ATAR Notes: Forum
Uni Stuff => Universities - Victoria => University of Melbourne => Topic started by: clarke54321 on January 17, 2018, 02:59:58 pm
-
Hello :D
In terms of my university preferences, I'm feeling quite conflicted at the moment. Although a double degree of Law (honours)/Arts at Monash seems the perfect course for me, I don't necessarily warm to the Clayton campus. The atmosphere just doesn't feel right.
So this brings me to my next question. Would it be too ambitious to complete a double masters at Unimelb after undergoing the Bachelor of Arts? Time/money doesn't concern me. At Unimelb I get the feeling of belonging. Has anyone had experience with a double masters at this uni?
Thanks very much :D
-
To be fair, I don't think you can accurately assess the atmosphere/environment of a university until you've been there for a little longer and mixed in with the daily operations of your course for at least a semester. You have just finished year 12, right? If you really want to do a specific course, i'd go for that over anything else. In the end, you are there to study and learn. You can always transfer if you have to.
Double masters.. I haven't heard of anybody doing two masters at the same time. Honestly, doing one master's degree is extremely time consuming and your full effort is needed. Can't imagine anybody doing more than one at once.
Not to mention that most Masters degrees are not CSP.. meaning you get charged the full fee which can blow out to very high $$ amounts. Where there are CSP places in a masters course, they are extremely limited and it's very competitive to get those spots.
I have done a masters at Monash Clayton and while the environment (I agree in a way) wasn't great, what matters really is the quality of the course/study you have chosen. That should be your number one priority.
-
To be fair, I don't think you can accurately assess the atmosphere/environment of a university until you've been there for a little longer and mixed in with the daily operations of your course for at least a semester. You have just finished year 12, right? If you really want to do a specific course, i'd go for that over anything else. In the end, you are there to study and learn. You can always transfer if you have to.
Double masters.. I haven't heard of anybody doing two masters at the same time. Honestly, doing one master's degree is extremely time consuming and your full effort is needed. Can't imagine anybody doing more than one at once.
I have done a masters at Monash Clayton and while the environment (I agree in a way) wasn't great, what matters really is the quality of the course/study you have chosen. That should be your number one priority.
Thanks for your response, Aaron.
You're probably right. I can always transfer after a semester or year if I don't feel content. And ultimately, it is the degree that I will take away, which is of the most significance.
In relation to the double masters, I wasn't considering doing the two concurrently. Rather, it was more the idea of doing one after the other.
-
Thanks for your response, Aaron.
You're probably right. I can always transfer after a semester or year if I don't feel content. And ultimately, it is the degree that I will take away, which is of the most significance.
In relation to the double masters, I wasn't considering doing the two concurrently. Rather, it was more the idea of doing one after the other.
Seems great in theory, and I know you said time/money aren't concerns for you, but this is ~18-year-old you speaking. You might think differently after a few years (or sooner). Like, halfway through my undergrad degree I was all like "yeah, gonna finish this one, then do a double undergrad degree, then jump into a PhD - it'll be sweet!" And then a year or two later, I was pretty burnt one, and am content for now with my one (technically two with Honours, but realistically one) degree.
What would you do after undergrad Arts? The JD? What else?
EDIT: My view is that vibe - whatever that means - is actually pretty important, though.
-
In relation to the double masters, I wasn't considering doing the two concurrently. Rather, it was more the idea of doing one after the other.
PHEW. That's a relief!
Honestly I think it will depend on your financial situation and your motivation at the end of your Bachelor (whatever motivation is left, anyway). My own personal experience was that even after my Bachelor, I felt extremely drained and wanted to just start working. I had to do my MTeach because I needed the teacher qualification to even do what I wanted to do, hence the masters. By the time that was over, I wanted to get out of university altogether and start making a living. actually it was probably about 3 weeks into my first sem in masters
I love your ambition and determination but I think wait and see... :) Especially due to the whole full-fee/barely any CSP business. Your debt will be huuuge. After my 2 degrees I racked up $40k and that was with majority of my subjects being at band 1 and 2 (fees for HECS are separated into bands, 1 being lowest like $760 per subject and 3 being highest, up in the lower $1ks). Both my courses were CSP too so it was heavily subsidised via HECS.
-
Wait, how does not doing undergrad Law translate to doing two masters degrees after Arts? (or was the plan to do Arts/Law, THEN do a masters in something?)
-
Seems great in theory, and I know you said time/money aren't concerns for you, but this is ~18-year-old you speaking. You might think differently after a few years (or sooner).
I love your ambition and determination but I think wait and see... :) Especially due to the whole full-fee/barely any CSP business. Your debt will be huuuge. After my 2 degrees I racked up $40k and that was with majority of my subjects being at band 1 and 2 (fees for HECS are separated into bands, 1 being lowest like $760 per subject and 3 being highest, up in the lower $1ks).
