Answers to the frequently asked questions by a prospective or continuing students of Asia Pacific International College.
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Is APIC
a recognised institution and are its courses formally accredited?
Yes, APIC has been formally recognised and registered
by the Department of Education and Training of NSW Government as an Australian Higher Education Institution. The Graduate Program in Business and Project
Management has also been fully accredited by the same authority. The degrees and awards
under this program have the same standing as those of Australian University degrees according to the Australian Qualifications Framework.
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Do I have to move to Sydney Australia to study?
The courses offered by APIC can be studied in Sydney or in a distance mode. The course structure, learning program and timetable are the same for both modes of study. For those who prefer to study in Sydney they follow scheduled regular classroom and teamwork sessions using the College premises and facilities. They conduct their project work under supervision. Those who study through the distance mode also follow a structured project-based learning approach.
Even when students study through the distance mode they still need to attend the relevant Intensive Knowledge Workshops that kick start the units of study in each semester. Unless otherwise advised in individual cases, all workshops are generally held in Sydney. Please also note that all formal graduate students are required to attend the Professional Development Planning Workshop (2-day intensive) typically held Sydney. In addition, they are required to come to Sydney for their formal assessment which typically takes a couple of hours at the conclusion of studies in each unit.
Those who study through the face-to-face mode can access the unit websites outside the College premises and can use the resources at any time. This approach provides for maximum flexibility to all Sydney based students.
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Is this a
distance education program?
Our courses can be studied in a variety of ways including distance learning facilitated by the Internet. However all students are required to attend intensive workshops upfront followed by team and project learning under mentoring. There will be a high degree of interaction between students and supervisors whether through the distance or face-to-face mode.
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Does it
matter if I come from a different country and can I do the program in my home
country?
No, it does not matter if you come from a different country, and yes you can complete the program in your country. Individual students have different learning styles and despite technological advancements many prefer to study face-to-face. APIC recognises this scientific reality and offers students the opportunity to select a learning mode that suits them best. Even when the distance mode is selected, students still need to attend Intensive Knowledge Workshops that are staged in Sydney. (Subject to other considerations, workshops may be staged in other locations, i.e. as part of the College´s offshore delivery programs.)
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What
happens if I cannot access the Internet during the time of my studies?
If you are studying through the face-to-face mode, you can access the Internet in the College premises. For those who select to study through the distance mode they need regular access to the Internet. You do not need to be online continuously for long periods of time. While the Internet is our main medium for communication, document and information transmission and other essential interactions for the distance mode, students spend most of their time on their project work offline.
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Do studies
lead to an accredited graduate degree?
Yes, provided you are enrolled in as a candidate for, and complete the requirements of the respective graduate degree. Please note that only one-half of total units studied as CPD can count towards an academic degree in a given program. Admission to candidature of a degree is not automatic and requires compliance with the APIC's Rules and Regulations. Typically the candidate must possess a bachelor degree from a recognized institution and or equivalent qualifications. See how to apply for details.
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Do
studies in project management align with the Project Management Institute and
PMBOK®?
In our core units of study we do cover PMBOK® fully, including relevant knowledge tests. After completion of our core units all students should be able to sit for the PMP® test conducted by PMI and pass the same with relative ease. The Executive Diploma in Project and Program Management covers PMBOK® fully and is also a qualification in its own right.
Note: PMBOK® and PMP® are registered trademarks of Project Management Institute.
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What type of
courses is APIC offering?
Asia Pacific International College offers industry-based courses in many fields that focus on development of individual competences and performance (see list of Schools and Programs). The first program formally accredited by the Higher Education Directorate is the Graduate Program in Business and Project Management.
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What is meant
by a unit of study?
An academic course comprises a number of units of study and other learning activities. All academic degrees require completion of a number of core and elective units of study. Each unit of study is a self-contained package that has its own objectives, scope, learning program and learning materials. Refer unit of study overview for further briefing.
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Where
can I get more help on selecting my course units?
The purpose of PDP
Workshop is to assist individual students to develop their own personalised and optimised learning and development (L&D) plans in which they will assess their needs and select the most appropriate course of study. This is done after a thorough briefing during the workshop sessions. It enables individual students to set development targets for themselves that will be in line with their needs and aspirations.
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Where
can I find details of the units of study?
For details of the units offered by the Graduate Program in
Business and Project Management please see Units of Study.
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How do
I enrol and choose my course units?
