Avondale is a private institution of higher education offering a broad range of undergraduate, postgraduate and vocational courses. Its educational program seeks to develop the whole person.
Graduates typically give five-star ratings to their Avondale experience and generally rate the quality of their education more highly than the graduates of 80 per cent of Australian universities. The 2008 edition of The Good Universities Guide gives Avondale top five-star ratings for quality of teaching, employable generic skills, and overall student satisfaction.
Avondale's high staff to student ratio compared to most higher education providers contributes to a sense of graduate satisfaction. Avondale has typically received five-star ratings for teaching quality, generic skills and overall satisfaction. It also received five stars in 2008 for the proportion of its staff members who hold higher degrees by research or coursework.
Avondale is actively pursuing university status in recognition of the highly regarded study programs that are offered. Beginning in 1974 our postgraduate and undergraduate degrees have progressively been accredited by NSW government bodies and are registered with CRICOS the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS provider number 02731D Avondale College Ltd.).
Avondale offers undergraduate degrees in Arts, Business, Science, Education, Nursing and Theology. Postgraduate courses to Masters level are available in Education, Leadership and Management, Nursing and Health, and Theology. Doctoral studies are offered in Education, Health Studies, History, and Theology. Vocational studies include General Studies, Aviation, Business and Outdoor Recreation. The English Language Centre offers English language study tours for overseas students.
Avondale is an education institution of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. It also welcomes a growing number of students of other faith traditions who desire higher education in a Christian context (24 per cent of undergraduate and vocational students in 2004). Students come from all states of Australia and from overseas. About 15 per cent of students in degree and vocational courses are from countries outside Australia and New Zealand. About 52 per cent of undergraduates are boarding students, experiencing the interchange of ideas and group activities which are the strengths of residential campuses.