Yes, absolutely. I'm sure circumstances are subject to change in the future. Ultimately, I'm just trying to find Melbourne's substitute for the double degree of Law/Arts at Monash. I don't think I'll be able to find a reasonable replication (without high expense/time).
What would you do after undergrad Arts? The JD? What else?
I'm considering either Journalism or Applied Linguistics. But alongside either, I'd love an element of law (a formalised degree).
My view is that vibe - whatever that means - is actually pretty important, though.
Yes, I think so too. I've been much more involved with UniMelb in the past, so perhaps this accounts for my strong connection. However, in terms of practicality and structure, Monash seems to compliment my future aspirations better. Ah, decisions, decisions ::)
Wait, how does not doing undergrad Law translate to doing two masters degrees after Arts? (or was the plan to do Arts/Law, THEN do a masters in something?)
Yes, the plan was to do the double degree and then complete a masters.
-
Assuming you had a qualification in Law/Arts - what would the additional qualification be in? Journalism Masters?
-
Assuming you had a qualification in Law/Arts - what would the additional qualification be in? Journalism Masters?
I suppose it depends on where my interests take me. At this point, probably Journalism or Linguistics.
-
Probably another thing to consider as well is, whether a masters or something along those lines is necessarily important for the field you're interested in? Are you setting yourself up to be overqualified or does this meet the mark? I don't know the area you're interested in nor do I understand the demand with respect to experience/qualifications, but I'd definitely investigate this too before making a decision on whether it's worth spending the extra $
For me personally, the masters was important given they were phasing out the graduate diploma (and still are... nearly all are gone now) and panels/schools look favourably on people who have had prior experience/studies before pursuing a teaching education course. I chose the masters to futureproof myself. So definitely I think the discipline plays an important role in decisions like these too :)
-
I'm considering either Journalism or Applied Linguistics. But alongside either, I'd love an element of law (a formalised degree).
Having interned at two reputable publications, a journalism degree isn't necessary (especially since you are doing it as an additional degree, obviously if journalism is the only thing a person would like to study content wise, by all means go for it). I would argue that International relations, Philosophy, Anthropology (the skills employed are very similar in the storytelling aspect) and Economics would be far more beneficial as a graduate degree and opposed to journalism. The journalism industry is in need of people that can be creative and write in-depth, thoughtful, investigative pieces, with people with a more academically geared degree would be in the better position to do (as they have specialised knowledge and are used to doing in-depth research).
-
What do you want to study in undergrad Arts?
-
Hello :D
In terms of my university preferences, I'm feeling quite conflicted at the moment. Although a double degree of Law (honours)/Arts at Monash seems the perfect course for me, I don't necessarily warm to the Clayton campus. The atmosphere just doesn't feel right.
Like Aaron said, it's hard to assess the atmosphere of a campus right away. When I first checked out Monash (Clayton), I felt a bit lost and didn't love it; but once I got accustomed to where things are, it really grew on me.
I'll also mention the following regarding the atmosphere of the Clayton Campus:
1) The Campus has changed, and is changing a lot. There has been construction going on at Clayton for ages, and in my opinion, the Campus has become (and is becoming) much better. Therefore, it might worth going to Clayton and checking out the Campus now, so you can see the new developments and see if it feels right for you now :)
2) As of 2018, a new group are leading the MSA, and are placing a massive emphasis on improving campus life; i.e. enhancing the Campus atmosphere and making students actually want to come to University (rather than watching lectures online).
Furthermore, I personally believe it's incredibly important to consider the cost of completing uni courses. I know HECS can make it easy to forget about course fees, but remember that eventually, you do need to pay your HECS debt back (and obviously, a large debt isn't funny).
-
What do you want to study in undergrad Arts?
If I were to complete the undergraduate degree at UoM, I'd focus on linguistics subjects and law breadth subjects (eg. free speech and media law, principles of business law, etc.).
Furthermore, I personally believe it's incredibly important to consider the cost of completing uni courses. I know HECS can make it easy to forget about course fees, but remember that eventually, you do need to pay your HECS debt back (and obviously, a large debt isn't funny).
Thanks for the advice, Glasses. I really appreciate it.
Do you know how much it costs to complete the double degree at Monash?
-
but remember that eventually, you do need to pay your HECS debt back (and obviously, a large debt isn't funny).
Can personally attribute. I've been working for 6 months and have paid a whopping ~$1,000 of my debt (I dont know the exact number). AMAZING. I get around $112 taken out of my pay for HECS every fortnight. So you know, without voluntary contributions, you will take forever to pay your HECS off. The higher it is, the longer it takes to pay off.
help me
-
What is it about the Clayton campus that doesn't tickle your whiskers? It really does sound like Laws/Arts would be a great double degree for you.
