International Studies/Law?! (1 Viewer)

[janev]

Hi everyone! I'm still pretty new to this so excuse me if i placed this thread in the wrong section.

To the main point, i'll be starting Year 11 quite soon and i've been thinking about what's going to happen after i graduate from high school. I have a few questions to ask about some university courses and i also need some explanations to a few thing here and there.

Well for awhile now, it's been apparent that the cut off mark for law has been extremely high (99+) and just in case i don't get a mark that's higher than that (i doubt i will get a mark that high), i've been trying to think of a few back up plans. I've hear of something called transferring, but the whole thing is a blur to me. So if anyone can explain what transferring is and how it works, that would be greatly appreciated. (USYD and UNSW and my top two preferences, if that info was needed).

Can someone please explain International Studies in detail? Because i'm thinking about combining International Studies with law (because i think international studies is the study of other cultures and whatnot. Tell me if i'm wrong with this definition if i am). What type of careers can i get out of this?
It's always been a dream to work overseas so if i continue down this path, will i be able to work overseas (somewhere in Asia preferrably e.g. Hong Kong, Korea, Japan, Singapore etc.)

Since i know no one that does International Studies/Law, i was just wondering if anyone knew. Of course, i'll be getting additional information from the career advisors at school, off university websites etc.

The big question is:
Can i practise law in another country once i complete university?
Since i want to do law and i love the idea of living overseas, is it achievable? And also, for example, if i wanted to live in China once i graduate, would i be taught one of the Chinese dialects if i chose Chinese Studies? These questions may seem a little confusing and stupid, but i really am lost.

 

[theism]

Sweetheart I am going to go ahead and break your little bubble.
I'm not being mean (check out my signature).
I think this might really help you and save you a few years of uni and alot of money.
(feel free to donate to me for my services lol)

Most of the questions you asked can be answered simply by research.
but because you're new and because you're in year 11 i'll be nice.

Well for awhile now, it's been apparent that the cut off mark for law has been extremely high (99+) and just in case i don't get a mark that's higher than that (i doubt i will get a mark that high), i've been trying to think of a few back up plans. I've hear of something called transferring, but the whole thing is a blur to me. So if anyone can explain what transferring is and how it works, that would be greatly appreciated. (USYD and UNSW and my top two preferences, if that info was needed).

Cut-off for USYD and UNSW is 99+.
There are other unis with much lower cut-offs.

Transfer - basically you have 2 options, one of them is to study a different subject (ie international studies or arts) at the same uni you want to apply to, so USYD and UNSW, and get a very high GPA (HD average or so),
then you apply for an internal transfer.
the other option is to study law at a different uni (UTS, MACQ, UWS etc) and again, do really well, get a HD average and apply via UAC to transfer.

Can someone please explain International Studies in detail? Because i'm thinking about combining International Studies with law (because i think international studies is the study of other cultures and whatnot. Tell me if i'm wrong with this definition if i am).

I'll be honest i'm not going to bother answering this one. I'll let you do your homework.
Google is pretty easy to use compared to LexisNexis. (you'll find this amusing in a few years if you choose to study law)

What type of careers can i get out of this?

None really.
It's just a glorified arts degree mostly done by those who live in the eastern suburbs/north shore who want to go overseas on exchange for a semester all on daddys bank account (since it's technically uni)
The small minority is filled by those who really do want to learn about other cultures (ie those who got a higher ATAR than those who just pick arts), those who want to work in international politics through DFAT, those who want to study another language and get a tertiary education at the same time to work in the public sector, and that's pretty much it.

It's always been a dream to work overseas so if i continue down this path, will i be able to work overseas (somewhere in Asia preferrably e.g. Hong Kong, Korea, Japan, Singapore etc.)

You can work somewhere in asia without a uni degree.
Granted you're going to be working for peanuts.
if you're wondering if studying international studies automatically gets you a good paying office job overseas, then the short answer is no.
Alot of people who study international relations hope to work in the DFAT but unless you're getting a very solid GPA or you have connections, then it's unlikely.

Since i know no one that does International Studies/Law, i was just wondering if anyone knew. Of course, i'll be getting additional information from the career advisors at school, off university websites etc.

I'll tell you like it is sweetheart.
It's a glorified arts degree that lets rich kids go overseas for a year or half a year.
That's pretty much it.

Of course the Uni's want to milk money, so they'll use all these marketing buzzwords to try and lure you in.

The big question is:
Can i practise law in another country once i complete university?
Since i want to do law and i love the idea of living overseas, is it achievable? And also, for example, if i wanted to live in China once i graduate, would i be taught one of the Chinese dialects if i chose Chinese Studies? These questions may seem a little confusing and stupid, but i really am lost.

Not without further study, and passing the bar exam of the country you want to practice in.
In the US IIRC you have to do a bridging course to sit the bar exam. college in the US is extremely expensive. At least $40,000 a year. But that's the least of your worries. There are law graduates from Harvard/Yale who haven't found jobs yet.

You do also realise that just finishing a law degree at uni doesn't allow you to practice law?
You have to do the Graduate diploma in legal practice, pass all the exams, do some experience,
and after all that, after you pay the fees, you're given a probationary license to practice.

Can i practise law in another country once i complete university?
Since i want to do law and i love the idea of living overseas, is it achievable? And also, for example, if i wanted to live in China once i graduate, would i be taught one of the Chinese dialects if i chose Chinese Studies? These questions may seem a little confusing and stupid, but i really am lost.

Short Answer: Maybe... If that's something you really want to do. It's mostly commercial law that lets you travel overseas.
I know alot of our brightest law graduates end up in Hong Kong working at top tier commercial firms.
These are often the graduates who did law to make money. The best salaries can be found in Hong Kong / London.

Now do you really want to do commercial law?

Personally I wouldn't.
It's not for everyone.
I'll give you a simple question.
Do you like being worked like a dog?
Would you enjoy working long long hours, with little recognition, in a cutthroat environment, for perhaps 5 years until you 'make' senior associate?
Are you a personable person able to smooze bosses into a promotion/ attract high-flying clients?