A first year for the history books: Charmaine’s VU Block Model® success

Despite some initial fears about the transition from school to uni, Charmaine Murphy was delighted to have a great first year experience and achieve outstanding results.

We chatted to Charmaine to discover how the VU difference made – well – all the difference.

How did Charmaine achieve success?

Making the right choice

“I chose VU for its amazing reputation for teaching courses, and I was familiar with the uni as my brother had attended VU. I’m majoring in history with my Bachelor of Arts and then I plan to study the Master of Teaching to become a high school history teacher.”

Smashing the fear factor

“I received higher grades than I was expecting in first year* – partly because in Year 12 uni was portrayed as incredibly intimidating. Teachers would stress not only how difficult it was to get into university, but also how difficult it was going to be to juggle multiple subjects and focus on them.

"But all that fear-mongering was an exaggeration and VU was nothing like that!”

Gaining the Block advantage

“I believe the VU Block Model® contributed to my success as it enabled me to focus on one unit at a time without dividing my attention on multiple units. Therefore, I had a lot more time to work on assignments and make sure they were completed to a high standard.”

Getting out into the real world

“I went on several field trips throughout my first year, including the NGV, State Library, and the Footscray community. I look forward to the next two years’ practical placement opportunities that will give me real workplace experiences.

"In my Masters, the extensive placement requirements will be incredibly beneficial to experience what my career is going to look and feel like. They will also reveal to me who I will be as a teacher.”

*Charmaine consistently achieved high distinctions in every subject in her first year!