downs, but if you throw yourself into uni life, it will be worth it. Don’t conceive of your life and your worth purely in terms of the degree that you’ll get at the end. And don’t take yourself too seriously.
Assessment is harsh. Exams can be weighted at 100% and are often closed-book. Feedback during semester is rare. Lectures are not recorded enough. Figure out whether a lecture is recorded and accessible before you decide not to attend. Contracts is tough, not because of the content, but because of the work load. The tutorial participation requirement, among other things, is “unreasonable”. Wayne Courtney (contracts) is a brilliant teacher but sometimes difficult when it comes to empathy. Ross Abbs (contracts) is a worthwhile tutor, and Bing Ling (contracts) is nice but should be avoided. Barbara MacDonald (torts) can be a bit dry. Emily Crawford (Foundations) is widely loved. Elisa Arcioni (public law) is an engaging teacher fighting a dull course. Dr Gail Mason (criminal law) and Dr Arlie Loughnan (criminal law) are great teachers and goddesses, one of whom was described as “the love child of Drew Barrymore and Michael Kirby”. Respondents also spoke fondly of Mark Findlay (criminal law). Yu Zhang is PAGE 37
CUMBERLAND CAMPUS H E A LT H SC I E N C E S Cumberland Campus, located deep in the city centre of Lidcombe (lol this is what the website says but if you’ve ever been there you’ll know this isn’t true) is home to that glorious strain of humans slaves to our bodies, intent on making the world a better place, one speech therapy lesson at a time: Health Science students. Now, although Cumberland (playfully dubbed ‘Cumbo’ by almost everyone), is lauded on its own website as being prestigious and wonderful, sadly many Health Sciences students feel alienated by the campus’s isolated location and many described feeling ‘left behind’ by the main campus. One student even said “I just don’t even feel like I’m a part of the University of Sydney. I feel like we don’t have the same opportunities, even though we have our own student guild.” Another thing you might be a little unprepared for as far as subjects go is just how intense the study loads and expectations are for student in their first year. This continues through the next four years unfortunately, with some students complaining about the large amount of compulsory subjects needed for a Health Sciences degree. This isn’t the case for all subjects but Cumbo students will be comforted by the fact that it is often the case for practical-based Science subjects, and that many Science students on main campus are going through the same rigorous study requirements. For example, even if you’re not interested in anatomy one iota, you
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will be required to take it in almost all Health Science subjects. Boo. This being said, as with most subjectsif you’re passionate and committed and you don’t mind the contact hours you’re really going to enjoy studying at Cumbo. The Pro’s: Students were enthusiastic about subjects BIOS 1168 ‘Functional Musculoskeletal Anatomy A’ as well as BIOS 1171 ‘Neuroscience’ and CSCD 2606 ‘Introductory Practice II’ in the Speech Pathology and Physiotherapy schools. Clinical Educator Robyn Johnson was among the staff praised, with students complementing her enthusiasm and ability to engage students in their coursework as well as providing timely feedback concerning student’s queries and assessments (an important quality!) CSCD 2026 ‘Motor Speech and Dysphagia’ was a favourite subject, with students applauding the lecturer’s stimulating style and the fact that they practice in the area. So to finish you off: Cumbo may be a bit far away, but as with most satellite campuses, the strength is in the community of those who are all in it together out there, sweatin’ it in Lidcombe. Even the staff cohort is tight knit, with many described as passionate about their subject area and keen to get students involved in their field. Have at it!!
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THE CON MUSIC Congratulations! You’ve made it into the con, “one of the world’s leading tertiary musical institutions” as you will be constantly told by the institution’s PR department. Nobody really knows what this claim is based upon, but with a history of spending exorbitant amounts of money on publicity and marketing surely it has to be a first class institution? If you disregard the fact that budget cuts have been a recurring theme over the years (let’s see what they cut this year) or that many important student support services are inaccessible or non-existent at The Con - oh, and let’s not even get started on all of the controversy (to get up to speed on the drama, just trawl the archives of the SMH or Honi Soit).
There are also additional costs involved in studying at The Con. Accompanist fees can be quite expensive, especially if you regularly require one for lessons. Composition students are expected to organise concerts and have their pieces performed each semester. Paying performers and hiring venues can be very costly. Be sure to look out for the many scholarships on offer to Conservatorium students - they’re not too well advertised but they are there, and many are equity-based.
