Groups
Groups for this semester
Each semester the group program is different.
To see what groups are being offered this semester, click here.
Custom made groups
Is there a group you have been wishing was available? Maybe we can help.
In the past the Counselling Service has responded to requests from academic staff and groups of students for a program tailored to their needs.
Examples include:
- Coping with clinical placements (Health Sciences)
- The stress and loneliness of thesis writing
- If you have an idea or have been talking about a need, drop in to the Counselling Service (Level 2, Peribolos East) and leave contact details so that we can get back to you.
Study skills
Students often come to the Counselling Service because there are issues which are interfering with their studies. But sometimes the issue is study itself. As well as any assistance you might seek from the Counselling Service, help is also available from the Language and Academic Skills Units.
The Counselling Service has handouts on various aspects of study. These are free and can be picked up from Reception. The Group Program also includes workshops and seminars on relevant topics.
There is a great deal of information on the web regarding study skills. A couple of useful links are provided below.
The La Trobe University Counselling Service has prepared pages on the following topics:
Study Skills Links
The following sites have further study skills information. The first is Australian, the second American.
This site is run by an Australian book publisher and includes extracts from a range of study related publications:
Mature age groups
La Trobe University has a strong commitment to Mature Age and Special Entry students. Each February for many years the Counselling Service has been running special orientation programs to help new students prepare for their first academic year at this university.
Who are the Mature Age Groups for?
Any new Special Entry or Mature Age student enrolled at the Bundoora campus who feels less confident about starting a university course than they would like. The age of past participants has ranged from 21 to 67 years.
How long is the program?
The groups run for two days between 10am and 4pm. This allows enough time to cover lots of topics at a pace that is manageable. We are aware that some Special Entry students have commitments right up to the beginning of the semester, so we also run a limited number of one day groups. These are a longer day (9am – 5pm) and naturally cover less ground. Nevertheless, they are much better than no orientation at all and are especially suited for people with some previous tertiary experience.
Should I come to a Mature Age Group or the general university orientation?
As they cover different things, many people do both. The Mature Age Groups (MAGs) are held before orientation, so the campus is generally quiet and easy to navigate.
What is a MAG?
MAGs are about returning to study and the hopes and fears this entails. They are about getting prepared and connecting with others making a similar journey. The topics addressed include:
- Finding your way around
- Lectures and tutorials – What are they?
- Assistance with Academic Skills
- Support services – What help is available
- Parking, books and stationary, computing, academic etiquette, deciphering your timetable and anything else you want to know!
Each year we ask participants to evaluate the program. Last year, 96% of participants rated their experience as ‘relevant’, with a mean score of 4.6 out of 5.
So what’s the Uni orientation about?
Welcomes by the Vice Chancellor and your Faculty, introductions to courses, and a chance to sort out your timetable. Some of that can be pretty stressful, so there is also free food and entertainment. The campus really buzzes!
What difference will a MAG make?
Overall, participants reported a 44% mean increase in confidence from their level before the program. That’s a lot more confident! Many reported ‘feeling more familiar with the surroundings’ while a number identified ‘connecting with other mature-age students’ as a real plus.
Enough statistics. What have participants actually said?
“Very helpful – The unknown is not quite so terrifying”
“Helped tremendously as it has prepared me for the start of the academic year”
“I have a better feel for the place and its culture”
“I feel welcomed and instead of feeling like an ‘outside’ minority, we have heard of the many advantages of being mature age”
“I have met people doing my course, about my age, which makes me feel more confident”
“I feel more comfortable about navigating physically around the uni, accessing services, and more confident about managing the academic requirements”
“A world of difference. It’s put a human face on the ‘institution’ and built confidence”
“I learnt about services that I may never have known about”
“Now I’m alert but not alarmed”
Anything else I should know?
After you receive you offer of a place at La Trobe University, you’ll get a letter from the Counselling Service telling you about the Mature Age Groups. As the groups fill quickly, it is worth replying promptly. Unfortunately you cannot enrol in a MAG before you have enrolled at La Trobe.
Contacting us
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