B Int. Studies (1 Viewer)

[Miffstaa]

Hi everyone,
I didn't make it to the macq open day since my boss wouldnt give me time off work, so I was wondering if anyone could tell me what the B of Int Studies is like over there. Are the internships ok?
I was thinking of doing the English language and literature program of study instead of a language, so I was also wondering if anyone knew what the English studies are like at Macq as well?
I wanted to double the course with law, but then i wouldnt have been able to choose the electives that i wanted, so i'm still trying to figure out what I want to actually do.

I have researched and asked people already but they're answers have been very vague with 'yeah its alright' or had nothing to do with anything by saying 'dude the buildings are 1970's ugly'.
Sorry for the onslaught of questions.

 

[AsyLum]

Well what specifically did you want to know about the division? Your question is kinda vague, so it'll help us if you could pinpoint what you wanted to get out of it

 

[Peartie]

when i joined this degree (im overseas atm so cant help you out about internship - not till next year) the only people able to do the English stream were international students. You might need to check into that

The courses that Im doing so far are pretty good - each semester though there has been one subject i really dont want to do but it was one i had to do. ITs pretty cool how i got money to come overseas though!

 

[xeuyrawp]

Heya,

I was thinking of doing the English language and literature program of study instead of a language, so I was also wondering if anyone knew what the English studies are like at Macq as well?

I've never said this to anyone, so let me know if it comes off wrong... I'd simply like an explanation from people who ask about this:

Why are you looking to do a Bachelor of International Studies if you're not interested in studying international things? The English major is ridiculous - just do a BA majoring in English.

I wanted to double the course with law, but then i wouldnt have been able to choose the electives that i wanted, so i'm still trying to figure out what I want to actually do.

What electives? Doing a BIntStud LLB wouldn't restrict your electives - you get the same IntStud electives as if you were just doing it as a single degree.

I have researched and asked people already but they're answers have been very vague with 'yeah its alright' or had nothing to do with anything by saying 'dude the buildings are 1970's ugly'.
Sorry for the onslaught of questions.

Yeah well you should ignore these people - we're happy to sort you straight.

 

[Peartie]

and doing english literature one you dont even go overseas...if you want to do International Studies, dont take this the wrong way, but I think you are wasting your time doing English Language and Literature...Do another language, or do a BA and take the English courses, or take an English degree...don't take it the wrong way, I just think to really get a full experience from International Studies you should actually do something "International"

 

[xeuyrawp]

and doing english literature one you dont even go overseas...if you want to do International Studies, dont take this the wrong way, but I think you are wasting your time doing English Language and Literature...Do another language, or do a BA and take the English courses, or take an English degree...don't take it the wrong way, I just think to really get a full experience from International Studies you should actually do something "International"

Genau.

 

[Peartie]

lol

not everyone understands German

 

[AsyLum]

I think he's calling you fat, demz be fighting words!

 

[Peartie]

lol

2 bad i understand german

and i am fat so meh

 

[xeuyrawp]

lol

2 bad i understand german

and i am fat so meh

Hab doch ein andere Maß und Brezel!

 

[Miffstaa]

Hab doch ein andere Maß und Brezel!

Does that have the word pretzel in it?

Oh, so doubling it with law wont restrict my electives in BIntS? Well then thats another rumour that I can scratch of the list.
im just trying to find a degree where i can combine a tad of philosophy, literature, international studies and history, but i dont think that such a thing exists. Even in Arts since you mostly have one major.
At the moment im deciding between UNSW and macq so I'm not sure about anything now.
So the english lit is basically a waste of time where most of the classes will be filled with international students?
Well i guess German it is then...

 

[AsyLum]

How keen are you into the law aspect? While you will graduate with a single major in an Arts degree, you can do the things mentioned above without any worries.

The thing at Macquarie is that electives from across the university are usually open to anyone in any degree, with the only requirement being you fulfill the pre-requisities. For most of the humanities based subjects, you will find that, as mentioned above, that you will need to complete say PHIL132/131 before being able to do 2nd year and 3rd year level philosophy. The only exceptions are those with pre-requisities which are usually restricted to areas such as law, psychology, accounting etc.

So yeah.

 

[xeuyrawp]

Does that have the word pretzel in it?