But don’t panic! If you learn to navigate your way through this mess - be sure to ask the Conservatorium Students’ Association (CSA) for tips and support! - you can get to the other end of your degree reasonably unscathed. You still won’t have any career prospects, of course. I mean, you’re studying here purely for the love of music, right? (if not, run away now while you can!). In all seriousness, as former students will attest, the hard work and hours of practice you put in to your music degree will be fulfilling. And there are also great academic staff members who will help you along the way. Lewis Cornwell has received very positive evaluations from students. Which is lucky because you don’t really have a choice - you will all have him as a lecturer for 2 years of ‘Harmony and Analysis’ (unless if you’re a Jazz student). Another popular lecturer is David Larkin. This may be, in part, due to the fact that every second student has a crush on this Cambridgeeducated Irish heartthrob. Apparently his lectures are also engaging, so consider taking his courses when selecting Music History subjects. There are certain courses that you need to look out for. Orchestral Studies (compulsory for most performance students) does not set out course requirements very clearly. You could be asked to commit to more concert programmes than you need to. If you think this may be the case, but are unsure, contact the CSA for guidance. Honours is another grey area. Unlike most honours programmes, Performance and Composition honours require students to complete a recital or composition portfolio in addition to submitting a thesis. Students have noted that the course is not structured well to allow you to juggle both major components.
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SCA VI SUAL ART S AN D F I L M S TU D I E S Many students who have a creative interest in Art History and production make the brave choice to attend Sydney College of the Arts, or as we Arts students humbly refer to it, ‘ESSEEAY’. Though this may stress some people out in thinking that they’ll never ‘make it’ in the art world, they’ll never ‘make money’ or ‘be successful’, those who choose to study creative arts and have a real passion for their craft rarely regret it. Look, if you think you could be involved in the production of art instead of being one of the billions of people who choose to just stand and look at it in galleries we sincerely suggest you give one of the SCA courses a go. The courses aren’t able to be studied in combination with some degrees however, so it’s best if you check with your faculty first before you try enrolling. Most students said they enjoyed the community of SCA, in which the campus comes alive around lunchtime for a few hours and the main cafe bustles with fashionistas, charcoal shaders, sculptors, painters and jewellery-makers. That being said, there was some criticism for the student services at SCA, with many students commenting that they constantly had to trek it to main campus in order to gain information on almost anything to do with student services, which they found inconvenient and frustrating. When these services err on the side of disability access and spe con support it’s understandably worrying that the only SCA student body rep group (SCASS) shut down a while ago. Jacqueline Millner was praised for her teaching and Shane Haseman gets a positive mention too, however CAEL 20309’s ‘Screen Arts: An Introduction’ Stephan Popesci was criticised for not providing any proper feedback for his students.
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Unfortunately, other criticisms of the department were more concerning. One student stated that studying at SCA had made them disillusioned with creative arts due to the fact that their ability to receive high marks was not in correlation with the amount of effort they put into her work. Others were angry with the course costs- specifically those of materials, with some major works ranging up to $3,000. Some students were even under the impression that the amount of money spent on these works did correlate with the mark you got, something incredibly worrying and frustrating for students. There are some scholarships on offer though, and students were relatively encouraging to others in relation to applying for them. There were complaints about there being no ATMs on campus, some group work being hindered by the fact that groups were up to seven people, and accusations that spe con was a ‘large joke in terms of mental health issues’. While juggling you between the Art History, English and Languages departments, a Film Studies major (also on main campus) will take you from the basics of genre and cinematography to a complex analysis of time and movement in culture. Unfortunately, it doesn’t provide a whole lot of guidance in between these two extremes and many senior subjects will endeavour to separate the aspiring film buffs from those who are just there to watch movies. Divisive from the get-go, the only Film Studies junior unit, ENGL1011 ‘Introduction to Film Studies,’ is equally described as “a wonderful introduction” and “unnecessarily complex” with Bruce Isaacs both lauded and criticised for his idiosyncratic lectures.
