AB-ISE: what do you think? (help!)

[Citizen Erased]

I just received the news two weeks ago that I passed the DLSU entrance exam. Now...ang pinasahan kong course, International Studies, major in European Studies. I was just wondering...is anyone around here taking it up? Or does anyone know some inside information about this course? (I've seen the program outline on the website.

Is it any good? Is it difficult? Will there be any good prospective jobs for me when I graduate?

Pinag-iisipan ko lang kasi nagdedecide ako between this, Journalism and Fine Arts (sa UP/UST/Ateneo (hopefully)). Hehe.

[yo_mon]

It's my course so I'd be biased on this. AB-ISE is the best course in DLSU's International Studies Department. Eto lang kasi ang may screening for admission into the major program proper. I tell you this: this course is not as easy as it sounds. Nagkataon lang na bago sa pandinig. It's not all about European food and culture, and definitely not about the social skills that diplomats do during cocktail parties. ISE deals with the dirty stuff - politics, power, economics, foreign policy analysis. If you're not the type of person who's prepared to read around 30-50 or more pages every meeting for one major subject then forget it. If you're not used to THINK and write CRITICAL essays then it's not for you. If you can't find satisfaction in studying the power games that have happened and are happening in our world then it's not for you. Not that I'm scaring you, ISE is not for the faint of heart nor for those who get away with being cute.
The program also offers 15 units of either French or Spanish (though I took French, I strongly advise that you take Spanish because they are more generous in terms of scholarship offerings). But still, European languages are not the program's thrust. It aims to develop competent experts in the field of international relations - experts who are able to develop their own world views and find out that the world is not always what it seems to be.
So, there you go. Congratulations for passing the entrance exam!

[noinertaus]

I am under ISA (major in American studies) for now. I am on my third term in DLSU. I think I have to agree with yo_mon that European studies is the best under the school's International Department.

So far, I am learning a lot. But if you are really for Journalism or Fine Arts, choose it over IS. Because this course is really for those who want to go for diplomatic jobs.

Hey, Citizen Erased, what school are you from?



Good luck in decision making. I can remember the crisis times of my last year in high school. haha

[noinertaus]

and yeah, i am going for european studies as my majors. not everyone can major there. In your first 3 terms, you have the same subjects. Sa second term, yung mga under Jap studies, they'll ahve Jap Language 1 na... But in your first year, you are all qualified simply as IS students lang. You apply for majors in the second year.

Sa Eruopean, kaya hindi lahat nakakapasa dun ay dahil mahigpit sila sa grades on particular pre-requisite subjects. It is not enough that you pass.

[Citizen Erased]

Thank you so much for replying!

I'm from Miriam High School, noinertaus.

So. Wow. I've thought really hard about this. I believe I can handle it, though I'm not sure if I'm pushing through with this course because I'm worried about certain financial issues, and I couldn't decide whether I want this or Fine Arts.

Haay. Crisis nga. :/

But thanks again for replying. Thank you for your advice. I really, really appreciate it; it really helped a lot.

[masterjedi]

im planning to take up MA in IS.. kaso polsci undergard ko, ok lang ba yun?saka gano *** ktagal ang MA IS..thanks in advance..

[masterjedi]

im planning to take up MA in IS.. kaso polsci undergard ko, ok lang ba yun?saka gano *** ktagal ang MA IS..thanks in advance..

[C_ronaldo7]

siguro pag graduate mo dito you'll end up in a call center

[noinertaus]

^^

ang negative naman ng sagot mo dun...... insulto un a

but it's really hard to apply for DFA. as in. duduguin ka muna. todo aral para makapasa sa foreign service exam.

but you could go for nicer places like in companies.. sa mga socially-related parts of the corporations i guess....

[masterjedi]

magkano po ba tuition ng MA in ISE

[C_ronaldo7]

im planning to take up MA in IS.. kaso polsci undergard ko, ok lang ba yun?saka gano *** ktagal ang MA IS..thanks in advance..

uhhm why the hell would you want to master in ise?

[C_ronaldo7]

im planning to take up MA in IS.. kaso polsci undergard ko, ok lang ba yun?saka gano *** ktagal ang MA IS..thanks in advance..

uhhm why the hell would you want to master in ise?

[raine18]

^it's a great course for someone who wants to be a diplomat.

trivia: remember angelito nayan (a UN worker who got kidnapped in iraq but was already released)? he took up his MA in European Studies at DLSU.

[raine18]

^^

ang negative naman ng sagot mo dun...... insulto un a

but it's really hard to apply for DFA. as in. duduguin ka muna. todo aral para makapasa sa foreign service exam.

but you could go for nicer places like in companies.. sa mga socially-related parts of the corporations i guess....

can't blame him though. i know a lot of people who took up AB-ISE, some of them are in callcenters, together with people who graduated from other universities with similar and different courses (even those who took up business, engineering and computer courses. the luckier ones are already working at the DFA, embassies/consulates/european commission, and international organizations. salaries of people who work in foreign embassies and intl organizations are not that bad, it's even better than what most callcenter representatives get. but it is important to know a european language though (french, spanish, german, italian), ok lang naman if you're not that fluent, basic or conversational language skills will do.

[C_ronaldo7]

pero di ba kadalasan palakasan rin pag gusto mo maging diplomat

[Mathew]

heheeeeee... ako taga callcenter ... enyway.. tanong ko lang... may CPA Review Center ba ang La Salle ?

[Mathew]

heheeeeee... ako taga callcenter ... enyway.. tanong ko lang... may CPA Review Center ba ang La Salle ?

[Mathew]

heheeeeee... ako taga callcenter ... enyway.. tanong ko lang... may CPA Review Center ba ang La Salle ?

[raine18]

pero di ba kadalasan palakasan rin pag gusto mo maging diplomat

yup, in some cases. but it's still better to be a career diplomat though, instead of just being an appointee. besides, wala namang pumapasa sa FSO exam based on palakasan lang.

[omi]

trivia: remember angelito nayan (a UN worker who got kidnapped in iraq but was already released)? he took up his MA in European Studies at DLSU.

i thought he obtained his MA in international relations from the International University of Japan