In summary

  • For some students, changing their course or major can be part of finding the right path at Swinburne – and support is available to help make the switch
  • Grace and Samuel share how pivoting their studies led to greater clarity, confidence, and career direction
  • With Census dates approaching, now is the time for students to explore their options and take action if their current course doesn’t feel right

Finding a pathway to success isn’t always a linear process.

If you’re a student who’s started a degree or major and sense it’s not quite right for you, Swinburne is here to support you through that change. The ideal time to make that change is before your course’s Census date – the last opportunity to change your enrolment without incurring the cost of the units.

Swinburne alumni Grace and student Samuel share their stories on how they made the decision to change tack and find their path.

Grace’s pivot from ICT to Media and Communications

When Grace began her journey at Swinburne, it was in the Department of Information Technology studying a Bachelor of Information Communication and Technology (ICT). She stepped into that degree because she thought it was a good way to set herself up for the future.

But, it soon became clear to Grace that studying ICT wasn’t where she wanted to be.

“I realised pretty quickly that it just wasn’t right for me,” says Grace. “It was a mix of gut instinct and noticing that I didn’t feel any interest in what the (very talented!) staff were teaching.”

“No matter how hard I tried, so many of the concepts just weren’t clicking, and that’s when I really started to question if I was in the right degree.”

Taking time out to find the right path

Grace made the decision to step away from her studies for a year, taking time to work and consider what she wanted to do next.

“At the time I felt overwhelmed and a bit behind my peers, but looking back, it was the best decision I could’ve made,” says Grace.

“That break gave me clarity and a much better sense of what I actually wanted.”

A year later, she walked back into Swinburne doing a Bachelor of Media and Communications (Public Relations).

The benefits of change were instantly clear

Grace says it took some resilience to get back into the uni routine and accept that some of her high-school peers might be a year or two ahead. But after her first class, she felt a positive shift.

“I quickly noticed the difference in how I enjoyed the content and understood the topics more compared to my old classes,” says Grace.

“I started being able to envision my future career path and where I wanted to be. When family and friends asked me about what I wanted to do, I was actually excited to tell them my plans!”

“Meeting so many fellow students with the same goals and passions as me really helped fuel my drive and creativity as well.”

"Changing courses is not a sign of failure"

Grace has some great advice for other students who are unsure if they’re in the right course.

“If there's one thing I couldn't stress enough, it's that changing courses is not a sign of failure; it's purely just part of us learning who we are and what we want to do in life,” says Grace.

“Don't worry about falling behind your peers, everybody is on their own timeline. Try some electives in another faculty to see if you gravitate towards any of them. You're never too far into your degree to switch. If it doesn't feel right, it probably isn’t, and your future self will thank you!”

Switching majors changed Samuel’s life for the better

Samuel is studying a Bachelor of Laws/Bachelor of Business with a major in accounting. But before then, he was majoring in data analytics and feeling anxious that it wasn’t for him.

A conversation with his professor revealed that switching majors wasn’t as difficult as he thought it would be.

“If you're feeling like you need to change course, reach out. There are people at Swinburne ready to support you,” says Samuel.

Course Changers: Meet Samuel

Course Changers: Meet Samuel

Samuel shares his story of how a conversation with his professor about changing his major – and the support he received in navigating that change – set him on the right path for his studies

Video transcript [PDF]

Make the change before Census date

At Swinburne, we aspire to be the most diverse and inclusive university in Australia, where every learner is provided a pathway to success.

More information on how you can make changes to your course or major before Census date is available in our Ask George FAQs. You can also speak to your lecturer or course coordinator, or visit Student HQ.

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