Balance work, life and study

As the saying goes, 'if you need something done, ask a busy mum'. And it's certainly true of CDU students that are mums studying an online degree with kids at home. Here, four students - who are also mums - share their top tips and insights on making time for study.

When Alicia Burrows gave birth, it wasn’t just her daughter that she fell in love with. It was also the idea of pursuing a new career as a midwife. Now she's juggling work, family and an online midwifery degree to make her dream a reality. 

As a busy mum and trained dancer, Michelle never dreamed that a different career would be possible. But CDU changed all that. Waltzing through a flexible online nursing degree, she's is now dancing to a different tune working as a nurse.

After finishing school without a HSC, Matt thought his dreams of becoming a teacher were dashed. But, thanks to a free bridging program, flexible online study and “loads of practical” through a teaching degree at Charles Darwin University, he’s set to return to school in his mid-20s.

Inspired by a hike on the Larapinta Trail, Joelene set out to pursue a career in environmental sciences. At 27 weeks pregnant, Joelene completed a three hour exam and now credits her daughter for keeping her on track. 

From finding time to finding your tribe, seven online students at CDU share their insider tips on to make online degree work for your life and goals. 

Feel like you’ve earned your nursing stripes? Ready to take on new challenges at work? Had enough of night shifts? Moving into a nurse manager role may be your calling.

Doing a Master’s degree by coursework after you’ve already completed a PhD may seem like an unusual idea to some, but health researcher Athira Rohit says ‘learning is learning’, no matter what the degree is called or what order you do it in. 

BP recently returned to study to find way to turn his passion for photography and filmmaking into a profession. Having a full-time job and a young family made study challenging but with support, BP found success.