International Studies - USYD/UNSW? (1 Viewer)

[Albeie]

Basically as the title suggests, does anyone have any info on this course at either uni. I've tried the sites and booklets and it seems the UNSW course seems better organised than the USYD one? If anyone knows how the USYD course is structured please tell me, especially the part concerning languages and overseas study (I really wanna go overseas but i dont think they offer that at USYD? or its not compulsory or sumfin...) Anyway yeh, i've long preferred USYD over UNSW, particulary when it comes to Arts (dont know y) but atm with this course UNSW just seems so much better so should i just go UNSW and screw USYD?

 

[vaguespecifics]

ah i'm going through a very similar dilemma
and i agree with you - intl studies @ unsw seems to be broader than intl & global @ usyd with its specialised programs and all. personally, i'm really quite enticed by the development studies program.

well from what i've read, usyd does offer languages and exchange. you can do a language as a major. exchange is "highly recommended" but yes it's not mandatory.
language study is compulsory at unsw, as is a year of overseas study program

 

[AsyLum]

USYD has typically had a stronger focus on classical/traditional things like histories/languages, whereas UNSW is really lacking in that area of the humanities. Having said that, UNSW does have quite an impressive international program.

 

[bubbellobec]

hey guys, GO TO UNSW!!!!

I've just graduated with a Bachelor of Int/Global Studies at USYD and was in the exact same dilemma as you when I finished school in 2006. I thought the UNSW one looked better, particularly because it had a year overseas, and the major in development studies. However, Usyd was closer and I'd always wanted to go there and thought the arts faculty had a better rep... so I chose Usyd and have ALWAYS regretted it!!! I study French so wanted to go to France for exchange but after having started my degree discovered I couldn't, because Usyd only lets people with a French major go to France, and people doing the BIGS course can't major in French. Secondly, the BIGS course has always been so disorganised from the start - I actually began in Global Studies but then the government dept. got moved from the Economics faculty and Global Studies was combined with Int Studies, making my former degree obsolete! I have met so many people who did the International Studies degree at UNSW who loved it and who have scored fabulous graduate jobs straight out from their degree, such as at the Attorney General's Dept and AusAid. On the other hand, everyone who went to Usyd is still looking for work!

DEFINITELY CHOOSE UNSW! Hopefully then you won't regret your decision, like I did.

 

[evatt]

UNSW course seems better organised than the USYD one? If anyone knows how the USYD course is structured please tell me, especially the part concerning languages and overseas study (I really wanna go overseas but i dont think they offer that at USYD? or its not compulsory or sumfin...)

Anyway yeh, i've long preferred USYD over UNSW, particulary when it comes to Arts (dont know y) but atm with this course UNSW just seems so much better so should i just go UNSW and screw USYD?

USYD BIGS is highly structured giving you a number of choices regarding a core major (i.e. GOV/IR, ECOP, SOCIO, ANTHR, etc.) and a wide range of choices for a non-arts faculty major.

Language study is by no means compulsory, but rather an elective like anything else. In terms of overseas transfer, USYD is not obligatory but highly encouraged. Granted you meet certain requirements, you're entitled to a $4000 scholarship for the transfer.

I don't quite understand why people have this fixation with UNSW int studies. Their arts faculty is renowned as a joke. That is not to say that USYD bigs is infallible.

Hope this helps.

 

[bio_nut]

hey guys, GO TO UNSW!!!!

I've just graduated with a Bachelor of Int/Global Studies at USYD and was in the exact same dilemma as you when I finished school in 2006. I thought the UNSW one looked better, particularly because it had a year overseas, and the major in development studies. However, Usyd was closer and I'd always wanted to go there and thought the arts faculty had a better rep... so I chose Usyd and have ALWAYS regretted it!!! I study French so wanted to go to France for exchange but after having started my degree discovered I couldn't, because Usyd only lets people with a French major go to France, and people doing the BIGS course can't major in French. Secondly, the BIGS course has always been so disorganised from the start - I actually began in Global Studies but then the government dept. got moved from the Economics faculty and Global Studies was combined with Int Studies, making my former degree obsolete! I have met so many people who did the International Studies degree at UNSW who loved it and who have scored fabulous graduate jobs straight out from their degree, such as at the Attorney General's Dept and AusAid. On the other hand, everyone who went to Usyd is still looking for work!

DEFINITELY CHOOSE UNSW! Hopefully then you won't regret your decision, like I did.

Remember they have completed changed the structure of the degree since you began though.