 As a specialist fire investigator in the New Zealand Fire Service, I conduct origin and cause investigations with the aim of reducing the incidences and consequences of fires and explosions. The CSU Course on Fire Investigations has been invaluable to my professional development. The University tutors openly shared their wealth of knowledge and their professional experiences and provided great support and compassion to me and my family at the time of the loss of a sibling. I would like to personally thank Associate Professor Tracey Green who helped me out on several occasions, even when she was on annual leave, thank you.; There is no doubt about it, the standards required were very high and I had to work exceptionally hard to achieve the graduate Diploma of Fire Investigation. All of the hard work has been worth it. It is extremely satisfying both personally and professionally. I now feel confident to face judicial process and will be using my acquired knowledge to educate fellow colleagues on the importance of early identification Gary Beer Grad Dip Fire Investigation 2011 |
| I am an Inspector and Community Safety Officer with the NSWRFS, with community education, pre incident planning, Hazard reduction and fuel management being priorities. The discipline and time management skills I learnt during my study has also helped me with my day to day duties. Fire investigation is just one of my tasks. I have now completed about 40-50 investigations and I am still learning. I am finding the course very intense and time consuming, but I am learning a lot. It has also allowed me to explore in some depth a problem that has been on my mind for some time. My current supervisor Val Ingham has been great. The knowledge you learn will help you greatly and the study techniques you learn will hold you in good stead in the future. The majority of lecturers have been great, and their feedback has been worthwhile and motivating. It has been a great challenge, but so very worthwhile. I have learnt so much, and there is so much depth in the subject matter. It is really eye opening. In summary, it is a great opportunity to add to your fire investigation skills, self discipline and knowledge. Doing the course was one of the best decisions I have ever mad. The teaching has been flexible to a degree, and previously stated, the majority of lectures and supervisors had been excellent. Ron Collingridge Master of Arts Fire Investigation2011 |
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Thanks for a great subject. I have recommended a couple of colleagues start the course, because I got more practical management education in this course than most other courses offered combined. I am looking forward to starting Investigation Management 2 next semester. |
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"Just a quick note having now completed the MA (Terrorism, Safety & Security). I've enjoyed the course greatly and have found myself constantly improving to finish with mostly distinctions. With the electives taken I've been able to focus on intelligence as well as terrorism and as such have been selected afor the Intelligence Officer Graduate Program starting in January. A great result for me as the program allows me to explore the full intelligence cycle as well as strong strategic development. Having only the Masters without an undergraduate in the same field it made it challenging to find a graduate program that would take me at post-graduate level. The feedback I received from Derek Ward and Patrick Walsh in particular has been very helpful throughout the course, so thank you to all and I can now look forward to a great future in this field!" Craig Hollis |
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"There is an old police adage that says 'time spent on preparation is never wasted'. You have obviously spent a lot of time putting the course together, especially the preparation of the readings and the DVD. I have been marketing this CSU Grad Dip to my colleagues, I know one has already signed up for 2008."
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| "I found the essay topics to be extremely relevant and that focused my learning on the key aspects of the overall subject. There has obviously been a tremendous amount of time and effort put into the development of the subjects. The readings in particular were excellent and reflect on the quality of the CSU staff. I achieved far more from this Grad/Dip than I imagined so thank you for the assistance you have provided. I am confident that I have improved my understanding of the various dimensions of the terrorist threat through this source of study. Associate Professor Nick O'Brien is highly regarded for his professional experience and he has been able to pass this on through with this course." Name withheld Graduate Diploma of Terrorism, Safety and Security |
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"Hi Derek, I just wanted to thank you for your assistance and feedback throughout this semester. I found this particular unit really interesting and I enjoyed reading the fascinating subject matter. Past subjects have been difficult due to their historical context, which I could never quite get my head around. I found your feedback invaluable and your detailed and insightful comments were always appreciated as well as the extensions you very graciously gave me. I started this subject on the back foot but I am delighted with the results and its very encouraging to know that I am capable of some good results in a course that I was struggling with". Sue Meade |
| "I have enjoyed undertaking this course and found the subjects, essay tops and course readings be first rate.... This course has enhanced my understanding of terrorism significantly, while I have had a lot of practical experience in this field, this qualification has put a lot of things into perspective." Name withheld Graduate Diploma of Terrorism, Safety and Security |
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"I'm just writing to tell you how much I'm enjoying this 3rd assessment. I've chosen to do the Munich option and the discussion question has forced me to, maybe not totally alter my previous thought pattern, but at least challenge my thoughts on the topic." |
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“Just wanted to send you a quick note to say how much I enjoyed studying the Master Leadership & Management (Policing). I thoroughly enjoyed the subjects, lecturers were good and was an extremely challenging course” |
| Risk Management (JST413) is unquestionably a first-rate course if one wishes to obtain a comprehensive introduction to the discipline of Risk Management. The course has a knowledgeable course coordinator, Ms Donna O'Reilly, and well written course material. Risk Management (JST413) draws upon the comprehensive Australian and New Zealand Standard, AS/NZS 4360:2004 which in my opinion adds to the gravitas of the course. The course truly challenged me, but also gave me the confidence to immediately implement what I have learnt at my workplace. I completed the course via distance education from South Africa, yet the efficient systems, accessible staff and flexibility of Charles Sturt University just ‘erased’ the 10 240 km between us. Thank you to the Faculty of Arts for another positive CSU experience and helping me to attain my educational goals. Juanita Prinsloo Student in Master of Arts: Intelligence Analysis |