-
If I were to complete the undergraduate degree at UoM, I'd focus on linguistics subjects and law breadth subjects (eg. free speech and media law, principles of business law, etc.).
Thanks for the advice, Glasses. I really appreciate it.
Do you know how much it costs to complete the double degree at Monash?
No worries :)
Excluding your Student Services and Amenities Fee, Arts/Law at Monash costs approximately $47,838 with CSP, and without repeating any units.
If you've got any questions regarding Arts/Law at Monash, feel free to hit me up!
Can personally attribute. I've been working for 6 months and have paid a whopping ~$1,000 of my debt (I dont know the exact number). AMAZING. I get around $112 taken out of my pay for HECS every fortnight. So you know, without voluntary contributions, you will take forever to pay your HECS off. The higher it is, the longer it takes to pay off.
help me
:-[ :-[ :-[
-
ALSO, I know you've read this first article, clarke54321, but the second one (just published) might also be interesting for you.
The Benefits of an Arts Degree - By a Current Law Student
Taking the Long Road to Law
-
Arts/Law at Monash costs $47,838 with CSP
That makes sense. Most law subjects are in band 3 HECS so they cost the most.
I've attached the table for student contribution (HECS-HELP/CSP) amount ranges for the upcoming year (reference). Keep in mind those are yearly (full time load) amounts. So the subjects you are doing fall into one of these three bands and are charged on a per-subject basis (so not that yearly amount). If you've got subjects all over the place then the cost varies. If they are all from the same, expect to pay around that range per year.
My band 1 subjects last year were charged at $792.00 per subject. I'm sure somebody who is doing a band 3 course can provide how much they had to contribute for each sub.
-
What is it about the Clayton campus that doesn't tickle your whiskers? It really does sound like Laws/Arts would be a great double degree for you.
Ugh...when I think about it, it seems utterly petty ::)
I've always been drawn to the city feel of Melbourne, as well as the lovely grounds, architecture and newly built Arts West. I don't feel the same inspiration when I visit Monash. But perhaps things will change with time.
ALSO, I know you've read this first article, clarke54321, but the second one (just published) might also be interesting for you.
The Benefits of an Arts Degree - By a Current Law Student
Taking the Long Road to Law
Ah, thank-you. I'll be sure to give it a read ;D
If you've got any questions regarding Arts/Law at Monash, feel free to hit me up!
Awesome, Glasses! Is it possible to underload in Arts/Law (studying 3 subjects per semester, instead of 4)?
-
Ugh...when I think about it, it seems utterly petty ::)
I've always been drawn to the city feel of Melbourne, as well as the lovely grounds, architecture and newly built Arts West. I don't feel the same inspiration when I visit Monash. But perhaps things will change with time.
dw clarke. There was a study that took this into account, and it was found that people who made a decision on their 'gut-feeling' tended to find more satisfaction with their decision especially when it came to decisions that affected majorly one's life. But yeh fuck - arts west is sexy. But it's important to also keep in mind that arts west is public - you can actually go in there and study during public hours and you don't even have to be a student to be there. Annd if you have a friend who has internet access, you can yknow...not that I'm encouraging anything.
-
dw clarke. There was a study that took this into account, and it was found that people who made a decision on their 'gut-feeling' tended to find more satisfaction with their decision especially when it came to decisions that affected majorly one's life. But yeh fuck - arts west is sexy. But it's important to also keep in mind that arts west is public - you can actually go in there and study during public hours and you don't even have to be a student to be there. Annd if you have a friend who has internet access, you can yknow...not that I'm encouraging anything.
Haha! Thanks for the input, peterpiper. My gut says yes to Monash for course, and my gut says yes to Melbourne for vibe. Hopefully I'll be able to reconcile this internal crisis before Feb 2 :D
-
The question, for me, comes down to why you're doing law and how much you're weighting the legal qualification in terms of importance/value (or even, what you're thinking in terms of employment). I mean, at 23/24 years old, you've got two degrees, you've just finished studying hard for 6-7 years including Year 12... you face a choice... "Wow, I'm glad uni's over, that was tough! Okay... now, I can practise law or seek full-time employment in the legal field or even pursue journalism as a profession... Or I could study intensely for a little while longer!"
Let's be real, my phraseology is obviously leading you in a particular direction... Who knows, perhaps you're more academically inclined than I am, but I feel as if the majority of people would probably be sick of uni after two degrees. The curveball here is if you were thinking of pursuing academia in whatever you do your masters in (i.e., Linguistics).
I think, potentially, a straight Arts degree might suit. THEN you get to make the choice between whether you want to pursue Law or whether you want to further your study in another field (linguistics etc.) This sort of leads me towards advising you to just do Arts at Melbourne if that's the campus you want to be at. I mean, what is it about the double degree that's particularly compelling to you, enough for you to be in this predicament?
