What does hands-on learning look like at RMIT?

What does hands-on learning look like at RMIT?

Ever wondered what hands-on learning looks like in your dream course? Practical learning is more than just work experience – discover what hands-on learning means at RMIT.

At RMIT, hands-on learning is more than just a practical teaching method, it’s how we prepare our students for their dream jobs and help them build the skillsets to take advantage of the next big opportunity.  

It includes assessments where you bring creative projects to life, get practical in innovative tech-integrated facilities, work experience that’s more than just an internship, and opportunities to use the tools of the trade. 

A game design student using a VR headset with handheld controllers while another student watches
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When your future career is all about creating, whether it’s art, games or the next big tech innovation, there’s no better way to learn than by getting creative. Studying courses like the Bachelor of Design (Games) or the Master of Animation, Games and Interactivity means you’ll get to create digital experiences like games and animations as part of your coursework.

Not only will you get time to practice the principles you learn, but you’ll explore your creative niche through your projects. For example, Bachelor of Design (Communication Design) student Jessica who completed an assessment where she created a coffee table book that focused on the idea of nostalgia. 

It’s not just the traditionally artistic courses that get the chance to create, engineering and technology students are tasked with creating their own software and hardware as part of their study. 

A student standing in front of a motion tracking camera and a screen that shows ripples that follow their movements

Creative projects don’t just collect dust after they’ve been graded at RMIT, we celebrate and showcase the creations of our students.  Events like the School of Design Grad Show allow students to show off their physical and digital creations to the wider design community, including industry representatives and potential employers 

RMIT gives fashion students many opportunities to develop their practical skills. One rather unique example of this was in 2023 when our Associate Degree in Fashion Design and Technology students designed garments for a public showcase celebrating 100 years of Disney.

An RMIT fashion student working on an outfit surrounded by costumes on racks

There’s nothing better than being wowed by your future campus. Study is much more interesting when you feel like you’re using tech that feels like it is straight out of sci-fi. 

If you're interested in studying technology with a Bachelor of Information Technology, Master of Artificial Intelligence, or anything in between, you could find yourself in the Virtual Experience Laboratory. This space gives students access to all kinds of tech wonders, from virtual reality to AI. There’s even a robot named Rosie.

This is just one example of RMIT's many learning spaces that use technology to teach in new and innovative ways, another is the Eight360 NOVA. This groundbreaking piece of equipment is a 360-degree rotating VR motion simulator that is used for aviation and aerospace courses, and according to Professor James Harland, there’s even the potential for it to be used in health and engineering courses1. 

Two RMIT students working on a robot surrounded by display screens

Students studying courses like the Bachelor of Health and Biomedical Sciences (Honours) will find themselves in many of the cutting-edge facilities at the RMIT Bundoora campus. This campus specialises in all things health, nursing and education. It’s also a treasure trove of tech-integrated spaces. 

One of the marvels of the Bundoora campus is the Anatomage Table, a 3D anatomy visualisation and virtual dissection tool that lets students and staff digitally dissect a cadaver and explore parts of the body such as the cardiovascular system.    

Another of RMIT's study areas that lets you get hands-on in tech-integrated facilities is education which has the Pedagogies of Possibilities Lab (PoPLab). The PoPLab is a virtual and physical space that hosts remote teaching simulations and lets education students practice both online and face-to-face modes of teaching. 

Two RMIT students in a biomedical lab working on a large display screen

There are a few different ways to gain real-world experience in RMIT courses. The first is work-integrated learning, often called work experience, which gives you a glimpse of your future career through an internship or work placement. Some courses at RMIT, such as a Bachelor of Education and a Master of Teaching Practice (Secondary Education) include 60+ days of placement as a mandatory part of study.  

Other study options, such as the Bachelor of Business and the Master of Business Administration allow students to undertake work experience opportunities with RMIT’s globally recognised partners, such as Medibank and Adobe.  

RMIT Master of Marketing student Tom Johnston had one of these experiences. He worked with the global transport company DiDi as part of his study. Tom said that he felt “more prepared than ever before. Having that experience of working with an industry partner is something that is offered uniquely by RMIT.” 

Two RMIT Education students assisting a primary school student in a classroom

There’s more to getting real-world experience than just internships. At RMIT many study options have immersive simulations that emulate real-world experiences.

These practical sessions are even in study areas you wouldn’t expect – for example Business. In 2023, Bachelor of Business students took part in a Finance Trading Competition in RMIT’s world-class Trading Facilities, where they got to test and build their finance skills in an environment designed to emulate a foreign exchange trading centre.  

Two business students in RMIT facilities pointing at a screen showing stock trades

Vocational courses (also known as TAFE) are all about learning with the tools of the trade. Take for example the Certificate III in Carpentry which gives you plenty of time in the workshop with specialist equipment as well as on-site training. However, RMIT also has less traditional approaches to getting hands-on with the tools of the trade. 

Students studying a plumbing course at RMIT may learn welding in VR with the VRTEX Virtual Welding Simulator. This piece of tech equips students with a VR headset and a welding tool that lets them practice their skills in an environment that doesn’t have the noise or mess of a workshop. This immersive teaching provides students with the tactile and visual experience of welding before they go on to apply what they’ve learned in a workshop with the real thing.  

An RMIT vocational education student studying carpentry in a workshop

These examples are just a glimpse of what’s on offer. Whatever study area sparks your passions, RMIT has a hands-on course that’s perfect for you. 

 

Story: Jacob Johnston

 

References

1 RMIT University, News. 'First-in-Victoria spinning simulator to turn heads'. Accessed April 2024.

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RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business - Artwork 'Luwaytini' by Mark Cleaver, Palawa.

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aboriginal flag
torres strait flag

Acknowledgement of Country

RMIT University acknowledges the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nation on whose unceded lands we conduct the business of the University. RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past and present. RMIT also acknowledges the Traditional Custodians and their Ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where we conduct our business.

More information