Ilanna — Bachelor of Arts (Global) (Honours)
Why did you choose to study arts?
I was attracted by the broad base and flexibility of an arts degree as I wanted to keep my options open and not enter into a degree that was limiting in its subjects and career focus. I was really interested in humanities, and arts provided an opportunity for me to explore the subject areas best suited to both my personal interests and academic abilities. This meant that I could pursue a double major in politics and international studies as well as a minor in Italian. I believe that you should be encouraged to study subjects that allow you to engage with the world and be open to a range of different careers. For this reason, an arts degree proved to be the perfect fit for me.
What was the best thing about your course?
The best thing was the enjoyment I received from my double major in politics and international studies. My study areas allowed me to develop a more informed opinion and fostered my ability to attend to and critically analyse issues affecting our world today. Another defining element is the opportunity the course offers for overseas study — I was fortunate to go on exchange twice during my degree and it proved to be an invaluable experience. An arts degree is unrestricting, and the skills and knowledge you gain are highly transferable to the real world.
What was the worst thing about your course?
My experience doing an arts degree was positive overall, but if I was to identify one limitation it would be that subjects don’t offer work or internship experiences as part of the course.
What did your course involve?
The course involved tutorials and lectures with a low number of contact hours, which leaves you ample time to study and engage in extracurricular activities.
What advice would you give to students considering studying arts?
Be open-minded in your first year of study and choose subjects from a broad range of areas to determine your true passion. Due to the broad focus of an arts degree, make sure you take initiative and engage in extracurricular activities. Get involved in university societies and work opportunities that relate to your studies. I was interested in immigration so I became a volunteer tutor for refugees, an experience that was an incredible asset to my degree. In regards to the actual subject content, make sure you do your readings — this is key to doing well and will alleviate unnecessary stress.
Have you completed further study?
My passion and interest in politics led me to complete my honours year. My arts degree had been so intellectually enriching that it inspired me to engage in further research and consolidate the skills and knowledge base I had gained in arts. After this experience I then began my masters in secondary teaching. My arts degree laid the foundation for me to pursue postgraduate study and has been an invaluable asset to my present studies
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