'Wanna be' tertiary transfer students: The experience of two transitions

Increasing tertiary entrance scores and competition for niche programs results in undergraduate students looking for alternate pathways to their preferred program. One such program at Flinders University has seen an increase in students using the first year of the Bachelor of Health Science (BHS) as pathway to the paramedic major. Students who self-identify as ‘tertiary transfers’ were asked about their tertiary transfer experience as they endeavoured to realise their aspirations of ‘wanna be’ paramedics or dieticians. Following on from Reynolds & Kutileh (2010), this ethics approved project seeks to further research the experience of tertiary transfer students. To our knowledge there has been little Australian based research on the experience of students transitioning to other undergraduate programs. Some research has been undertaken in the United States of America (USA) on students moving from vocational or community colleges to four year degree programs (Berger & Malaney 2003). Berger & Malaney (2003, p 15) describe a ‘transfer shock’ experience which can be countered by supporting students with academic and peer programs. . These students utilised the Flinders Link policy, whereby if they achieve a Grade Point Average (GPA) of 6.0 or greater after completing a full time load (36 units) they have a guaranteed place in their destination program. This research project uses a questionnaire, interviews and focus groups to determine the support required for tertiary transfer students This presentation reports the initial findings of this project.