An animal lover seeking to understand the impacts of climate change to help marine life has received an early offer to study at the new USC Moreton Bay campus in Semester 1, 2020.

Jamie Brocket, 20, said she was delighted to be enrolled in a Bachelor of Animal Ecology at the campus at Petrie, less than 10 minutes’ drive from her family’s home at Kallangur.

“I first heard that USC Moreton Bay was being planned when I was in Year 12 at Pine Rivers State High School and I drive past the construction site all the time. The first building went up so fast,” said Jamie, who works full-time as manager of a nearby McDonald’s restaurant.

“When I graduated high school, I started studying paramedicine and nursing in Brisbane but I deferred. It was so hard to work full-time while studying and commuting for hours a week, and I realised it just wasn’t the career for me.

“I’m super passionate about animals so when I saw this degree offered at USC Moreton Bay, I thought it was a sign. Next year I can go to a lecture in the morning, make it to a work shift and get home to see my family – and our three cats – at night.”

Jamie said she intended to focus on marine animals.

“I want to study the climate change drama, see how that’s affecting our marine life, and then do something about it. I’d love to help environmental organisations that are actively making a difference.

“I’m the first one in my family to go to uni so they’re all excited for me. And I’m excited to be going to a brand new campus with all the latest equipment.”

Australia’s newest university campus, at Petrie, will offer almost 50 degrees in its first year, including business, education, psychology, computer science and mechatronic engineering.

USC Moreton Bay will open in early 2020 with a state-of-the-art foundation building that includes a full suite of university services. The three-storey multi-purpose building is the first stage of development of the university precinct that is expected to attract 10,000 students enrolled in more than 100 programs by 2030.

Applications to study at USC Moreton Bay are open online at www.usc.edu.au/studymoretonbay.