Choosing Degree Need Help (1 Viewer)

[igotoschool]

UAC Applications for 2017 close very soon and I need help.
What kind of pathway would I take to do some kind of humanitarian work? Nothing very specific in mind which is making the choice difficult, but wanting to do something 'international' in my degree, for example, have a major in International Relations.
ATAR is 90 btw so if I were to go down a Law path, it would have to be at UOW so a secondary question: anyone know how law there is like...employ-ability after?
Or how could I take a Law degree to a human rights/humanitarian that sort of thing path?

I know this is a bit messy but I am clueless. Help will be very much appreciated

 

[strawberrye]

What kind of pathway would I take to do some kind of humanitarian work? Nothing very specific in mind which is making the choice difficult, but wanting to do something 'international' in my degree, for example, have a major in International Relations.

I think you have kinda answered your own question, you can consider doing an international studies or any degree related to aid development, I think any social science related degrees would be highly useful, perhaps even say a degree allowing you to major in social policy and stuff, but ultimately work experience will be crucial to get a job in aid work-so be prepared to work overseas in third world countries during your degree (ideally as part of exchange) or you could defer your degree to get some valuable first hand experiences.

ATAR is 90 btw so if I were to go down a Law path, it would have to be at UOW so a secondary question: anyone know how law there is like...employ-ability after?
Or how could I take a Law degree to a human rights/humanitarian that sort of thing path?

Why do you want to do law? Have a careful consideration about it because you can do a masters in international law without having a law degree necessarily in undergraduate. Employability for law is very bad, and if you are in it for the prestige or money, you are likely to be severely disappointed eventually. You could study an undergraduate law degree, and when you get to your later years when you are able to do your electives, you can choose international law related subjects. But to work in international humanitarian law, say at the UN or at the Hague, is incredibly competitive and arguably only the very top of the top will make it. (We are talking about people who are worthy of winning the University Medal type of level-so like first in their whole grade at uni across their entire degree).

Hope this helped a bit

 

[igotoschool]

Are there any pre requisites for the Masters in Int Law?
I can see myself as a lawyer for human rights issues and the like, not necessarily just in organisations such as UN, but not as a lawyer for businesses and marriages and stuff.
Whatever degree I do, my focus is to work at improving issues in developing countries and am completely up with working in them

 

[strawberrye]

Are there any pre requisites for the Masters in Int Law?
I can see myself as a lawyer for human rights issues and the like, not necessarily just in organisations such as UN, but not as a lawyer for businesses and marriages and stuff.
Whatever degree I do, my focus is to work at improving issues in developing countries and am completely up with working in them

I think you should look at different university websites, they should tell you if it has any prerequisites, usually the only prerequisite is for you to have graduated from an undergraduate degree. To become an actual human rights lawyer-as in finding a job will be incredibly difficult-heck, finding a lawyer job in itself is already challenging, not everyone can be as lucky as George Clooney's wife haha. Perhaps you can work in legal aid or community legal centres-that's kinda helping the vulnerable and disadvantaged, but just in a less international way. I am not trying to deter you from your dreams, but I am injecting a slice of realism in the hope you can have a more serious think about your life aspirations.

Of course, not everyone have their life figured out by this point so if you have the ATAR or determination, have a go and see whether it really is something that would suit you in terms of interest and financial security. All the best of luck!