SRC COUNTER COURSE HANDBOOK 2 015
SCA This polemic response establishes a common trend throughout the hotchpotch department, with subjects like Mats Karlsson’s JPNS 3675 ‘Japanese Cinema’ rewarding students with an in depth and specific knowledge of post-war Japan, yet requiring the equivalent of two subjects work or substantial prior knowledge to conquer a tough semester that culminates in a ruthless two hour exam. ARHT 2653 ‘Memory of the World: Key Films’ has a similarly daunting assessment regime, with students randomly selected to give a presentation every tutorial. This struggle is again justified, however, by the poetic academia of Paul Macovaz and Laleen Jayamanne, whose lectures have been described as “a transcendental experience.” These intensive units are balanced by the more inviting and accessible lectures of David Kelly in ENGL 2638 ‘Literature and Cinema’ and Richard Smith in ARHT 2656 ‘Film Genres and National Cinemas,’ both of which deal more with contemporary films and broader concerns of cinematic genre.
Though the Nursing and midwifery department at Sydney University may sound like a somewhat exciting and prestigious faculty, the sad truth is that budgetary constraints have had a detrimental impact on the courses on offer for several years now. Responses varied from unit to unit, however the most concurrent was that the department of Nursing was both difficult to gain admission to as well as understaffed, not unlike nursing in the real world. Students admitted that class sizes were relatively small, making it easier to get more contact time with coordinators however there wasn’t much to select from as far as academic staff go. One student even complained “I had to apply three times before I got accepted. What is this, law? The world needs more nurses, not more lawyers- why are both schools so hard to get into?” The answer of which we may never know, suffice it to say that perhaps funding is being pulled from one school whilst being poured into another and nobody really seems to be able to explain why one is more important than the other. Nursing certainly seems to be one of those courses that many students have the wrong impression of when they apply. There were an abundance of students that responded with surprise that the learning process at Sydney University Nursing was a somewhat homebound and solitary one. Apart from clinical contact hours the majority of studying the theoretical side of nursing is done alone at home unless you’re lucky enough to
A Film Studies major also provides the unique chance for interdepartmental study at the Sydney College of the Arts and at the Seymour Centre, with lecturers from the Conservatorium of Music, giving you a reason to venture beyond the main Camperdown campus. MUSC 2663 ‘Survey of Film Music’ and MUSC 2664 ‘Popular Music and the Moving Image’ will both see you rushing to the Seymour Centre twice a week but are certainly aimed more towards those with an existing interest in or experience with music, as you will be mixed in with Conservatorium students. CAEL 2039 ‘Screen Arts: an Introduction’ at the SCA is the only real practical unit within Film Studies, with a 70% video assessment. It’s exciting to be assessed on something other than an essay, but it is also mostly self-directed, which can be difficult for students without a grasp of the equipment early on and especially when lecturer, Stefan Popescu, was also noted as giving minimal feedback on assessment tasks.
NURSING organise a study circle in the brief time you get in the small yearly cohorts that frequent the school. The clinical hours and staff were, however, described as some of the department’s crowning jewels. Teachers were praised for their dedication to the subject as well as those they taught and worked with, always able to take extra classes if need be. Some students expressed concern that the teachers seemed overworked but happy, though frustration with university management abounded with students. NURS 5085 ‘Mental Health’ was certainly one of the most popular courses, with the autonomous research week in July and Practice Lab hours both receiving high praise from students as well. One student nurse described the lab as overwhelmingly supportive during the trying assessment periods. The Nursing department has helped organise free dissecting kit and lab coat hire from the SRC, which helps students who can’t afford to buy their own, as both can be quite pricey depending on where you shop. Nursing students also advised first years to keep notes throughout their degree and look for nursing assistant jobs later in their degree to help them improve and consolidate their skills.
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SCIENCE B I O LO GY If you’re captivated by this ‘living’ science, the School of Biology can quickly become your second home. Passionate and dedicated teaching staff are able to make even dry subjects palatable, and countless interesting research projects from all corners of the field enable students to explore and engage with practical research from the beginning of their degree.
Botany is by far your best bet.
First semester first year starts you off with Concepts in Biology and Human Biology. Concepts is mostly a rehash of things learnt throughout your high school biology career, but taught well enough and with enough new content thrown in that it remains interesting and highly praised by students. Much of the popularity of Concepts is owed to School superstar Danny Liu, who has sadly been wooed away to Macquarie, but hopefully his enthusiasm will continue on with the new coordinator. Human Biology, similarly, is a fantastic subject and lots of fun.
