1 December 2003

People considering upgrading their professional qualifications or changing career will have access to a host of expert advice at The University of Queensland Postgraduate Evening on Tuesday, December 2.

Some of the University’s leading academics will be on hand give seminars and to answer questions about flexible and career-tailored postgraduate coursework options at UQ.

Information will also be available on the Federal Government’s Postgraduate Education Loans Scheme (PELS).

UQ Office of Research and Postgraduate Studies Director Professor Alan Lawson said people chose postgraduate coursework programs for a range of “vastly different” reasons.

“They might do it as a way of adding an `employability edge` to a generalist undergraduate degree, or to gain professional development after a few years in a career;” he said.

“Or it might offer them the means to pursue a deeper academic involvement in a topic of professional or personal interest.

“On the other hand, a graduate looking to make a career change, might be able to do accelerated study in a new area because they are already a graduate.”

UQ is the State’s leading postgraduate institution and ranks between first and third in Australia in numbers of PhD student completions and nationally competitive scholarship awards.

The number of PhDs awarded continues to rise from 224 in 1995 to 377 in 2002 and the UQ research higher degree student body now makes up more than 10 percent of the total number of students.

Bookings are not needed for the Postgraduate Evening, to be held at Customs House on the Brisbane River end of Queen Street from 5–7.30pm.

For more information, contact Rosemary Newsham (telephone 07 3365 9132, email r.newsham@admin.uq.edu.au or visit www.uq.edu.au/study/index.html?page=13909