Sydney, Australia
Macquarie University

MACQUARIE ACADEMIC MATTERS
Macquarie University conducts orientation for international students one week prior to the start of each term to discuss its academic procedures with new international students. Although Southern Miss participants actually preregister for courses before leaving the U.S.A., there is a two-week period after classes begin at Macquarie in which students can add/drop courses.  In each department, tutors and lecturers are available to assist exchange participants with questions or concerns.

ACADEMIC CALENDAR
Macquarie University's academic calendar reflects the Southern Hemisphere's seasons.  Most courses are divided into fall/spring semester units which comprise the academic year; remember, though, that fall/spring in the Southern Hemisphere are the reverse of North America's.  Thus, Macquarie's first or fall term begins in February and ends in mid-July; the second  or spring term begins in mid-July and ends in early December. Exchange candidates for the academic year may apply to study at Macquarie for the 2nd term (July – December); for the 1st term (February-July); or for the academic year (February-December). The 2006-07 calendar will be similar to the one below: 

COURSES AT MACQUARIE
Macquarie University is a comprehensive university comprised of a variety of academic disciplines, including liberal arts, humanities, social sciences, education, psychology, business, sciences, health, and social work.  The university affords students a wide array of course choices, so this exchange is well suited for students from a variety of majors.  Certain restrictions on enrollment do exist; exchange participants are generally not eligible to take classes in economics, psychology,  media/communication studies, psychology, or accounting.  However, even if you are majoring in one of these academic fields, you might consider studying at Macquarie in your minor emphasis area or taking courses to fulfill general elective requirements.  For information on courses in a particular academic area, contact the International Programs office, and visit Macquarie's website at:  www.mq.edu.au.
 
Of course, it's important that you take courses that will help satisfy your Southern Miss requirements.  We highly recommend, however, that you also take some classes not available at Southern Miss (after all, this is one of the reasons exchange programs were designed in the first place!) and substitute these for general elective credit.  Consider taking an Aboriginal history course, for example, or an Australian literature class. You can be sure that you'll be gaining unique cultural insights, as well as incorporating a new element into your scholastic curriculum.  It's usually a good idea to enroll in a class that is specific to the host region/country. (Likewise, visiting exchange students at Southern Miss frequently enjoy taking Southern politics or Southern literature courses).

ACADEMIC CREDIT
Academic credit will be awarded for all successfully completed coursework abroad.  Typically, Southern Miss exchange students receive between 28-36 credit hours for the academic year. Students must maintain full-time status during their exchange program. Southern Miss considers 12 credit hours per semester a full-time course load for undergraduates; thus, you should plan to take a minimum of 12 credit hours (or the Macquarie equivalent) each term.

Applicants should contact their major professor/academic advisor (or major department chair) to discuss their credit-abroad program, possible course selections at the host university, and how these courses will fit into their Southern Miss curriculum.  Ask if they have any specific instructions regarding credit substitution and notify the International Programs office about these. All exchange participants are required to retain materials related to their coursework abroad (including syllabi, reading lists, texts/workbooks, course notes, handouts, and marked essays/exams) for purposes of credit substitution.

Your host university will issue a transcript of coursework completed, recommending credit hours and grades. Upon your return, you will meet with the Coordinator of International Programs to begin the credit substitution process.  Southern Miss retains the final authority for granting credit, assigning course designates and awarding grades. 

COURSE STRUCTURE (NUMBER OF MEETINGS, SIZE/KINDS OF CLASSES)
At Macquarie, students normally take between 3-4 courses each semester. Each course is generally worth 3-4 credit points, so exchange students typically receive between 12-16 credit hours for a semester and 24-32 hours for the academic year. 

Generally speaking, universities in the British tradition (such as Macquarie) expect a fair amount of self-motivated study  outside the classroom, and you will probably find yourself doing more independent research than you do at home.  You may discover that you have fewer assignments than you normally do in a given semester at your home university but that these are expected to be more detailed, more analytical, and longer than the papers you are used to preparing.  Additionally, some classes will incorporate or entail some form of tutorial, laboratory, field work, or other out-of-the-classroom work.

Class size varies according to the nature of the class, as well as to the classification (first year, third year, etc.).  In an upper-level seminar, you can expect to find fewer students than a first-year lecture class. 

COURSE ASSESSMENT
Like Southern Miss, classwork assessment depends on the kinds of courses you take.  Some instructors will require attendance in their classes; some will count class participation as a factor in awarding your grade.  In many liberal arts and social science courses, tests will ask for essay-style rather than forced-choice responses. 

There is little continuous assessment at Macquarie in the U.S. sense of weekly class tests or assignments from which students can judge their progress.  Macquarie students undertaking units in the humanities or social sciences are typically required to complete one to three assignments/essays (ranging from 1500-4000 words) per course per term.  In each unit, there will be either a final exam or a final essay in lieu of the exam.

OTHER
Many of your assignments will have to be typed.  Computer labs are available in various buildings on campus.  Additionally, students can obtain electronic (e-mail) accounts in order to keep in touch with friends around the world.

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