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Why Studying Is About More than Just Getting a Good Degree
By Andrei S
Updated April 8, 2021 Updated April 8, 2021As a university professor, I’m used to hearing from my students that they have no idea of what to do after graduation. Although they have picked up a great deal of knowledge and useful skills from their tutors in the Faculty of International Relations, they haven’t got any ideas about how to use these in the real world. Often, it seems the plan has been to get a degree and then join an international organization that pays a good salary, but these sorts of plans often don’t make the most of a student’s potential.
At ENU, we provide our students with a strong background in history, economics and global political affairs, ensuring our students are better prepared to enter intellectual workplaces rather than merely performing routine work that pays moderately well. Rather than seeing a degree as a stepping stone to a salary, it’s important students continue to use their knowledge after graduation and find ways to keep learning.
Here are four reasons why being knowledgeable and well-informed will be far more important in the long-term than just getting a good degree and then forgetting everything you’ve learned as soon as you’ve finished graduating.
Having the patience to specialize academically will pay off in the long run
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Many students would prefer to take an averagely-paid job straight after university (e.g. sales manager) than play the long game and decide to specialize further in something they studied. Experts in narrowly defined fields (in international relations and other sectors) will always be more valuable for employers than someone with more general experience. Just because it takes more time and earns less money initially doesn’t mean it should be overlooked.
Being knowledgeable is a great way to tackle ingrained sexism
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Many times, I’ve seen a guy mock a girl by trying to put her on the spot for information about her field of study. “Oh, you studied international relations? Tell me something about it then.” Even the best students often have nothing to say to this, which is why in my classes I try to provide students with clear, short and knowledgeable responses to the kind of questions they might face elsewhere in the world. Knocking back potential interrogators and showing you know your stuff is the quickest way to earn their respect.
Employers won’t be fooled by the basic learning which got you through exams
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Future employers are savvy and won’t be satisfied if all you can do to prove you know your stuff is reel off a few dates and a couple of quotations. You need to be able to give them specific knowledge. For example, if a student of mine was going for a job in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, they would be able to talk about the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961, or the patterns of writing diplomatic notes. Being able to answer the question “What do you know about this particular work?” is essential.
Wider knowledge can help you navigate the world more easily
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I often tell students that studying international relations provides the key to understanding global trends. Using knowledge from my course, students can better understand currency exchange rates, handle their savings more efficiently, plan travel abroad etc.
Of course, there are many practical situations in which the retention of even the most basic knowledge from your university course will help to change your life. As a teacher, I believe it’s important I don’t just provide accurate information and facts, but also ensure all of my students know how to use their knowledge to build a better future for themselves. Hopefully, after reading this, you can too.
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Main image: KitAy (Flickr)
This article was originally published in March 2017 . It was last updated in April 2021
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Andrei Shenin is a PhD in history and an associate professor at L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University. His area of study focuses on the decision-making processes and groups involved in US foreign policy. He holds lectures on a wide range of topics, from Arctic issues to the nuclear program of Iran.
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