The people we regularly interact with can have a big impact on our day-to-day lives, so we know how valuable a supportive environment is when you’re studying.

From our academic staff and active student body, to professional services and casual study groups, there’s help available every step of the way.

“I have a good range of supervisors, so when something isn’t going right, there’s one I can go to and vent at him. It’s really helpful! Another one of my supervisors provides emotional support. When I tell him I think I’m a failure, he’ll a say that no one’s a failure. He boosts you back up.”

Talitha is currently studying a PhD in Molecular Biology after receiving a Bachelor of Science with Honours, so she knows a thing or two about what it takes to excel at university. 

“My primary supervisor is Jason Terpolilli and I had him as a lecturer in undergrad so I asked if I could do Honours with him. He’s probably been one of my main influences and support. We also have a similar sense of humour, which works really well!”

“If you want to do more and access more, and if you express that interest to them, the staff here are so happy to facilitate that. They love working with students that want to learn.”

Students often meet their future mentors by coming to Open Day and chatting with our academics. Daniel is currently studying a double major in Games Art and Design and Sound, but before joining us, he wanted to see for himself whether Murdoch was the place for him.

“I went to Open Day in 2013 and there was a lot going on with plenty of activities. When I walked into the Games Art lab I met Brad Power, one of the lecturers. He was very approachable and had a strong passion for games, and everything he said reaffirmed my belief that I wanted to come to Murdoch and study Games Art and Design.”

“The tutors are great because they have so much experience in their field and the way they teach and approach things is really encouraging. It helps to keep my motivation up. Without them, it would be a lot harder.”

Based in Sydney, Genna is one of our external students and when she decided it was time to enhance her skills and experience with a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in International Aid and Development and Sustainable Development, she reached out.

“I was debating what degree I wanted to do online and I sent an email that I copied and pasted to multiple people. Allan Johnstone, the sustainability discipline leader, responded and it was a personal email, not generic.”

“So since then, I get back to him after every semester and tell him how I’ve been going. He’s been guiding me as to what subjects I should be doing. He really wanted to know where I was before I started and where I want to be when I finish my degree.”

“I wasn’t just a number, I wasn’t just another student. I was an individual. And that approach is what drew me into being at Murdoch.” 

Paying it forward

If you’re just starting your uni journey and haven’t had chance to meet our community yet, we’ve got you covered. From day one, you’ll have a dedicated Student Advisor who is your first stop whenever a question or query arises.

We also recommend checking out UniEdge – they bring together all our support services into a collaborative program so you can easily access everything you need.

If you discover that you prefer a more casual way of studying but want extra help, many of our students volunteer their knowledge and give tips and tricks to succeed by participating in programs like Peer Assisted Study Sessions (PASS).

And sometimes, we just need someone to fill us in on the day-to-day aspects of uni life and that’s where our MentorMe program comes in. Daniel is a mentor in the program that gives first year students help and advice in a casual setting and he gets as much out of it as what he puts in.

“I love mentoring first year students through the volunteering program and I find the experience extremely rewarding.”

There’s also a range of academic workshops and professional services like counselling, psychology and a medical centre on campus.

We won’t tell you what to think or how to learn. Instead, we provide an environment where your individual way of thinking is supported. Find out more about our range of support services here.