We interviewed our student and friend Mateus Dinali to share a little about his trajectory in Australia and also to tell about his process of taking the Psychology course in Australia. Mateus finished journalism college in Brazil and felt that he needed to have new experiences even before entering the job market. Encouraged by his mother, Mateus chose to do an exchange program in Australia because it was a country that made it possible to study and work with a student visa and so in 2015 he arrived in Sydney.
His initial goal was to do 6 months of English and then go back to his home country, but that wasn't quite how it happened. 6 years later, and he is still living in Australia, he graduated in Psychology, works in his field and is a volunteer in the field of Mental Health.
In this post we will tell you about this whole process through a brief interview we did with him.
How was the shift from journalism to psychology?
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Soon after came the proposals for work in the area. But the process didn't end there. Then came the Certificate IV in Disability where he had the opportunity to learn about more specific issues such as down syndrome and autism. Teachers trained in Counselling (a more humanistic aspect of mental health) were key players in Mateus' study journey, as they inspired him to realize that he wanted to help people through therapy.
Was English a barrier to going to college in Australia?
Matthew also told us a little bit about the process of going to college in English. The first tip is: value the path of your trajectory, value your vocational course, there you will be in contact with all areas that need to develop English such as listening when you listen to your teacher teaching, writing through the delivery of your work, reading with your course readings and speaking when communicating in the classroom. enjoy every
For now, these courses will give you the foundation you'll need to go to college. Make an effort in every moment of your day, speak in English even if it's wrong, you're learning.
What is the difference between doing psychology in Australia or in Brazil?
Mateus explained to us that in Brazil the course is usually integral, which makes it a challenge to study and work at the same time. In Australia, however, you don't need to study every day, which gives you greater freedom to work and balance other activities in life. The Bachelor's Degree in Psychology lasts for 3 years here in Australia, and after the course it is necessary to take the Honors, which is a course conclusion for a period of 1 year, being the gateway to the Master's. Training as a psychologist in Australia is concluded with the Master's which lasts 2 years, where the student decides his/her field of expertise, such as clinical, organizational, educational psychology, psychotherapy and even sports psychology.
How does the course work?
According to Mateus, the course at the University where he studied is divided into three quarters during the year. During one year, you must complete 8 subjects. In this case, the student can define which and how many subjects he wants to take each quarter. An example would be 2 stories in the first quarter, followed by 3 stories in the second and third quarter, thus completing the year. In this way, it becomes easier to reconcile the schedule of your work, study and leisure life.
In psychology, courses usually have a class called Lecture, which has an average duration of 3 hours and there will be presented the content of the subject. This class can be followed online or in person, which allows for greater flexibility in the course. The tutorial, on the other hand, is a face-to-face class with an average duration of 1 hour to 1 hour and a half and includes review of the material, exercises, and debates in general.
How does the assessment work?
The assessment system in Australia is very interesting as there are several ways to assess the student. Assuming that not everyone learns in the same way, assessment should also accompany this method. The student receives grade percentages according to different activities, for example, participation in other students' master's research, long and short assignments, exams with consultation, making it easier for those who have more difficulty in memorization and general exams at the end of the quarter . With that, your grade is divided into different forms of evaluation, according to Matthew.
A relevant point to be mentioned is that educational institutions have a support center for students called Student Learning Support with the aim of helping students to do their jobs, with tutorials and professionals trained to help people around the world to adapt to the education system of the institution. In addition, Mateus emphasizes his contact with Australian culture with teachers and students, which further enriched his daily experience.
Is it possible to pay your living expenses working in your area?
Another amazing tip that Mateus mentions is: "Get rid of the concept that something is very difficult and impossible. This is the first step towards failure, believe in your potential and pursue your goals in a structured and realistic way". While studying Disability, Mateus received a job offer in his field. He comments that it was a transition process where he worked as a waiter and he was making the transition from work to his area little by little, reducing work days as a waiter and gradually increasing with the Disability area, maintaining a network in both areas and managing your financial life. Work on something that makes you happy, and makes you have contact with what you want for your future. Learning English by doing and communicating with other people makes all the difference.
What is counseling?
Counselling is a strand that goes into the more humanistic area of mental health here in Australia. In this case, the Counselor is trained to apply the therapies he learns in the course, through practical classes, comments Mateus, who was inspired by many of his teachers who are counselors. The psychologist, on the other hand, is prepared to assist people, diagnose, carry out assessments, psychological tests. The Psychology course itself focuses a lot on the research area, unlike the Counselling course, which is more focused on the practice of therapy.
What is Double Degree?
The student will have 8 subjects to complete during the year. Each course will have its "core units", which are mandatory subjects, as well as elective subjects from other courses. In Mateus' case, he chose to do the Double Degree in Psychology and Counselling. Therefore, he took the required courses in Psychology and Counselling, thus setting up a course with subjects focused on both courses. When he finished, he received the double certification of Psychologist and Counselor, giving him the opportunity to now work as a Counselor (in which he does not need honors and a master's degree to work) and to complete his studies in Psychology soon after.
Today, Mateus completed his mandatory internship in the Counselling area at a rehabilitation center for drug and alcoholic addicts, and it was so interesting that he decided to volunteer to continue working in the area and expand his professional experience.
If you want to know more about Mateus' story, check out this post we made with him on Instagram and this LIVE on "How to become a psychologist in Australia".
Like Mateus, you can also achieve your personal and professional goals in Australia. Make your educational plan, think long term, focus on your studies and avoid distractions!
We are here to give you that strength, count on us!
Get in touch today to plan your future in Australia.
