Faculty of Arts

Research Students: University Facilities & Resources

Graduate Centre

Established in the historic 1888 Building and surrounded by beautifully landscaped gardens, the Graduate Centre is jointly managed by the University of Melbourne Postgraduate Association (UMPA) and the School of Graduate Research (SGR). The Centre provides postgraduate students with a range of excellent facilities and support services and offers a variety of ways to relax, study or enjoy the social activity of postgraduate life.

School of Graduate Research

We believe that a systematic program of opportunities for postgraduate students to acquire generic skills should be an essential element of postgraduate education for students while at university.

The University of Melbourne was the first university in Australia to establish a School of Graduate Research (SGR) and, to date, SGR is unchallenged as the national benchmark for the support it provides for its postgraduate community.

Internationally, graduate schools have been an integral part of many of the finest research-intensive universities for many years. Visits to overseas graduate schools or their equivalent indicate that none of these provides the range of academic and professional development programs for students; support, publications and training programs for supervisors; collegial and cultural opportunities, and the stimulating postgraduate environment that are found at the University of Melbourne. Our close and productive association with the Postgraduate Association is a particularly distinctive feature. We believe that SGR makes an exceptional contribution to the Melbourne Experience for postgraduate students.

Professor Barbara Evans,
Dean of the School of Graduate Research

The School of Graduate Research (SGR) provides academic enrichment activities and study facilities for postgraduates at the University of Melbourne. The School plays a major role in the administration of the University's research higher degrees and administers the PhD program in arts. SGR aims to enhance the quality of postgraduate education through targeted academic support, policy development and performance monitoring.

As an integral part of the School's service provision, a range of workshops, seminars and skills development courses are run each semester for postgraduate students. The School also organises a program of lectures and events that recognise and celebrate cultural diversity, interdisciplinary studies and the internationalisation of research.

Our Postgraduate Library Research Consultant runs workshops and seminars on the effective use of electronic databases and library print resources and provides individual advice to students. We employ IT support staff to assist postgraduate students, and provide individual study carrels for students in the writing-up phase of their studies.

The School of Graduate Research also offers a comprehensive range of professional development opportunities for local and international postgraduate students. A flagship program of the School is the Advanced Leadership and Professional Skills Program (ALPS), which has been designed specifically to complement postgraduate studies, to develop transferable skills and to enhance the employability of our postgraduate students.

School of Graduate Research
1888 Building
Tel: +61 3 8344 8599
Fax: +61 3 9349 2103
Email: grad-info@viking.sgs.unimelb.edu.au
Web: http://www.gradstudies.unimelb.edu.au/

GradFlash

GradFlash is a weekly email bulletin containing the latest information on seminar programs, Academic Activity Grants, library resources and databases, conferences and other activities of importance. All postgraduate students are encouraged to subscribe. More than 2,000 staff and students currently subscribe to GradFlash to stay in touch and keep informed. Subscription to GradFlash is free of charge. Send an email to: mailserv@its.unimelb.edu.au and type the following message in the body of your email: Subscribe grad-newsflash (no italics) followed by your email address. Visit the GradFlash website

Gradnews

Gradnews is a postgraduate community newsletter produced each semester by the School of Graduate Research. This publication provides a forum for postgraduate issues, student profiles and important news and information from SGR, Student Support Services and the Melbourne Scholarships Office.

University of Melbourne Postgraduate Association

The Postgraduate Association (UMPA) was formed in 1967 as an independent body of the University to meet the support and advocacy needs of a diverse community of postgraduate students. The Academic Development Unit provides confidential and impartial advice on a range of postgraduate academic issues. UMPA also provides confidential advice, advocacy and individual counselling for students who encounter personal, health or financial difficulties during their postgraduate study.

A range of short courses, seminars, social and cultural events enables students to gain the greatest benefit from their postgraduate study. UMPA welcomes student involvement in all areas of its activity including the Postgraduate Review - a forum for postgraduate issues and important information about forthcoming events and activities.

1888 Building
Tel: +61 3 8344 8657
Fax: +61 3 9347 1257
Email: umpa@umpa.unimelb.edu.au
Web: http://www.umpa.unimelb.edu.au/

Melbourne University Student Union

Melbourne University Student Union is a representative body established in 1884 and is the largest student organisation in Australia. The Student Union works with the University in a number of ways to further its effectiveness in protecting and advancing the quality of education and teaching; to ensure a safe, secure and comfortable environment; and to provide a high standard of service and support to the student population. Union House is home to the student newspaper offices of Farrago, the George Paton Gallery, the Union Theatre complex, Rowden White Library, the Student Computing Centre, a bar, cafes, shops and an extensive Food Hall complex.

Union House
Tel: +61 3 8344 6966
Fax: +61 3 9347 1645
Web: http://www.union.unimelb.edu.au/

Clubs and Societies

Students are encouraged to become involved in social and leisure activities outside their study commitments to ensure they receive the maximum personal benefit from their years at Melbourne. A diverse selection of student clubs and societies on campus cater for many interests including social, cultural, political and creative activity. Most of the clubs and societies operate through the Student Union, where a Clubs and Societies Officer will help you find clubs to suit your interests. See the list of clubs, events and activities on the web: http://www.union.unimelb.edu.au/

The Library

The University of Melbourne Library is one of Australia's oldest and largest academic libraries. Many of the special collections are of international significance such as the East Asian Collection. Our Australiana collections in literature and accounts of historical and geographical survey are particularly strong.

The Library offers 24-hour online access to databases, electronic journals, full text articles and other web based resources. Specialist librarians provide students with training in advanced library skills relevant to their particular area of study and are available for individual consultation. The School of Graduate Research also employ a research consultant to assist students with their particular research needs.

Baillieu Library

The Baillieu is the main branch library on campus and houses the extensive journal, book and research collections for the humanities, social sciences and languages. For further information about library collections, facilities, specialist staff and services, or to browse the collection, visit the Library's web site and online catalogue: http://www.lib.unimelb.edu.au

School Libraries

Many schools and centres of the Faculty of Arts maintain catalogued library collections of excellent standard. These facilities provide students with exclusive access to core research material and texts that may be unavailable or on loan from the main library.

Contact your school for details about library services they provide (see also Inter-library loans - for research students only).

Multimedia & IT

The University of Melbourne is one of Australia's leading universities in the use of new technologies in teaching and learning. Information technology initiatives assist the transformation of teaching and learning and are increasingly being incorporated into faculty programs.

The University has developed highly integrated systems for the delivery of multimedia teaching, learning and collaborative project opportunities. Learning is delivered in multimedia classrooms where access is provided to multimedia specially designed by academic staff, and other information technology and web based facilities.

The University aims to provide students with the ability to easily adopt new computing and networking technologies in their professional careers. For examples of the University's new digital technologies for research, teaching and learning, visit the University's Information Division web site

Computer labs

Postgraduate students should contact their school for details of computing facilities available within the school. There are also many general access computer labs on campus:

Email

Every student is issued with a University email account which should be activated and checked regularly for important information. The school and Faculty of Arts offices, Student Administration and other administrative and support services of the University regularly use email as the most effective means of communicating with individual students and the student body in general. Email accounts can be generated at: http://www.its.unimelb.edu.au/students.html

Dial-in access

For further information regarding the criteria for assessing dial-in access, visit the Faculty services page.

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