There are two enrolment processes
(running side by side):
- Units of study enrolment and
- Formal admission and enrolment as a graduate student
of Asia Pacific International College (candidate for a graduate
degree)
The unit enrolment is simple,
please click on Online Enrolment to view the selection on offer, then select
the units that you wish to study in the semester under consideration (one
semester only), and submit the form online or fill in the same, sign, print and
fax or mail it to the Academic Management Office.
For formal admission fill in the Application for Admission, print, sign and send it to the College by post. Please enclose the required supporting document. For detail information regarding enrolment, please visit the College web site. Use the same form for admission into any of the following courses.
- Graduate Certificate
in PM
- Graduate Diploma in
PM
- Master of Business and
Project Management (MBPM)
- MBA (Project and Program
Management)
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How do I pay for
my enrolment?
Tuition fees are payable in advance for each unit of study. Please complete the Online Enrolment form and submit it. We will advise you of the amount payable and payment methods afterwards.
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What is Executive
Diploma?
Executive Diploma is an executive and professional qualification designed to assist professionals to upgrade or obtain the latest knowledge on core areas of project and program management as per recognised standards. Note that students who successfully complete the Executive Diploma can obtain advanced standing for the relevant knowledge workshops subject to meeting a number of conditions. Successful completion of the Executive Diploma also entitles students to a number of Professional Development Units of PMI.
Please view Executive Diploma in
Project and Program Management for more details.
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What are the
Semester dates?
To see when the next semester begins please see the Academic Calendar.
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What are the
admission criteria?
Entry into any of the award courses the College offers is open to all applicants who possess a relevant Bachelor degree and or a Graduate degree from a recognised institution either in Australia and or overseas. Those who have not completed a formal degree may be admitted into the program through the flexible entry mode. Normally admission is subject to the candidate having completed a Diploma or an Advanced Diploma or an equivalent qualification in a relevant field in a recognised institution. Industry experience in a relevant field is considered an advantage. Eligibility for admission through the flexible entry mode will be determined on a case by case basis (a charge may apply for assessing certain cases).
For admission into one of the award courses the College requires as a minimum one of the following English qualifications.
- Academic IELTS: Overall band score of 6.5 or better with no band below 6.0;
- TOEFL: 577 or better plus Test of Written English (TWE) at 4.5+;
- CBT (Computer-based TOEFL): 233 with an Essay Rating of 4.5;
- IBT (Internet-based TOEFL): Overall score of 90 with a writing section minimum of 21;
- Cambridge Certificate of Proficiency in English: Grades A or B;
- CULT (Combined Universities Language Test): 75 or better with a minimum of 17.5 in each skill.
The qualification must be less than 2 years old. The exception is when a student has completed an academic course in an English speaking institution or can otherwise demonstrate the required minimum English proficiency. Those who do not meet English Qualification requirements will be referred to English language centres to complete intensive courses in English prior to their commencing their award courses at APIC. The length of English course required varies, typically from 4 to 20 weeks depending on the individual case. Upon completion of the respective courses the Student must sit for and obtain an acceptable English qualification of the type listed above or otherwise demonstrate evidence of meeting the English proficiency requirement as specified.
The above admission criteria and English proficiency requirements are broadly similar to those applied by universities in Australia.
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How
much does it cost to do a unit of study?
APIC is committed to providing cost-effective and affordable learning and development opportunities for students around the world. APIC´s schedule of charges and fees are among the lowest considering the quality of the services we deliver. Our costs are low due to relatively small administration costs, lower campus investment and operating charges. From this, we are able to pass on the savings to our students via lower fees and charges.
NOTE: A unit of study consists of 3 components to be undertaken over one semester: (1) Intensive Knowledge workshop, (2) Project Phase, (3) Project Assessment. Each workshop is typically 4 days long, and prepares students for the project phase in the unit of study under consideration.
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What is PDP?
PDP stands for Professional Development Planning; it is a 2-day intensive workshop held prior to the start of each semester in each year in Sydney. Its purpose is to help students develop their own personalised learning and development plans and receive briefing on the program, facilities available and other issues. A Certificate of Completion for "Professional Development Planning" will be awarded upon successful completion of the PDP Workshop and development of an endorsed L&D Plan by the student.
Please view PDP Workshops for details.
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Is
there any face-to-face teaching to help start a course?
APIC offers its courses through both face-to-face and online learning. When studying through the face-to-face mode students follow a structured learning program that is similar to that followed by those learning through the distance mode.
