"Social work is a great job that facilitates and empowers people in need. My favourite part of my course is that it has helped me develop empathy. Moreover, the Master of Social Work is qualified by the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW)."
Ru started her Master of Social Work at the University of Melbourne in 2019, after completing a Bachelor of Public Administration back home in China.
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Why the Master of Social Work?
I took part in internships and volunteer work in some non-governmental organisation back home in China, where I learned how hard life could be for some vulnerable groups. Influenced by these experiences, I began to feel motivated to make a difference. Coming from a developing country, I believed that I could learn more from a western society like Australia about social welfare and mental health, which was why I made up my mind to study the Master of Social Work at the University of Melbourne.
Social work is a great job that facilitates and empowers people in need. My favourite part of my course is that it has helped me develop empathy.
Moreover, the Master of Social Work is qualified by the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW). I have faith in the University of Melbourne’s education quality.
My goal is to find a job as a social worker in Australia when I graduate. This way, I can put what I have learned into practice and get more hands-on experience in this field. I am sticking to my goal and am trying to improve my expertise
Chinese:
墨尔本大学的社会工作硕士项目是受澳大利亚社会工作协会（AASW）认证的项目，这就意味着课程质量很高，并且我在毕业时能够得到认可。由于墨尔本大学是澳洲排名第一的大学，我对这里的教育质量有充分的信心。
Why the University of Melbourne?
The open and friendly culture at the University of Melbourne has really inspired me.
People at the University of Melbourne are kind to each other regardless of their different backgrounds and no one judges you by your differences. It is easy to make friends with other classmates and learn from each other. I have been inspired to be more positive and open-minded.
Transition to university:
The University and our Faculty support students with orientation and other lectures during the semester to help us develop our communication skills and learning strategies. These helped my transition.
I also attended an English class for international students called Melbourne Talks, where I improved my English and made friends from different backgrounds.
Chinese:
我来到墨尔本大学最初的一段时间其实遇到了很多困难，因为没有朋友，也不习惯英文环境。
不过，学院里有很多老师都尝试帮我解决这些问题，他们耐心地与我交流，并且给出建议。学校和学院都有新生入学指南讲座和一些其他学期中的讲座，帮助学生们顺利过渡到大学学习和社交生活中。同时，我还参加了一个针对国际学生提高英语的Melbourne Talks课程，在课上我不仅提高了英语水平，也认识了不少来自不同背景的朋友。
University highlights
To prepare us for our future careers, the Master of Social Work program offers classes that showed me what life is like for different people, as well as classes where I can improve my communication skills. I feel like I have become a better communicator both professionally and in my own life. I am able to stand in others’ shoes and avoid words that may possibly hurt others.
Some of my classes require students to practice in groups or do assignments in pairs. It was a great opportunity for me to get to know more classmates and make some friends. During this process, quite a few classmates offered me help, so I stopped feeling lonely and helpless as a newcomer and began to fit in. I feel I am supported and like by these friendly classmates and have thus become more confident.
Chinese:
在墨尔本大学的这段时间里，最精彩的事和我的课程有关。由于一些课程要求小组一起练习和完成作业，我在学习的过程中认识了很多同学，并且交到了一些朋友，因而不再感到孤独和无助。因为受到那些友善的同学的帮助和喜欢，我也变得更加自信。
Advice for students
I would advise future students to be prepared for an English environment and Australian culture. Good English skills will help students fit in more easily. Social Work students especially need excellent language skills to communicate with clients. And if students are familiar with Australian culture, it will be easier to adapt to both campus life and a future career in Australia.
Chinese:
我对那些即将来墨尔本大学读书的同学们的建议是，努力提高英文水平和熟悉澳洲文化。首先，英语好的同学能够更加轻松地适应并融入新的环境。其次，对于社会工作专业的学生而言，好的语言能力尤其重要，因为我们需要和未来的客户有效地沟通。如果同学们熟悉澳洲文化，适应学校的生活和未来的工作都会更加容易。