Bachelor of International Studies
Abigail Schoenheimer, BInSt, 2009
International Studies Specialisation: Globalisation Studies
Overseas Study Year: 2008-2009
Overseas Study Destination: The University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands
I chose International Studies at UNSW because it looked to combine all the best elements of an advanced BA with the opportunity to study overseas, and I was not disappointed! Over the years I was able to try my hand at a range of academic disciplines, From international law, to sociology to political economy I've been exposed to the best that the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences has to offer, challenging me and allowing me to develop a real breadth of knowledge and flexibility in approach.
As I think is the case with most international studies students, the highlight of my degree was my exchange. I spent a year in the Netherlands, studying at the University of Amsterdam, and I could not have asked for a better experience. Studying abroad provides opportunities to engage on a much more practical level with a lot of the topics observed from afar at UNSW. For example, I attended a conference on the 60th anniversary of the UN Convention Against Genocide at the Peace Palace in the Hague, hearing an address by the Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court. But of course exchange is more than just an academic experience moving to a foreign city, living and studying for a year, is such a challenging but rewarding experience, that it really makes you feel like you can do anything. Of course being on overseas at the same time as the other international studies students means that you've got a combined hotel/airport transfer/tour guide/interpreter in some of the most amazing cities in the world, and this is definitely something I took advantage of, visiting 15 countries and over 30 cities in the course of a year.
I have recently been offered a graduate position with PricewaterhouseCoopers as a Management Consultant, and am planning to move to London to accept the offer.
Tom Liu, BInSt/LLB, 2009
International Studies Specialisation: Globalisation Studies
Overseas Study Year: 2008-2009
Overseas Study Destination: Georgetown University, Washington DC, USA
I came to university keen to make the most of the opportunities it offered in the hopes of having some of impact on the world and on important issues. The International Studies program provided a perfect platform to begin discovering and learning about the issues of the world in greater depth. It also provided the right balance between a social and academic environment. In this environment I was able to be involved in a number of extra-curricular activities such as the UN Society which organizes student delegations to a number of national and international Model UN conferences.
The Overseas Study Program (OSP) was the culmination of my International Studies degree in giving me the chance to attend Georgetown University in Washington, DC for the 2008/2009 academic year. A year during which I was not only able to take classes with former UN Ambassadors and senior US government officials but also work as a volunteer for then-Senator Obama's presidential campaign and see his inauguration as president. The highlight came when I got the opportunity to intern for a Member of the US House of Representatives, Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro. In that job I attended numerous committee hearings and performed a wide range of tasks ranging from drafting letters to government departments to giving tours of the US Capitol Building.
Throughout my International Studies degree and the OSP I was exposed to a rich and wide spectrum of academic ideas and disciplines and this has shaped what I hope to do after graduation. During my time at Georgetown I was introduced to the concept of Transitional Justice, an interdisciplinary field looking at judicial and non-judicial mechanisms to help post-conflict societies recover and secure justice and peace for victims. This relatively new and innovative field has become a central interest of mine and I hope to specialize and work in it.
To this end my hope is to work in a policy making or consulting capacity with international and regional organizations such as the Asian Development Bank; international courts and tribunals; UN agencies responsible for conflict resolution and post-conflict reconstruction; and non-governmental organizations working in conflict resolution such as the International Crisis Group and the United States Institute of Peace.
Gyongyi Horvath, BInSt, 2009
International Studies Specialisation: Globalisation Studies
Overseas Study Year: 2008-2009
Overseas Study Destination: Sciences Po, Paris, France
Doing International Studies has allowed me to combine the study of different areas of interests spanning from international relations and politics to economics and development, as well as to improve my level of Chinese and French. It also offered the possibility of spending a year abroad in Paris at Sciences Po, an institution where I studied in both French and English and took specialised politics and international relations courses held by experts in their field.
During my BInSt degree I was fortunate to take part in many memorable events, which included:
• Attending the Education Without Borders conference in Abu Dhabi in 2007 and presenting my paper to fellow student and professional delegates;
• Participating in various student conferences in Europe ranging from the St. Gallen Symposium (2008) and WorldMUN (2009) to the thematic biannual student festival in Trondheim (ISFiT) in 2009 involving intensive workshops on the various aspects of peace-building;
• Playing an active role in university volunteer programmes such as Shack Tutoring and Mosaic Fusion Forums.
My immediate post-degree plans include doing an internship in Singapore before coming back next year to do Honours and undertake research related to the broader field of post-conflict peace-building. In the future I am considering going back abroad to work in both local and international NGOs within this area as well as potentially policy-making, with further studies also representing another, longer term goal.