Of the senior subjects, Animal Behaviour is said to be easy and interesting if a little disorganised, while BIOL 3044 and BIOL 3045 are both very challenging but rewarding. Marine Biology’s lecturer Ross Coleman has been described as ‘a bit... (unsavory)’ but the subject is good if you’re at all interested in limpets. Ecology requires a semester-long group research project which can be wonderful so long as you have a good group.
In second semester you’ll have a choice of Living Systems and MBLG 1001 ‘Molecular Biology and Genetics’. MBLG is renowned amongst Biology students as punishingly hard, with extra long pracs and an intense workload making it a lot to handle. Despite this, the enthusiasm and energy of the coordinator makes it a great course, but be warned, it is not for the faint of heart. Living Systems received mixed reviews, with complaints about its disorganisation, boring labs and lack of support from teaching staff. The advanced unit (2902) was greatly preferred over the standard; no doubt it’s exponentially smaller cohort (100s rather than 1000s) and a fieldtrip and report replacing constant quizzes is reason why.
Your necessary subject in second semester is Biology Experimental Design and Analysis. Though it sounds quite dry, the statistics course imparts you with vital knowledge about designing good experiments and statistically analysing results.
Fieldwork units are not to be missed! With opportunities to go to places like Kakadu or the Great Barrier Reef, students have described them as some of the best weeks possible. Advanced units are recommended to anyone willing to put in extra effort to pursue a career in Biology. They give students a unique opportunity to get to know researches, run independent experiments, try different projects and potentially even publish papers.
biology and millet?
Successive cuts to the School has meant entire fields of Biology consolidated into single subjects, which is what you get in first semester second year: Zoology, Botany and Cell Biology. Botany is without a doubt the standout of these three. Don’t be turned away due to lacking interest in plants! Many an ambivalent student has been converted by this phenomenal course and Murray Henwood’s beauuuutiful voice. Cell Biology, like MBLG, is hard but worthwhile, and Murray Thompson is a wonderful lecturer. Zoology jumps all over the place and is hard to follow. And it requires killing a hell of a lot of things, with pretty awful labs that are basically just constant dissections. It is also one of the most expensive Biology courses you can do, requiring a useless $60 lab manual and your own dissection kit. Though there may be some hope for Zoology with its new course coordinator this year, if you’re debating between Zoology and Botany, PAGE 4 2
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CHEMI STRY Something must be in the H2O in the Chemistry building because year after year students emerge raving about the quality of their teachers and courses. Despite that, future Heisenbergs should be aware that chemistry is no cakewalk. Get ready to fall in love with a building whose beauty rivals that of the UTS tour because you will be spending a lot of time there. Each first year chemistry course has three lectures, a tutorial and a three-hour lab each week. But if the end of Breaking Bad left you hankering for more chemical education, chemistry may be for you. Reviewers praised chemistry for the great deal of flexibility it offers first year students. CHEM 1001 and CHEM 1002 are designed for students who have never taken chemistry at high school and students praised the quality of teaching in these units and the pace of their introduction to the science. For those more experienced chemists, CHEM 1101 and 1102 are the standard first year units. Students who enrolled in the higher-level advanced CHEM 1901 and 1902 and Special Studies Program (SSP) 1903 and 1904, also gave rave reviews about their courses. Lecturers Peter Rutledge, Lou Rendina and Tim Schmidt were all highly praised for their lectures and teaching style. First year coordinator Adam Bridgeman also deserves commendation for his timely feedback and his work to improve the quality of education within courses throughout the year. One criticism from advanced and standard students was the lack of clear relevance of the labs to their course material. SSP students, who do different and more in-depth labs, praised this aspect of their course very highly. Having a variety of streams
means students can pick the difficulty that best suits them. One useful piece of advice from reviewers was that if a student is interested in a particular stream, but may not have got the 95 ATAR for advanced: they should speak to their course coordinator. In comparison to the clear positivity above, the pharmacy streams, CHEM1611 and 1612, were described as lacklustre and dull. For senior and intermediate units, students gave positive reviews for the second year courses CHEM2401/2911(Ad vanced)/2915(SSP) and CHEM2402/2912/2916. Despite the 8am and 9am lectures, students found these courses engaging and interesting. Solid State Chemistry with Chris Ling was also very positively reviewed, but noted for its intense difficulty and speed. One important aspect of chemistry teaching at Sydney is its assessment program. Students sit a number of quizzes throughout the semester worth very little, which were seen by reviewers as a “rote-learning exercise”, and must then face the 70% final exam. This can be rather daunting given the sheer volume of content within each chemistry course, but some reviewers felt the exam “tested the ability to apply, rather than regurgitate.” Tutorials also received mixed responses but reviewers encouraged future students to ask questions in order to ensure they were useful. If the prospect of a seriously weighty exam and a high number of contact hours does not throw you off, we’re positive that with teachers this dangerously competent and with an infectious love for pyrotechnics, chemistry is sure to be a blast.
