By Carley Frea, ISA Australia Site Specialist
Situated along the banks of the Brisbane River where colonial buildings stand side by side with skyscrapers, one will find Queensland’s capital city; Brisbane. With its energetic and urban atmosphere, excellent art and food scene, and sunny and warm climate year-round, it is no surprise that this, Australia’s third largest city, has become one of the country’s most desirable places to live. The city’s cosmopolitan vibes and easy, laid back charm also make it an attractive study abroad destination for students in a variety of academic disciplines, but more specifically for STEM students where courses are prevalent at both of ISA’s host institutions; Queensland University of Technology (QUT) and the University of Queensland.
Queensland University of Technology (QUT)
QUT prides itself as being a university where students gain practical skills with internationally recognized, award-winning teachers in courses that promote professional and contemporary practice through real-world integrated theory, knowledge and skills. At QUT, students will benefit from imaginatively designed learning and research spaces, including the world-class Science and Engineering Centre at QUT’s Garden Point campus. This learning space is home to The Cube, a two-story high, interactive, digital display system where researchers can showcase ideas and the public can learn and engage with the rotating displays.
The wide array of course options within several engineering disciplines make QUT ISA’s top academic recommendation for the Pacific Region. These disciplines include:Aerospace Engineering Electrical EngineeringCivil Engineering Mechanical EngineeringComputer and Software Engineering Systems EngineeringEngineers Australia (EA), a signatory of the Washington Accord, has professionally accredited all undergraduate, engineering course offerings at QUT. In addition to engineering, QUT offers STEM options within sport and exercise science, mathematics, hard sciences (chemistry and physics), and information technology, just to name a few.
While academic selections in the STEM discipline at QUT are widespread, these are not the only academic opportunities for study abroad students. For students outside the STEM realm, popular academic areas are Business, Psychology, and Creative Industries (Journalism, Film and TV, Fashion, Acting, Dance, Architecture, Creative Writing, etc.).
University of Queensland
The University of Queensland (UQ) is a prestigious institution ranked in the top 50 global universities by three major ranking groups (QS, Times Higher Education and ARWU). Its beautiful, 280-acre St. Lucia campus is a mix of old sandstone and modern architecture, parklands and lakes. Located in southwest Brisbane, campus is bound by the Brisbane River and sits just four miles from downtown Brisbane.
The university’s strong reputation for teaching and research provides study abroad students with an exciting opportunity to enhance their educational experiences through a variety of high-quality, practical and/or theoretical course offerings, many which focus on Australian topics or provide students with experiential learning opportunities through field trips. Strong STEM disciplines include Biology and Environmental Sciences, both top academic program recommendations by ISA, as well as Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry. Several course offerings, particularly within environment and science, offer courses with field components, allowing students to learn outside the classroom within southeast Queensland. A few subjects have been popular with past ISA participants include:
- Australia’s Marine Environment
- Geology of Coral Reefs
- Tropical Marine Ecosystems
- Tropical Marine Ecosystems
- Environmental Toxicology and Monitoring
- Australia’s Terrestrial Environment
Beyond STEM, participants can explore courses in Urban Studies and Planning, Humanities, Psychology, Business and more while studying at UQ.
For more information about studying STEM subjects in Brisbane, Australia, please contact the ISA Brisbane Site Specialist, Carley Frea, at cfrea@studiesabroad.com.