When students study through the distance mode they still need to attend the intensive knowledge workshops in person. Only those who successfully complete and pass the knowledge test conducted at the end of the workshop are able to proceed to the next phase of the unit. For further information please view Intensive Knowledge Workshops.
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What is the Refund
policy?
Where a student has paid fees for a unit of study in a program, but does not wish to continue with enrolment, the refund policy set forth by Asia Pacific International College applies.
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Is
there any scholarship that I can apply for?
Starting in 2008, and subject to specified criteria, APIC offers 2 scholarships competitively each year (based on academic and professional merit). Please refer to APIC Foundation Scholarship for details. Most of the students are financed and or sponsored by their employers.
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Is
there a loan scheme for Australian citizens or permanent residents to cover
tuition fees?
No, currently APIC is not linked to any loan scheme.
Individual students are often in a better position to organise their own
finances for studying at APIC.
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Can I
look at a demonstration of teaching and learning methods?
Please view Unit of Study for a thorough understanding of how each unit of study will
be staged and the unique advantages that our teaching and learning methods have. As you may note from the information displayed in our web site, our teaching and learning methods are based on the latest research findings in terms of the most effective way to enhance the insights, critical thinking skills and professional competencies of students.
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Can I design
my own study program?
As a continuing education student or freelance participant you may design your own study program. What matters is the manner and extent to which you are able to focus your studies to achieve your educational and professional development goals. As a formal graduate student of APIC you will be able to select the course most suited to your needs. Further, you can select your desired elective units of study, subject to the specified requirements of the chosen degree program.
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How
long does it normally take to do a graduate degree?
APIC offers maximum flexibility with regard to the length
of time taken by students to complete any of its graduate degrees. The minimum
and maximum lengths of time permitted to complete each academic award course
are set out below:
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Degree
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Minimum Time
(Australian
&
Offshore Students)
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Maximum Time
(Australian
&
Offshore Students)
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Maximum Time
(International
Students)
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Graduate Certificate in PM
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6 months
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36 months
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12 months
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Graduate Diploma in PM
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12 months
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36 months
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18 months
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Master of Business and Project Management
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12 months
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48 months
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24 months
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MBA (Project and Program Management)
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18 months
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48 months
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24 months
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What is the course structure?
Please look up the links below to view the course structure for each graduate degree:
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Who are Course
Convenors?
Course Convenors are lecturers who teach the assigned course units on a semester by semester basis. The Course Convenor of a unit of study typically teaches the entire unit in a semester. This includes all related assessments. In large classes a number of tutors are employed to assist Course Convenors.
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Who are
the people involved with the delivery of Business and Project Management
Program and what are their qualifications?
To view information on our current professors and lecturers who deliver the Graduate Program in Business and Project Management please look up Educators.
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Can I
defer my studies whenever I want?
Yes you can defer enrolment in a particular semester but
cannot discontinue your studies once you commence studying in a particular
unit. For details regarding withdrawals, deferrals and other academic
regulations please refer to APIC General Regulations.
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How
much time (on average) do I need to spend a week on a typical unit?
The time commitments will be around 15 hours per week per unit/semester (12 weeks average) but this depends very much on the person´s background knowledge and abilities etc.
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What
type of people do I expect to team up with at APIC?
APIC has an international student mix and we emphasise close interaction among them. The diversity of backgrounds is in fact a resource as it allows cross fertilisation of ideas and indepth learning.
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What
software applications do I need for the project phase?
Normal Internet browser, email and standard office software
for word processing, spreadsheet and related tasks are sufficient (most can be
open source).
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How can
I find out if I am entitled to any credit for prior learning?
APIC normally awards credit for prior learning for
equivalent units completed and assessed at recognised institutions. There may
be other instances that APIC might grant credit for prior learning and all are
assessed on a case by case basis. Lodgement of an application is no guarantee
that it will be successful as all applications that do not meet the Guidelines
and Criteria for Recognised Prior Learning will be rejected. It is the
responsibility of claimants to ensure they are entitled to credit under APIC´s
Guidelines and Criteria viewed at Prior
Learning Recognition. Please note that there is a non-refundable fee
for assessing credit application.
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How can
I apply for credit for a given unit?
