Get started in Postgraduate Computer Science and IT

There are a number of things you can do to ensure you hit the ground running when semester begins:

• Plan your practical living arrangements for the start of semester, including finding work or financial assistance
• Mark important dates in your calendar
• Get essential information about computer requirements and specific software programs (login required) so you are ready from day one
• Complete the compulsory Academic Integrity tutorial and get to know the UQ Student Charter

Time management

The expectation at UQ is that you need to spend at least 10-12 hours per week for each course you are enrolled in (this includes class time, additional study, and working on assessment tasks). For a normal full-time study load (8 units), this is 40-48 hours per week (or more, if you want to achieve higher grades).

UQ offers some great study skills and time management resources to help you set goals and for planning your study time on a daily, weekly and semesterly basis.

It is recommended that in your first semester at UQ you should limit paid employment to 8-10 hours per week. If you have caring duties, health problems and other responsibilities, that means you can't commit to 40 - 48 hours per week. You should get in touch with an Academic Advisor to discuss whether a reduced study load is possible.

Public Transport and Car Parking

It is recommended that new students use public transport where possible to and from university as there are limited car spaces available on campus and usually fill up very early. Car parking comes with a daily charge.

Learn more about public transport and even cycling options to the university.

IT Essentials for your studies

For all of your IT questions as a new EAIT student, we recommend referring to our New EAIT Student IT Help page. From here, you can also check if your laptop or desktop meets the minimum specification requirements for your studies.

Timetables can be tricky to understand, so here at UQ we use My Timetable to make things easier.

Once you have enrolled into your courses, you'll have 2 weeks to preference your timetable from 12pm on 15th January until 9am on 29th January. If you are enrolling after this period, you will be able to select your timetable and make adjustments from 12pm Monday 5th February.

We know this process can be confusing so here are four useful tips and terms to help you out:

1. Timetable clashes occur when classes are scheduled at the same time. Use My Timetable to see alternative class times that work with your schedule.
2. Waitlist a class during the class adjustment period if you want to swap your class allocation with an option that works better for you. The earlier you do this, the better chance you have of getting the class you want.
3. Delayed Viewing gives you the option to view a lecture recording at a later time instead of attending the lecture in person. This is helpful when you want to schedule another class at the same time as the lecture. Please note that this is not offered for all lectures, so plan your timetable carefully.
4. Timetables can change, especially during the first 2 weeks of semester. Make sure you check My Timetable regularly to keep up to date.

For more information around timetables, view our Enrolment and class allocation page.

To check when class preference and adjustment periods begin and end, refer to our Academic Calendar.

Beginning a new program can be overwhelming.

To learn everything you need to know, make sure to register for your orientation and welcome events where you can hear from academics about your program, discover available resources to help you with your studies, socialise with other students and enjoy some light refreshments.

UQ is a big place to explore, so it can be hard to navigate by yourself when you first arrive.

Refer to our Find Support page to get answers around:

• help with your courses
• academic advice
• what the Engineering Architecture and Information Technology (EAIT) Faculty Office can support you with
• UQ Student Services and what they provide
• the UQ Student Union
• and much more!

Then, once you're feeling a bit more settled, there are many opportunities to connect with your community where you can make lifelong friends, learn new skills and feel more at home with UQ.

We recommend exploring our student clubs and societies, where you can meet other students with similar interests and passions.

If you're interested in working on your own project or learning about what other students are working on, you can check out UQ Innovate.

To further explore other ways to get involved, refer to our Placement and Opportunities page.