GEOSCIENCES The School of Geosciences offers units of study in the discipline areas of Geography, Geology and Geophysics. You’re able to major in Geography, Geology & Geophysics, Marine Sciences or Environmental Studies, so you’ve got some pretty good options in terms of degree progression. The first year Geosciences courses were really wellreceived by survey respondents, particularly GEOS 1001 and GEOS 1002. People said of GEOS 1001: Earth, Environment and Society - “interesting case studies” “great basic understanding on both natural and human geography and geology” “midsem and end of sem exams were both multiple choice!!!” One respondent said that the lecture and tutorial content
didn’t often seem to correlate, however. This was also the case in GEOS 1003: Introduction to Geology. Of GEOS 1002: Introductory Geography - “Hands down the best subject I did this year” “content was super interesting”. Staff - both lecturers and tutors - were apparently easy to talk to and get in contact with. Lectures were great. Three lecturers brought different and valuable perspectives. One respondent thought that the course could have been structured better though, and didn’t think the one hour tutorial fortnightly with presentations was enough to keep up with course content. GEOS1902: Introductory Geography (Advanced) was similarly recommended. PAGE 4 3
SCIENCE I N F O R M AT I O N T E C H N O LO GY If you’re studying a BCST (Bachelor of Computer Science), a BCST (ADv) or a BIT (Bachelor of Information Technology), the school of Information Technologies is going to be pretty familiar to you. At the start of the year, you enrol in study for both semesters. This degree has two streams: Computer Science and Information Systems, one or both of which must be specialised in. There are four compulsory units: INFO1103: Introduction to Programming, INFO1105: Data Structures or INFO1905: Data Structures (Adv), ENGG1805: Professionalism in Engineering and IT, and ELEC1601: Foundations of Computer Systems. Of these, 1105/1905 was the main talking point among respondents. It received mixed reviews - people said tutorials were very useful, but the lectures and content less so. INFO1105 was recommended over INFO1905, as you don’t get much help with the extra content in the Advanced component. “Do regular 1105 and do well in it”, suggested one respondent. ELEC1601 received one particularly good review, with Dr. Abelardo Pardo, the unit coordinator, receiving much praise for his teaching style.
The school of IT does this weird thing where it suggests electives based on your ATAR, but also according to your interest: whether you’re interested in a broad coverage of computing, if you’re interested in IT and Computing Hardware, and those looking to combine their study in IT with a side-interest. Check it out on the School of Information Technology at USyd website. INFO2315: Introduction to IT Security was really recommended by respondents as well, as was head lecturer and “top bloke” Dr. Bob Kummerfield. People said that you don’t need a great IT background to have success in the course. INFO2110: Systems Analysis and Modelling is perhaps “the worst unit offered at the University of Sydney”. Respondents recommend students also avoid INFO3402: Management of IT Projects and Systems. INFO3220: Object Oriented Design and INFO3660: History and Theory of Digital Art received a pretty positive response, though.