APIC has a process for assessment and recognition of prior learning of students. The applicant is required to find a match between
the respective unit´s scope, target competencies and assessment requirements
and the equivalent study completed elsewhere. Documentary evidence may include
the syllabus of the subject studied, assessment methods, actual mark and grade,
date and other relevant information. Send your request along with the relevant
supporting documentation after your PDP Workshop. (Note that APIC only accepts
applications for RPL assessment from its enrolled students.) For details please
see Prior Learning Recognition.
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Can
APIC courses be customised to suit a corporate customer?
While the fundamental knowledge in project, program, portfolio and organisation management do not change the context will differ. In that sense our students acquire the latest conceptual methods and techniques and learn their application in the context under consideration applying action research learning techniques. Thus, real life projects and organisations are used as the site of learning and research.
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Is
mid semester enrolment possible?
Yes, but only for continuing education and professional development students.
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Will there be a
midyear intake?
Yes, there will be two intakes annually: April Semester
(apply prior to mid March) and September Semester (apply prior to the end of
July).
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Is
there a quota in place for the number of students admitted each semester?
APIC ensures that the number of students enrolled in a particular unit of study is within the available capacity. The enrolment will
be open to all on the basis of first come first served. Late applicants may
have to wait till the units of their choice are offered again.
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Is the
course receiving positive feedback from students and business?
APIC is committed to a process of continuous improvement to ensure we deliver the highest quality programs at all times. Our students consistently rate our courses and programs at above 95%.
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What
are the guidelines for online education?
Strictly speaking we are not an online educational institution. Our model of education is project-based and can be studied in both onsite and online mode or a mixture of both. To accelerate the learning process and align students´ knowledge, we stage intensive face-to-face knowledge workshops at the commencement of each unit of study. Students then commence their research and teamwork. Each unit has its own dedicated web site that facilitates the conduct of the respective project phase. At APIC you will be taught by leading experts and expect to closely interact with a cohort of peers from different fields of endeavour, engendering transfer of knowledge and expertise across different branches of industry. There are no specific guidelines for our model of education other than being committed, self-organised and having a desire to succeed in your studies and in your professional career.
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What
are the advantages of online education over classroom based education?
The following are the advantages:
- Take a class anywhere - Learn at home or
at the office because you only need a computer and Internet access;
- Take a class anytime - Accessible 24
hours a day, 7 days a week;
- You decide when to attend - Take courses
according to your busy schedule and pace;
- Access to latest body of
knowledge/material - Convenors can easily update teaching material as new
information becomes available;
- Instant feedback - You can be in touch
with relevant course convenors via the Internet and Email and receive a
response to your question fast. Assignments are graded and returned to you
within days;
- An interactive learning environment -
On-line technologies such as audio/video-conferencing, email, mailing
lists, WebChat, etc. enable interaction with other students and course
convenors; and
- Lower costs - Keep your appointment and
maintain your income.
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What
are the disadvantages of online education?
The following are the perceived disadvantages:
- Students work in isolation - Most likely
you will work in isolation at your home or office. Many of you are
geographically dispersed in all corners of the world;
- Asynchronous classes - Your interactions
are mostly asynchronous but can also be synchronous;
- Dependent on computer technology - The
principal communication medium between you and your colleagues and your
convenor is the computer and the Internet. Our experience to-date
indicates that the Internet is surprisingly robust and we have not
experienced any adverse impacts as in our model of education one does not
have to be online all the time, only a few times a week. Most of students
work on their projects off line.
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Why
should I study at Asia Pacific International College
Individual needs and priorities vary a lot and while APIC courses can be customised to fit a variety of needs, the decision to study at APIC or alternative institutions is a matter for individual students to decide. As an initial guide, do you need to acquire fresh expertise that enables you better understand and master the art of management through projects and programs in an increasingly uncertain and complex world? Are you looking for a graduate program that is flexible (does not require you quitting your job) integrates well with workplace realities, is practical and yet challenging, is tough and yet fun, can systematically link you with your peers and frontline thinkers without losing the sight of your field and can be customised to respond to your specific needs?
If you have answered yes to one or more of the above questions APIC can help. Our approach is based on many years of research on effective methods of postgraduate research and learning. If you wish to clarify specific points about our course please contact us for further consultations.
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Which
model does APIC education belong to?
APIC has designed a hybrid model that combines traditional classroom learning with project-based learning. Our courses can be studied face-to-face or through the Internet. Whichever mode of study you select you will receive continuous mentoring and feedback that helps you develop your critical thinking skills and master the latest concepts, tools and techniques in your field..You learn from the leading experts. Our courses also promote peer group interaction.
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Students 
