How Yvonne Luu expanded her horizons and shaped her learning

What was unique about your experience in the Master of Communication at RMIT? 

The one thing that continually struck me throughout my time at RMIT was how supportive the teaching staff and university community was. I found it really easy to meet like-minded students and connect with my tutors and lecturers, who were passionate about their professional fields and also genuinely interested in student learning. 

There is also an incredible amount of diversity at RMIT in terms of culture, age and experience, yet there is a great sense of inclusion. This gave me a rich learning experience that allowed me to network and meet people that I usually wouldn’t have the chance to work with.

I found that the Master of Communication was a highly flexible degree that allowed me to shape my learning according to my professional interests and career aspirations. This flexibility meant that I could choose subjects that I was really interested in, and that could develop my knowledge and skill set. 

Once you started your program, what were some of the things that you wished you had known beforehand?

As a mature age student, I personally found that I had to reacquaint myself with the demands of academic study and assessment, as well as balance university commitments with my day job. RMIT is pretty flexible, so my advice to others in this position would be to start off with a lighter load, if possible, to ensure you get the most out of your course. 

What was your secret to successfully navigating the classes in this course?

It’s not a secret now, but being organised and asking lots of questions! 

Simple things like making sure I was on top of assessment deadlines by writing them in my diary. I also consistently read and clarified assessment requirements and I spoke to my tutors if I had any concerns about the workload. 

Any final tips or thoughts worth sharing with those who are about to begin the journey?

Don’t forget to enjoy yourself! Returning to university to complete postgraduate studies has been an incredibly rewarding experience. It’s easy to feel stressed out and get caught up in focusing on good grades. 

Ultimately university is about expanding your intellectual horizons, creating new networks and soaking up new ideas. 

What is your best memory of the program?

Well, if I had to pick one ...

One evening after work I found myself sitting in a lecture feeling completely mesmerised by a new idea I had just been introduced to. I feel like that one moment perfectly encapsulates how the program has expanded my intellectual horizons and enabled me to better interrogate new ideas.

Be true to you: Study the Master of Communication in 2016.