M AT H S It should come as no surprise that maths is a boys’ club. In one course I took, the lecturer tried to give the pink coloured quizzes only to the women, before quickly realising that he’d have a large surplus of pink quizzes, and not nearly enough blue ones. (I think he then started to give pink quizzes to the effeminate men in the room, taking his bigotry to the next level). But this shouldn’t deter any budding female mathematicians, because solving that proof is all the more rewarding when there’s sexism involved. There are a few options when taking maths in first year: advanced, normal, and fundamental. Fundamental is often populated with Science students, taking their compulsory first year maths students. For the keen maths kids, our survey respondents recommended trying out advanced first, to put you in good stead for future years. If you find it’s too much work, dropping down to the normal stream shouldn’t be too difficult. But don’t just coast through normal if you can hack advanced; it scales much better and despite raw exam results, your marks will be better if PAGE 4 4
you’ve done advanced units. 8am classes (typically advanced streams) will be difficult, but the Carslaw coffee cart is your friend. A lot of lecturers will put their notes online, but staring at the numbers on a piece of paper is not quite the same as hearing it firsthand. If you’re not a morning person, you’re probably fucked either way. Maybe the normal stream is better for you. There are several options for majors in maths: pure, applied, and statistics. Senior advanced statistics units are apparently very difficult and boring. Differential equations and biomaths, both the advanced and normal streams, come highly recommended. The lecturers are good, and the subject matter is interesting. Beware though, advanced assessments can be “deceptively hard”. Other good lecturers include Daniel Daners, Holger Dullin (provided you don’t let him bore you), and Daniel Hauer. Laurentiu Paunescu is apparently a lecturer to avoid, continuing coursework like “the 4 days between SRC COUNTER COURSE HANDBOOK 2 015
lectures was just him pausing for breath” without ever recapping content or reminding students where you’re up to.Basically, if you’re set on doing maths at University, challenge yourself in first year, probably try to avoid
advanced statistics unless it’s really your thing, call out sexism when you see it, buy a lot of coffee, and prepare for tough exams. Sounds a bit shit, but really, nothing beats that feeling when that proof comes out neatly. QED.
P SYC H O LO GY Studying Psychology is many things – “interesting”, “challenging”, “inspiring” – but a bludge is one thing it definitely is not! Psychology, particularly in first year, has some of the most popular units of study at Sydney University. If you are one of the 2300 students choosing to take first year Psychology, then you will get to meet 2 of the School’s most polarising lecturers - Niko Tiliopoulos and Caleb Owens. Students either love them or think they are “nutcases”. The compulsory first year units for a Psychology major, PSYC1001 and PSYC1002, give a broad overview of the discipline, covering 6 key areas of Psychology in each unit. The greatest problem students faced was keeping on top of the content. For this reason, many students strongly recommended attending all lectures rather than simply using lecture slides. Final word of advice for first years is to not be fooled by the end of semester 100 multiple-choice exam – you will actually need to study. Just remember that these are multiple-choice questions written by psychologists so they will almost definitely play with your mind! For a Psychology major, second year will entail 4 compulsory Intermediate units. Overall, students positively reviewed these units. PSYC2014 received mixed responses depending on whether students liked
Fiona Hibberd (Freud’s biggest fan). However, PSYC2911 (Brain and Behaviour Advanced) gets special mention for including animal experimentation in tutes. That’s right folks, rats! Also of note is PSYC2011/2911’s lecturer, Ian Johnston, who is adored by students as “an amazing lecturer”. Again, the biggest thing to keep in mind is that “lecture material is pretty extensive and intense”. Third year Psychology units of study got a lot of love. (Not surprising really, if you’re still doing psychology at this point, you can’t possibly be normal!) If you like challenging and stimulating topics and you can cope with an insane content load, then PSYC3010, 3016, 3017 and 3018 are for you. PSYC3020 (Applications of Psychological Science) got a good wrap for being an interesting yet relatively easy course. Surprisingly, PSYC3010 (Advanced Statistics for Psychology) was not criticised, as it has been in previous years. I guess the School of Psychology has finally worked out how to teach mathematics to Arts students! On one final note, 2015 is the first year that Lisa Zadro (Social Psychology) and Marc De Rosney (Developmental Psychology) will no longer be working at Sydney University. Students throughout the years have consistently praised both lecturers and the courses that they have taught. Stay tuned for next year’s Counter Course Handbook to see how their absence affects student reviews of their courses.