Yeah it's a long story.

Oh, so doubling it with law wont restrict my electives in BIntS? Well then thats another rumour that I can scratch of the list.

Like many things in life, a lot of people who have no fucking idea talk about degrees like they are some sort of authority. The only difference is that listening to these people can mean that your life becomes really hard for a while.

If you want information for Macquarie degrees, there are really two options that I can see:

The official channels like emailing people inside the uni (although you need to make sure these people know what they're talking about, many academics don't. You generally need an academic advisor (an official title inside the uni)).

im just trying to find a degree where i can combine a tad of philosophy, literature, international studies and history, but i dont think that such a thing exists. Even in Arts since you mostly have one major.

Like said above, you can do all of these things in a BA. If you did a BIntStud, you're either looking at doing a language, or doing a pathetic English major. You can do a lot of electives in the BIntStud, so check out what you're doing here. Where it says electives, divide the credit points roughly between 3 or 4 to see how many subjects you get as electives.

You cannot, however, get any other majors in a BIntStud outside of the ones listed there - even if you do a full History major in your BIntSud (which you can do), you won't be recognised for it.

So the english lit is basically a waste of time where most of the classes will be filled with international students?

It's my understanding that actually that particular major was made as part of an equity issue where you can't force students to study overseas.

Don't get me wrong, that major is not a waste of time. You could do as much in it as a BA majoring in English. However, it is stupid. Why misrepresent yourself as doing International Studies when you've done an English major? :-/

Well i guess German it is then...

I honestly would recommend against doing a language unless you were interested in it. A few people who are doing International Studies do my German classes. Not only are a few of them not interested, but many also suck. If you fit this category of not being interested in the language, you are wasting your time.

Good luck with it all.

 

[Miffstaa]

^^

Thank you so much for your advice and help; you're legendary!
I'm looking into BA's now and i'm liking it a lot more. I'll try to contact some people from the uni and see what they'll say.
haha I lived in Germany for 6 years so it would seem like the only option. I sound like im epileptic if i try to speak anything else.

 

[Peartie]

My bad, ive just been looking at the BIntStud thing in the hand book and theyve introduced this english thing for everyone...but as ive said and has been said many times Bintstud with english is a waste of time.

And if you don't *want* to do German think about another language you want to do - if any at all - because MQ offers a shiteload of them...both Asian and European (and now middle eastern as well)...most from beginners level! When I go back I want to pick up Russian as well

But if you dont *want* to do a language or *want* to go overseas then just do the BA - the Bintstud is just a BA but with the internship and international bit - and you can go overseas when you don't do Bintstud so yea...

hope that makes sense...

Does that have the word pretzel in it?

and yes it does

 

[xeuyrawp]

But if you dont *want* to do a language or *want* to go overseas then just do the BA - the Bintstud is just a BA but with the internship and international bit - and you can go overseas when you don't do Bintstud so yea...

hope that makes sense...

100% agree. You can always transfer into a BIntStud if you like that part as well.

^^

Thank you so much for your advice and help; you're legendary!
I'm looking into BA's now and i'm liking it a lot more. I'll try to contact some people from the uni and see what they'll say.
haha I lived in Germany for 6 years so it would seem like the only option. I sound like im epileptic if i try to speak anything else.

No problemo. If you have any more questions, definitely yell out.

 

[Miffstaa]

As usual for me, ive decided to do a last minute career change and am going to do a BA instead. So i have to change all my preferences
Thanks guys! I've decided not to give a shit about my 'rents and am going to go Frank Sinatra style and do it my way...

 

[AsyLum]

Good to hear!

Believe me, one of the worst things we hear, as Rob could probably attest to, is when someone wants to do one course, but end up doing some generic one because their parents said so.

And the last thing you want to do, is spend 3-5 years of life miserable, because you're doing what someone else wants you to do, rather than what you want to do.

 

[Miffstaa]

exactly!
my parents were always pushing for law law law, especially since my sister's a solicitor, but i was always like "i fall asleep during legal studies, how the hell am i going to stay awake at uni then?"

so ill just go with this pathway and see where i end up. i wont make the same mistake like one of my really good friends who always wanted to do egyptology but ended up doing...molecular science?
haha farrout.