Kasun Hewawasam studied in Sydney, Australia, for a Masters in Logistics Management, graduating from the University of Sydney in 2008. In this questionnaire, Kasun shares his experiences with SL2College about the application process, studying and living in Australia and gives some advice to potential students based on his own experiences. Program details can be accessed via http://sydney.edu.au/business/itls/
THE GRADUATE APPLICATION PROCESS
What were the entry requirements?
Entry requirements for Master in Logistics Management at University of Sydney are that,
“…students must have completed a bachelor's degree, graduate diploma, graduate certificate or equivalent from a recognized tertiary institution with a minimum credit (65 per cent) average.”
(Source : http://sydney.edu.au/business/course/FC037)
Hence, my application required a bachelor’s degree with a minimum of 65% credit average and a minimum overall score of 7.0 for IELTS and 600 for paper based TOEFL (100 for internet based TOEFL). Including a resume highlighting any professional experience was recommended but was not a mandatory requirement. I wouldn't say the application process was difficult.
The application process and requirements don't seem to be hard, but it is an intensive program, so it must be competitive. Do you know any statistics of how many students are accepted, how many apply and how many international students were there in your class?
I was unable to find admission statistics thus making it difficult to comment on the competitiveness of the program. To my knowledge, the program did not have a certain number of seats allocated for international students. In fact, majority of the class were international students.
Some brief statistics I could find relating to year 2009 are as follows -
- Approximately 25 countries were represented by the student body
- Postgraduate coursework transport and logistics program unit of study enrolments were 1927
- 37 PhD candidates with 10 scholarships from the university, Australian Research Council, Government and industry
- 60% of graduates on the post graduation work experience program were offered permanent positions with their organization at the end of their placement
Did you have to do any standardised tests?
Yes, the IELTS exam to show English proficiency.
Did the Graduate Studies Department have a different due date compared to undergraduate programs?
No. I did my bachelors degree in Sri Lanka. As far as University of Sydney is concerned, their admission deadlines are same for both undergraduate and postgraduate programs.
Is the class intake in January or September every year?
Semesters run differently in Australia. Applications have to be lodged and acknowledged by 31st October in the previous year for students commencing in March (1st semester) and by 30th of April in the current year for students commencing in July (2nd semester).
Application deadlines and semester dates can be accessed by following the link below
http://sydney.edu.au/future_students/international_postgraduate_coursework/admissions/important_dates.shtml
Did you contact any professors during the graduate application process?
No
Other than grades from your undergraduate degree was there anything else that helped you in making your application stronger?
I had 4 years of professional experience directly relating to the degree program which I think may have given me some advantage. This professional experience was in Supply Chain Management (SCM) which included Supply Planning, Procurement and Strategic Sourcing, and managing 3PLs (third-party logistics providers).
THE GRADUATE EXPERIENCE
What did your graduate degree involve and how long was it?
Master in Logistics Management at University of Sydney is a 1 year program with primarily course-work and a research component in the second semester.
What was your thesis about?
Creating Value through Reverse Logistics: An Overview and Conceptual Framework
How was the program?
It was a fairly intensive program as the degree had to be completed in two semesters.
What are the highs and lows of the program?
Highs - I was exposed to the latest concepts and research in the area of Supply Chain Management.
Lows - I felt that the duration of the program should be expanded to 2 years to enable more robust coverage of the study areas.
Student feedback on ITLS (Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies, University of Sydney) programs can be found by following the link below.
http://sydney.edu.au/business/itls/courses/student_feedback
How was your program funded? What other financial aid is available to international graduate students at your university?
My degree was a course-work program. Scholarships for course-work programs in my department (Institute of Transport and Logistics Studies) were not available. However, research funding is available through a number of scholarship programs specific to the Business School as well as from the University of Sydney in general. For any research opportunities, prospective students will have to contact the respective department/professors directly (contact details are on website).
Do you get to be a Teaching Assistant (TA)? Are there internships available whereby graduate students can work in companies during their program?
Teaching Assistant positions were not available. However, a 12 week long post-graduation work experience program is available for students who successfully complete their Masters degrees at the department. This work experience program is open to students who complete a Master of Logistics Management/Transport Management or for those who complete a Masters degree with a major in logistics and supply chain management. Students are required to complete all the requirements for their degree program and have a minimum of 65% credit average.
For more details on the work placement, please follow the below link
http://sydney.edu.au/business/itls/courses/post_graduation_work_experience_program
What can one do with this degree? How will it help your portfolio?
In my opinion, this degree is ideal for the Supply Chain Management (SCM) professional who is willing to move onto its strategic level by building up on his/her existing skills, competencies and relevant work experience. In terms of its scope, the degree will cover aspects at a strategic level relating to almost all the functions which fall under the area of Supply Chain Management. Therefore, it might be of importance to professionals engaged in Procurement, Strategic Sourcing, Demand and Supply Planning, inbound and outbound logistics operations, Warehousing and Distribution. I believe the degree will hold its value in an era where SCM is becoming increasingly important as a means of creating a competitive advantage for an organization as well as to the professionals practicing various aspects of SCM.
LIFE IN SYDNEY
Coming from Sri Lanka, what was your experience of Sydney?
As most of you have heard, Sydney has quite a large Sri Lankan community. Australia being a multicultural country, one would not find it difficult to get along with the community. Weather in Sydney is moderate and fortunately we are not exposed to extreme summer or winter conditions. In winter, coldest days would be only around 5 to 6˚C at night. There are many events within the Sri Lankan community – information on these events can be accessed via various websites like www.ozlanka.com. Most undergraduate programs will have Sri Lankan students while some postgraduate programs may not have any. For instance, I did not have any Sri Lankan students studying with me during my course.
What about the cost of living?
The cost of living in Sydney is high. Rent will be a substantial component of a student's monthly or weekly living expenses. Rent varies depending on the area and it gets cheaper as you move away from the city. A rough guide on basic living expenses would be as follows (in Australian dollars, per week) -
Rent: $150-250 for off-campus or shared accommodation where the common areas of houses or apartments (kitchen, laundry, living area, etc) are shared by a few people who each have their own bedroom. The above rate is based on non-bedroom sharing basis. It might be a bit cheaper if you share your bedroom with someone.
Food: $60 for groceries, assuming that you cook for some meals + $30 for meals at restaurants.
Mobile phone: $10
Internet: $10
Public Transport: $35. This can vary depending on where you stay.
What are the accommodations for graduate students? Do you have experience living off or on campus?
On and off-campus accommodation options are available. I have experienced living off-campus where the houses were shared by a couple of people. It was a good opportunity to learn about other cultures and make new friends. I recommend this as a suitable option for any prospective student. However, finding a place can require a considerable amount of time and effort.
SL2College would like to thank Kamilka Malwatte from the SL2College editorial team for her efforts in working with Kasun Hewawasam on this article.
Date of publication in Sunday Observer: 15 May 2011
This and other related articles are available on www.sl2college.org, under the resources section. SL2College is a global community that provides FREE advice and guidance to Sri Lankan students. Envisioned in 2005, SL2College helps Sri Lankan students access relevant information that would assist them in making informed decisions about their educational goals. Please post your queries on: www.sl2college.org or email - info@sl2college.org