Sorin Ridgway-Brown, BInSt Honours, 2009
International Studies Specialisation: Asian Studies
Overseas Study Year: 2006-2007
Overseas Study Destination: Nagoya City University, Nagoya, Japan
I studied the bachelor of International Studies Asian Studies stream, which interested me because I was always fascinated with the Asian region as an important economic, cultural and political entity for Australia. In the Asian Studies stream I developed this passion and interest, especially focusing on the North East Asian region (Japan, South Korea, China and Taiwan), and decided that I wanted to work towards strengthening the relationships between these countries and Australia in the future.
Currently I am working as a Coordinator for International Relations in the Nagano Prefectural Government. I was appointed this job through my application to the Japan Exchange and Teaching Program (JET Program), which organizes placements of English Teachers (95% of the program) and Coordinators for International Relations (5%) across governmental organizations in Japan. My responsibilities include translating and interpreting, arranging cross-cultural events, and enhancing knowledge of Australia and the world on a local level. My OSP experience was very highly regarded, and also the passion and knowledge of Japanese culture, history and language that I developed through the B International Studies Program was vital in attaining this position. I look forward to continuing my work in this role, and also furthering relations between Australia and Japan in the future.
Aimee Wiseman, BInSt/LLB, 2008
International Studies Specialisation: Globalisation Studies
Overseas Study Year: 2005-2006
Overseas Study Destination: Jean Moulin University, Lyon, France
I chose to study International Studies/Law at UNSW because I was interested in continuing my study of French language, going on exchange, and combining my interest in law, advocacy and international relations as well as social justice and humanitarian affairs. The Globalisation stream of International Studies combined with law at UNSW offered the perfect combination.
As part of the International Studies Program I spent a year on exchange studying at Université Jean Moulin in Lyon, France. This was a fantastic opportunity as I was living in an international student residence and studying a range of international and European law subjects, French language, and international relations courses. Apart from the academic advantages of studying in another language, and being exposed to professors of politics and law from right across the European Union, exchange was also a wonderful opportunity to develop friendships across the globe.
Probably the greatest aspect of studying International Studies/Law at UNSW has been the global perspective of the degree, the diversity of subjects, and the incredible scope of opportunities available for travel, competition and overseas learning. As well as exchange and mooting competitions, I was fortunate to represent UNSW and Australia at the China National Model United Nations Conference in Xiamen, China at the end of 2009.
Since graduating at the end of 2008 I have been working as an intern to His Honour, Judge Cotte, President of Trial Chamber II at the International Criminal Court in Den Haag, the Netherlands on the case of "The Prosecutor v Germain Katanga and Mathieu Ngudjolo Chui". Katanga and Ngudjolo were leaders of the Front National pour l'Integration and the Front Patriotique de Résistance de l'Ituri in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Laurie Pearcey, BInSt 2008
International Studies Specialisation: Asian Studies
Overseas Study Year: 2007-2008
Overseas Study Destination: Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
The International Studies program has allowed me to engage with international organisations, experience foreign cultures, and work with academic institutions of truly global prestige and influence.
The Overseas Study Program provided the opportunity to attend the renowned Tsinghua University in Beijing and working in Mandarin to pursue studies in Chinese political theory, imperial China's engagement with Europe and a range of subjects focusing on China's vast literary traditions.
My studies at UNSW foucs on Asian studies and Asian language (Mandarin). From my very first session of study in the degree, my interests in the region have been greatly stimulated and over four years as an undergraduate, I have worked for a variety of organisations within the wider community such as SBS Radio's Mandarin Unit and China Central Television. In 2006 I was a delegate to Beijing at the invitation of the Chinese Premier; won the National Mandarin Bridge Public Speaking Competition; and was presented with the Order of Australia Association Foundation Scholarship by the Governor General for Demonstrating community leadership and academic excellence. As I prepare for my honours year, I continue to work in a research capacity for the Australia China Business Council and remain deeply involved with the Chinese Australian community.
After completion of my honours thesis, which explores the Chinese Communist Party's evolving narrative of the Maoist era within official historiography, I intend to pursue a PhD program in Sinology at a university in the UK or the US.
Tom Harrison , BInSt, 2008
International Studies Specialisation: Globalisation Studies
Overseas Study Year: 2007-2008
Overseas Study Destination: University of Guadalajara, Mexico
As a final year student in the Bachelor of International Studies program at UNSW, I greatly value the professional skills and broadened career opportunities this unique degree has provided. When initially enrolling, the prospect of an overseas study year with full academic credit was most attractive to me and having almost completed the degree, it certainly delivered beyond my most optimistic expectations. I elected to spend my overseas year in Mexico wanting to experience a culture vastly different to Australia, and it was; challenging, frustrating, disorganised are just a few hallmarks of my time there. Ultimately study abroad was very rewarding, both professionally and personally.