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SCIENCE PHYSICS As you should well know on approaching a three-year undergrad course in physics, the subject encompasses a wide-range of phenomena- from tiny molecules on planes to stars and cosmic wind tunnels, physics is “phun”. The standard and advanced streams that are the only ones available to students keen to embark on a major in physics allow students to explore a wide and varies array of subjects and phenomena all under the banner of physics, with more room for students to move after the mandatory subjects have been finished. The detail and range in tees courses will keep you interested the further on you get into your degree, as it allows experts to focus on their area throughout a massive amount of lectures which is excellent for students as it really allows you to hone your skills in science and maths and develop ideas on what you want to do once you graduate. A little tip is that if you only have experience from physics and maths in high school is that if you need help you can always ask your lecturers for help. It’s their job and
they’re always keen to help you out. Failing that aka if your homework is due next period and you still haven’t finished it, wander around the Sci Tech library and have a look to see if anyone else is doing the same homework and ask them for help. I guarantee you won’t regret asking! Much-praised areas of the department include David Reilly’s interesting but deviating-prone third year subject Condensed Matter Physics, which focuses on stories and fuck ups by historical physicists and the deplorably interesting Quantum Mechanics module taught by the superstar researcher Michael Biercuk. Biercuk might explode your brain a little as he tries to derive all of space and time ‘by pure thought’ but he’s absolutely fantastic and I love him. For subjects like Electrodynamics and Spacial Relativity, which build on junior-subject material immediately, it’s important that you revise continually. The incredibly competent lecturers will know if you don’t and it’ll only have a detrimental impact on your results.
VET SCIENCE As well as being one of the most sought-after courses at Sydney University, Vet Science is distinguished as being one of the only courses in which the lecturer has a ‘Lizard of the Day’ segment to every tutorial. People seem to assume that Vet Sci isn’t as competitive or difficult as Medicine or Law, but if you think about it- there are about a million different kinds of animals and only a bunch of laws an even less species of human. OK, there’s only one species of human but still. You get my point. Academic staff get a massive thumbs up in this department, with many praising their teaching styles as well as their ability to engage students and provide careful and rigorous analysis of theory and other course content that allows students more reliable info for assessments. You don’t really begin to start interacting with animals until much later in your degree but with lecturers like Corinna Klupeic “nice and interesting/interested in her students” as well as taking a few different approaches to teaching anatomy, a notoriously dry segment of the degree that remains ongoing until grad. Glenn Shea was also highly praised for his rapport with students, with many praising him for his friendly manner. Kate Bosward and Jacqui Norris were lauded for their PAGE 4 6
thorough exploration of microbiological animal diseases, which many thought proved challenging but fulfilling. As we’ve already said, Vet Sci is competitive and often dry, as scientific terminology grinds your brain when all you want to do is touch kitties, but subjects on Vet Ethics and the Industrial Agriculture in Australia really help keep students focused. Cell Bio 1B was a more science-heavy subject but surprisingly was also enjoyed by students, with many saying they were glad they took it. The subject explores the more avant-garde cutting edge forms of molecular biotechnical developments that are in the works to help vets diagnose tricky diseases. Sadly, as it is competitive, some assessments in Vet Sci are really heavily weighted, including some exams of over 80% to be competed in a few short hours. Therefore, the resounding feedback was that although it’s challenging, Vet Sci is worth the effort. KITTIES!!
