The Otago Post - issue 6

Monday 16 June 2014 3:17pm

For people interested or involved in postgraduate study at Otago

Five years ago I was teaching an online postgraduate course for a US university from Palmerston North, with students in Germany and Iraq as well as the US. The course was about distance education, the university was Penn State, and the students had a range of backgrounds, including several who were in the US military. That's what distance education does – it brings people from diverse backgrounds together in a common space with a common goal.

You'll know, as my students did, that a postgraduate qualification is important for professional development and career progression. But you don't always have to be on-campus to gain that internationally respected qualification. You, as well as the lecturer, can be anywhere in the world. And yes, we did have to develop ways to deal with the submariners who didn't always have internet connectivity.

Otago's distance programmes are concentrated in the Health Sciences where we can rightly claim to be a pre-eminent provider of postgraduate distance qualifications. Other Divisions across the University provide distance courses that reflect areas of strength and expertise for which Otago has long been known. At the postgraduate level we focus on providing courses in areas where we have specific expertise. You'll find that whatever the course, in whichever Division, you'll be connecting with some of the best minds in the business in a rich, research-informed learning environment! ... in your time, at your place.

Bill Anderson
Director, University of Otago Distance Learning

Latest News

	Distance learning leads doctor to Delhi Right now, behind the scenes of Kiwi sporting achievement at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Delhi, there's a team of health workers keeping our athletes at their best.
	The secrets of becoming Supervisor of the Year The simple mantra “do the right thing” is what saw Dr Jim Cotter voted this year's OUSA Supervisor of the Year by a host of postgraduate students who describe his attributes in tones of near — and actual — reverence.
	East and west meet in Heidelberg Languages and Cultures PhD student Yumin Ao appears to accumulate academic experiences the way some of us would like to collect works of art — prolifically, enjoyably and wisely.
	Adventure tourism a research drawcard Working in adventure tourism means your days are spent smiling, being helpful and oozing confidence no matter what.

In brief

Postgraduate scholarships and awards

While prospective PhD candidates can apply for University of Otago scholarships year-round, prospective Masters, Doctor of Clinical Dentistry and Doctor of Education students should apply for 2011 scholarships and awards before 1 November, when applications close.

Otago bestows more than 240 postgraduate scholarships and awards every year based on candidates' academic merit and research ability. More information and application forms are available from the Postgraduate Scholarships section of the website.

Graduate Research Month here for good

Mark down August on your 2011 calendar as Otago's next Graduate Research Month. Following the inaugural month-long spotlight on postgraduate research in August 2010, the GRM is set to become an annual highlight. Events throughout the month and across the University's campuses included workshops and presentations, information evenings for prospective postgraduate students and social gatherings.

The GRM also celebrated the contribution postgraduate students make to the wider University and to society's wider search for new knowledge with its second Three Minute Thesis competition.

Thesis research first-hand

Find out about the experiences of four Otago research students and their supervisors in our postgraduate research profile videos.

Sleep research PhD opportunity with a University of Otago scholarship

A team of investigators researching the outcomes of early intervention for sleep problems in infancy has an opening for a research career. The specific project would fit within part of a large four-arm, randomised controlled trial (RCT) entering its second year of study (infants recruited from birth). The full RCT aims to determine whether extra education and support for families around weaning and early food and activity habits, with or without intervention, to improve infant sleep patterns, will decrease the current risk patterns of rapid excessive early childhood weight gain. The study is collaborative with researchers in the Departments of Nutrition and Medicine, with the sleep arm supported and supervised by staff within Women's & Children's Health.

For further information contact:

Dr Barbara Galland
Email barbara.galland@otago.ac.nz

Professor Barry Taylor
Email barry.taylor@otago.ac.nz
Department of Women's & Children's Health
Dunedin School of Medicine

Otago Postgraduate Information Essentials

• Key Contacts
• Key Statistics
• Postgraduate webpage
• Abbey College
• Scholarships
• Request a Postgraduate Information pack

For previous Otago Post stories visit the Otago Post Archive page.