My experiences in Mexico and greatly enhanced Spanish language skills have given me a very special opportunity to undertake a professional internship in Nicaragua coordinating an impact evaluation for a local NGO. My time in Central America, as student, traveler and intern, have been both stimulating and challenging, extending my interests and career possibilities with international organisations, especially NGO's and development agencies.
Geoffrey Pinnock, BInSt, 2007
Overseas Study Year: 2005-2006
Overseas Study Destination: University of California, Berkeley, USA
Geoffrey graduated from the Bachelor of International studies program in 2007 after completing a very distinguished undergraduate degree at UNSW and the University of California, Berkeley, where he was included on the Dean's Honours List. He studied in the Globalisation stream, pursuing his interests in human rights and development issues - interests that he further pursued while undertaking his Overseas Study Program at Berkeley. Keen to gain professional experience in the field in 2006, Geoffrey completed a six month fulltime professional placement with the United Nations World Food Program in Rome. This experience confirmed Geoffrey's confidence in the importance of the UN's global development projects. Immediately after graduating from UNSW he returned to Italy to take up a fulltime position as Project Manager, Early Warning Unit, Emergency Preparedness and Response Branch of the WFP.
International Studies Specialisation: Globalisation Studies
Grace Hagon, BInSt, 2006
International Studies Specialisation: Globalisation Studies
Overseas Study Year: 2005-2006
Overseas Study Destination: Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
Grace completed her Bachelor of International Studies degree at UNSW in 2006, specialising in Globalisation. Throughout her studies Grace's interests centred on East Asia and the rise of China. Her overseas study year was spent at the prestigious Tsinghua University in Beijing where she specialised in Chinese language and literature, both classical and contemporary, studying exclusively in Mandarin. Grace received the Bachelor of International Studies prize inher final year, awarded for outstanding overall academic performance in the degree program.
Initially after graduating from UNSW Grace worked in a small start up organisation within a major international advertising and marketing firm on the creation of events and marketing event-generated content across different telecommunication technologies such as the internet, podcasts and television. She has been asked by the parent company to be part of its 'High Potentials' program that selects future business leaders and provides extra opportunities, training and mentoring.
In March 2008, Grace returned to Beijing; this time as an Australian Youth Ambassador for Development, and Australian Government AusAID initiative. Grace believes that 'The effective management of AID is central to sustainable development' and that 'global environmental problems cannot be overcome without engaging China.'
Rachel Routely, BInSt 2007
International Studies Specialisation: Development Studies
Overseas Study Year: 2005-2006
Overseas Study Destination: University of Pune, India
Rachel completed her Bachelor of International Studies degree in 2007, studying and working in India and Europe as well as Australia, successfully meeting a range of professional and scholarly challenges. After spending twelve months in Pune (just south of Mumbai) during 2006-2007, Rachel returned to UNSW to complete her Honours degree in International Studies (her fifth year of full time study). Her research thesis explored comparatively the national cultural and social factors affecting the delivery of mircro-credit in three rural societies - India, Bangladesh and Senegal. Previously Rachel completed an internship in Europe that centred on refugee displacement and settlement issues. In both her studies and broader community work, Rachel has always sought to foster development strategies appropriate to the particular society in which they are to be applied. In 2008-2009 Rachel will take up a position as a Research Assistant, Policy Support and Advocacy, in the United Nations Development Program in Bangladesh, a position that builds on the skills and knowledge acquired during her international studies degree that enabled her to incorporate study professional placement in Australia, Europe and India.
Evie Watt, BInSt 2006
International Studies Specialisation: Globalisation Studies
Overseas Study Year: 2005-2006
Overseas Study Destination: Georgetown University, Washington, DC
I originally chose International Studies, Globalisation, because it seemed the closest fit to my vaguely defined interests and was, of all the options available at university, the one I disliked the least. As it turned out, I loved the degree and all the experiences that came along with it. The standout of these for me (and most of my friends) was the year of overseas study. I went to Georgetown University in Washington DC, and immersed myself in the political life of the city and the US. I applied for an internship with a Congressman from California, and spent six months on Capitol Hill as an assistant to his legislative staff. This was a memorable experience and has also been a very useful addition to my CV! Two years later, I am still in touch with the friends I made in the United States.
I've been working full time now for a year as an Associate at an international executive search firm. I started with the firm in a part-time administrative role whilst finishing my degree to later move into a professional role after the completion of my degree. Unable to shake my interest in all things political, however, I'm heading back to university this October (2007) to undertake a Masters in Politics and Communications at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Through it all, the skills I learned whilst studying for my BInSt degree in Australia and the US have served me well, providing me with a strong foundation for an interesting career.