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US STUDIES If you’re glued to the US elections, constantly rant about American foreign policy and love to discuss the saturation of American pop culture across the globe, this could be the major for you. Coordinated by the United States Studies Centre (USSC), American Studies encompasses US politics, culture and history. Generally speaking, American Studies has a less theoretical bent than some other Arts majors, with a focus on practical applications of knowledge. You’ll be taking a lot of USSC courses if you decide to do American Studies, which some might regard as a blessing and others a curse. Although the USSC has come under fire in recent years for allegedly receiving funding from Raytheon - a producer of guided missiles - and been accused of an unwillingness to criticise US policy, it has simultaneously earned itself a reputation for engaging courses and excellent tutors. According to students, the pick of the bunch is USSC2604: Sex, Race and Rock in the USA. Run by Dr Rebecca Sheehan, this course takes students on a journey through rock music in the USA, considering how the genre has been influenced by race, sexuality and gender. The unit received rave reviews in the Counter Course survey, with several students describing it as the best course they’d have ever taken. Dr Sheehan came in for heapings of praise for her interactive and fun lectures,
and her obvious passion for the material. One student described her as “consistently passionate and fun and opened my eyes to an endless amount of new stuff throughout the semester.” Another wrote “I’m usually a pretty terrible student, but in this course I regretted having to miss a single lecture and was motivated to study more and work harder for this unit than any other I have taken.” USSC2604 tutor Anwen Crawford was also lauded, described by various students as “super smart”, “the best tutor I’ve ever had” and “I crushed on her all semester”. Another recommended course is Americanism and Anti-Americanism, run by Dr David Smith. Dr Smith was described as an “engaging and entertaining” speaker who keeps students motivated and presents interesting course materials in an accessible way. Others praised American Studies for its relative lack of effort required to achieve good marks, which you may perceive as a good or bad thing depending on how committed a student you are. Criticisms of the department were few and far between. One student said USSC2602 had too much reading, and another reported that Paul Giles’ lectures were all too easy to nod off in. But on the whole, the American Studies subjects received a good rap, and come highly recommended.
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THANK
KYOL ‘BIG DOG’ ‘BLOKE’NEY, BRENDAN ‘THAD’ WYLIE, JULIA ‘DIVERSITY’ DIMITRIADIS, LIAM ‘O’CARRIGAN’ CARRIGAN, MADISON ‘SNAGS’ MCIVOR AND DANIEL ‘DERGAS’ ERGAS, JOSH ‘NICE GROOTS SHIRT’ HAN, ED ‘MC’ MCMAHON, SUBETA ‘I’M IN ROME’ VIMALARAJAH, CAMERON ‘CACCAMO’ CACCAMO, MIKAELA ‘BORT’ BARTELS, GRACE ‘DR’ SHARKEY, MIRANDA ‘HOUSEMATE #2’ SMITH, LIDIA ‘MKTG’ NIKONOVA, JAMIE ‘ALEXANDER’ RUSITI, SOPHIA ‘ATTRACTIVE’ ROBERTS, PETER WALSH, LANE SAINT(L) Y, AMANDA AND MICKIE, MEL, GEORG ‘BLAM WHAM’ TAMM, PIP ‘THE NIP’ SPECKER, JAMES ‘THE’ LEEDER, LUCY ‘HAIR’ WATSON, ELEANOR ‘SAlt’ MORLEY AND RIDAH ‘SAlt’ HASSAN, QUEEN ELSA KOHANE, CHLOE ‘GUTEN’ GILLESPIE, CHIARA ‘BIRD’ ANGELONI AND MAX ‘BALLER’ HALL, AMY KNOX, NICK COLLINS-CRAFT, TOM GARDNER, SRC STAFF, ICED LONG BLACKS AND ENERGY DRINKS
NO THANK
BLYTHE’S MAC AIR, THE COP THAT FINED DAVID $520 FOR HAVING AN INTERSTATE LICENCE, THE SRC RENOVATIONS, OLD FATHER TIME, SYDNEY WEATHER, THE PATRIARCHY, SCABS, NUS, STUPOL, GOON, CHRIS PYNE, HERMANN’S, STUDENT POVERTY, SPINELESS CROSS-BENCHERS, BIPARTISAN ATTACKS ON EDUCATION, THE ARYAN FIST THAT REALLY CLOSELY RESEMBLES THE BLACK POWER FIST, BLYTHE’S MISSING HOUSE KEYS, VSU, PYNE x2, ABBOTT, SUB-PAR INDESIGN SKILLZ, ENERGY DRINK, SPENCE
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The University of Sydney Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Representative Council acknowledges the traditional owners of this land, the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. We stand on this land today as beneficiaries of an uncompensated and unreconciled dispossession which occurred over 200 years ago. Many of the descendants of those dispossessed live just down the road in abject poverty, and as young people it is important to recognise how this history of dislocation and disenfranchisement has contributed to the inequity we observe in contemporary society, particularly in the area of education. We acknowledge both our privilege and our obligation to redress the situation at best we can: to remember the mistakes of the past, act on the problems of today, and build for a future for everyone who now calls this place home, striving always for practical and meaningful reconciliation. If you are reading this, you are standing on Aboriginal land. Please recognise and respect this.
back cover
front cover