Bachelor of International Relations

Not only does Flinders University present students with a magnitude of high calibre international relations topics, but Flinders also provides students with the opportunity to gain in-country experience. In-country experience is vital to an international career. I like the how student-focused the professors and tutors are. Every teacher wants their students to get the most out of the learning experience. Whether it is paying particular attention to detail in lectures, meeting with students outside prescribed tutorial and lecture times, or helping to facilitate international experiences for students. My degree has taken me around the world, allowing me to study gender in Japan, politics in America, and Islam in Indonesia. Earlier this year I interned in Washington DC for two months. I was able to grasp a better understanding of the internal workings of American politics and I vastly improved my writing and research skills.

Adding International Studies to my Law degree was the best decision I made in my university life. It gave me opportunities for exchanges and placements I would never have had in my Law degree, and when the stress and minutiae of Law was too much I always had IS topics to look forward to. Doing a language, an exchange, a placement in an NGO; all these opportunities are available in an IS degree and all have made me a more well rounded and employable graduate. If it’s something you will enjoy, picking IS can only be a good thing.

As I approached the SATAC deadline to apply for university courses, I was torn between pursuing tertiary studies in two main areas: international relations and law. The Flinders University course guide did, however, offer me an alternative to the conventional single discipline degree – a combined degree of Bachelor of Laws and Legal Practice and International Studies. Knowing that I would have to carry the workload of two courses was rather daunting at first; however, as I progressed through my first semester it became clear that the combined degree was a perfect balance. The combined degree program allows you to express yourself and your ideas, and quench your thirst for knowledge in two different disciplines. Not only did I enjoy having such broad educational experiences on a daily basis, the prospect of changing my mode of learning from one afternoon class to the next was enormously encouraging.

My combined degree gave my studies at Flinders a distinct international focus and added depth. I chose international relations because I wanted a way to continue my language studies from High School (Indonesian) while studying Law. This course gave me the flexibility to be able to study abroad and encouraged me to become a globally aware citizen. My studies enabled me to turn my passion for international law and development into a career. I have had great practical experiences as a part of my studies with an internship with AusAid at the UN in New York and at the World Bank in Jakarta.