Pursuing international goals
Tarita Lefale, Bachelor of Global Studies student at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington, hopes to use the collaborative skills and interdisciplinary knowledge she gained while studying to tackle global issues in the future.
Student Tarita Lefale was halfway through her Bachelor of Science when Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington introduced the Bachelor of Global Studies.
"I really enjoyed my Bachelor of Science, but I felt a bit restricted by the degree structure,” Tarita says. “I wanted to do a really interdisciplinary degree and a huge range of subjects from across the University.”
As part of the Bachelor of Global Studies, students pick a topic they want to study. These topics involve papers from many different programmes and subjects across the whole University.
“I’m passionate about human rights and justice, and I wanted to learn about that in lots of different ways,” Tarita says. “The Bachelor of Global Studies meant I could still study Development Studies, which was my major in the Bachelor of Science, while also studying history and Māori Studies and many other topics.”
Tarita originally chose Victoria University of Wellington because she’d heard good things about all the subjects offered at the University, and that the culture was inclusive and welcoming.
Tarita plans to study a range of papers on sustainability and the environment, as well as learning te reo Māori—all Bachelor of Global Studies students need to study a language. She is also currently completing a Bachelor of Laws.
“My Bachelor of Global Studies goes really well with my Bachelor of Laws,” Tarita says. “Law is quite competitive, structured, and involves a lot of individual learning, whereas Global Studies is very flexible—you’re free to share your opinions and study in a way that suits you. I like having both approaches.”
Tarita says the Bachelor of Global Studies is very different to the other degrees she has studied for.
“The Bachelor of Global Studies involves so much discussion and teamwork,” Tarita says. “I’ve learned so much from people sharing their experiences, and we’ve had so many tough and important conversations about all sorts of topics that really need to be had.
“We’ve also had crash courses on so many different topics—you really get a taste of everything at the University. I think everyone else is missing out, and I don’t know why more students wouldn’t study this degree.”
Tarita says the group work can be challenging at times, but she also thinks it’s an important skill to learn.
“I think people don’t understand the importance of collaboration and teamwork and it’s often missed between high school and the workplace. The Bachelor of Global Studies gives you that experience and I think will give all of us a step ahead after we leave university.”
Once she finishes her studies, she plans to travel the world.
“I want to go overseas and volunteer for a year,” Tarita says. “Once I come back, I’d love to work for a community organisation or even somewhere that tackles global issues, like the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. I know both my degrees will give me the skills I need to do that work.”