The Cities
Situated on the banks of the Swan River, bounded by the white sand and surf beaches of the Indian Ocean, Perth is the capital of Western Australia with a population of over one million. A beautiful Mediterranean climate and clean, safe urban environment make Perth one of Australia’s most pleasant cities. Home to five universities, Perth’s many services and cultural events are tailored to its young population. Proximity to many spectacular natural resources offers outdoor activities such as surfing, hiking, and scuba diving.
The urban area of Perth encompasses the port city of Fremantle, with coffee shops and cafés in an historic atmosphere, showcasing famous Victorian and Edwardian architecture. Rottnest Island, a short ferry trip from Fremantle, provides outstanding outdoor recreational opportunities.
The Universities
Murdoch University
Located 15 minutes from Perth’s center and 30 minutes from the port city of Fremantle, Murdoch University is a friendly, multicultural campus of 17,000 students, including 2,000 international students. The University has an international reputation for teaching and research excellence, as supported by the establishment of the United Nations Environmental Institute (one of only five worldwide) on Murdoch’s main campus. Murdoch has been ranked first as the top teaching campus in Australia in the Prime Minister’s national education awards. Course offerings span the disciplines. Specialist discipline areas include: Aboriginal studies, Asian studies, Australian studies, communication and media studies, environmental science, theological studies, and women’s studies.
The University of Notre Dame Australia
Established in 1990 and located in the heart of Fremantle, Notre Dame is a private Catholic university founded in collaboration with Notre Dame University (USA). Notre Dame is a “town university” with a relatively small student body (4,500) which makes this institution particularly inviting for BC students. Notre Dame’s teaching faculty have a reputation for their significant industry experience, and the low student to staff ratio ensures that this expertise is readily accessible to all students. Subjects are offered in a range of disciplines with unique Australian field trip opportunities designed for study abroad students.
The Program
Murdoch University
The program gives international students the opportunity to spend one or two semesters of their undergraduate degree in Perth. Study Abroad students have a wide choice of subjects across the disciplines offered on-campus, enabling them not only to meet the subject requirements of the home institution but also to deepen and broaden their educational experience by studying subjects not available to you at home.
University of Notre Dame (UNDA)
Students at Notre Dame enroll in a range of courses from various programs of study at UNDA and take classes alongside their Australian counterparts for full integration into the Australian educational system. These include Aboriginal studies, Australian history, business, behavioral science, communications, education, environmental sciences, history, legal studies, literature, philosophy, politics, psychology, theology. A special course in Australian History and Society has been designed especially for US students and includes a field trip to the Kimberley region of northwestern Australia where students visit an Aboriginal community and experience their way of life. Students gain a unique understanding of Aboriginal culture from an historical perspective and examine current issues of the Australian Aboriginal community. A field trip to Southeast Asia is also offered to business students as part of the Business in Asia (Semester 2) course.
Orientation/Academic support
For both universities, BC students participate in a week-long comprehensive university-sponsored orientation program. The International offices provide personal and academic counseling.
Housing
Students at Murdoch are typically housed in the Student Village in fully furnished flats for two to eight students with kitchens and lounge. Students not living in the Village often share furnished houses or flats within walking distance of campus. Murdoch has an off-campus housing officer to assist with finding off-campus housing.
Students at Notre Dame live in university housing nearby or on campus. Student residence buildings include recently renovated hotels in which students have a single or shared furnished bedroom/study and access to a small computer laboratory and lounge area. Kitchen and dining facilities are available for students to do their own cooking and meal preparation. Notre Dame also has a housing officer to assist with off-campus housing options.
Activities
Murdoch University provides a wonderful opportunity to experience an Australia little known to international students and travelers. Students can enjoy the cafe strip in Fremantle or explore the natural environment, from the sparking pristine beaches of the south to the rugged and remote outback of the Kimberleys in the far north.
The International Office at Murdoch organizes a ten-day camping expedition in remote Western Australia. This excursion to the rugged northwest of Western Australia covers nearly 4,000 km, or 2,500 miles, across plains of wild flowers and the vast outcrop that is outback Australia. On this trip, students meet the dolphins at Monkey Mia in the Shark Bay World Heritage Area; visit Ningaloo reef, home to some 500 species of fish; and hike the spectacular gorges of Karijini National Park. The trip also introduces students to the Aboriginal peoples, their history and traditions, as well as the major issues they face today.
Notre Dame provides a unique opportunity for an encounter/immersion experience with an Aboriginal community in the remote Kimberley region of Western Australia. Business and arts students can take a field trip to South East Asia in Semester 2. Many environmental courses offer field trips to remote locations including the south coast of Western Australia, the southwestern forests, Rottnest Island and the central and northwestern coastal areas of the state. Other social activities are arranged by the Student Life office, which includes study abroad students in all activities. A student mentor program is also available.
Service opportunities
Notre Dame encourages students to participate in community service activities and offers a range of placements in the local area through its volunteer program.