-
I think, potentially, a straight Arts degree might suit. THEN you get to make the choice between whether you want to pursue Law or whether you want to further your study in another field (linguistics etc.) This sort of leads me towards advising you to just do Arts at Melbourne if that's the campus you want to be at. I mean, what is it about the double degree that's particularly compelling to you, enough for you to be in this predicament?
Thanks for the advice, brenden.
Ultimately, I see myself pursuing a masters in something that is unrelated to law, like Linguistics or Journalism. However, given my genuine interest in the practice of law, I'd like to have some law background, so as to enhance my skill/qualifications in my eventual master (whatever this may be).
-
Thanks for the advice, brenden.
Ultimately, I see myself pursuing a masters in something that is unrelated to law, like Linguistics or Journalism. However, given my genuine interest in the practice of law, I'd like to have some law background, so as to enhance my skill/qualifications in my eventual master (whatever this may be).
If you'd like to have some law background and also a masters, my personal perspective is that Law/Arts is a convincing winner. My personal perspective is that Arts + JD is insufficient for your aims, and Arts + JD + Masters is protracted, expensive, and demanding.
I'll also add that the only university I'd visited before doing my preferences was UniMelb because my girlfriend at the time attended that university. I chose Monash because Arts/Education, but I'd never set foot on the campus before my first day as a student there. I loved the UniMelb campus for the Hogwarts vibe. My first impression of Clayton was just, "okay, cool, this is the campus", but I grew to love it pretty intensely. I went back there this weekend for an event at the Sports hall and the love came back, too. It's a very homely campus. UniMelb might be a two-seater Ferrari, but to me, Monash is like a luxury Toyota that's still got a little bit of pizzaz, but you can fit all your friends in there and go to the drive-ins. If your gut says that Arts/Law is the right degree for you, I think you can be content with that choice and (hopefully!!!) let the campus grow on you :)
Anyway, that's my 2c - good luck making your choice, and I hope your university experience is as fulfilling as it is exciting!
-
Awesome, Glasses! Is it possible to underload in Arts/Law (studying 3 subjects per semester, instead of 4)?
Yeah, absolutely! And I'll also note that if you're getting Youth Allowance, 3 units per semester is still regarded as a full-time study load by Centrelink :)
Also, I've recently updated this post of mine (Why I chose Monash Law over Melbourne Law) with new information and additional points, so if you think it would help, I'd recommend having a read! :)
Also RIP me for promoting Monash > Melbourne in the University of Melbourne Board hahahaha
-
If you'd like to have some law background and also a masters, my personal perspective is that Law/Arts is a convincing winner. My personal perspective is that Arts + JD is insufficient for your aims, and Arts + JD + Masters is protracted, expensive, and demanding.
I'll also add that the only university I'd visited before doing my preferences was UniMelb because my girlfriend at the time attended that university. I chose Monash because Arts/Education, but I'd never set foot on the campus before my first day as a student there. I loved the UniMelb campus for the Hogwarts vibe. My first impression of Clayton was just, "okay, cool, this is the campus", but I grew to love it pretty intensely. I went back there this weekend for an event at the Sports hall and the love came back, too. It's a very homely campus. UniMelb might be a two-seater Ferrari, but to me, Monash is like a luxury Toyota that's still got a little bit of pizzaz, but you can fit all your friends in there and go to the drive-ins. If your gut says that Arts/Law is the right degree for you, I think you can be content with that choice and (hopefully!!!) let the campus grow on you :)
Anyway, that's my 2c - good luck making your choice, and I hope your university experience is as fulfilling as it is exciting!
Thanks very much for your advice and support, brenden! It's greatly appreciated. I think I'll be heading to Monash ;D
Also, I've recently updated this post of mine (Why I chose Monash Law over Melbourne Law) with new information and additional points, so if you think it would help, I'd recommend having a read! :)
Excellent! This will be a fantastic read :)
-
Thanks very much for your advice and support, brenden! It's greatly appreciated. I think I'll be heading to Monash ;D
Excellent! This will be a fantastic read :)
You’re very welcome! I hope you have an amazing university experience... and don’t forget to dabble in philosophy! ;)
-
I think I had the same feeling as you, I definitely liked UoM's architecture and atmosphere much better and felt more comfortable at unimelb. I kinda knew more about monash though (during year 12 did extension chem @ monash so went ~once a week, although skipped a bit) but many of the buildings were unappealing (modern architecture :P) and the campus for me, atleast at the time, didn't have the "uni" feel. Ended up going to Monash since they had a course that was better suited for me in both the short term(ease of travel) and long term (postgrad/career opportunities).
P.S monash AN meet soon 8)