Max Darby Data Analyst at Musgrave Bachelor of Arts in Digital Humanities & Information Technology /en/ck118/
I chose Digital Humanities because of my deep desire to understand. I chose philosophy as my accompanying Arts subject in first year because where else would someone who wants to understand the world go? If it wasn鈥檛 for my Arts degree, I definitely wouldn鈥檛 be able to think as creatively as I do.
Arts degrees do not necessarily teach you how to think, but rather how to choose what to think about, and how to approach an idea from different angles. It鈥檚 very hard to describe, but learning to think in this way allows you to come up with multiple ideas without ever having to narrow your focus to just one.
It is almost like you can come up with an idea, hold it out in front of you without getting too attached to it, examine it for flaws, notice where someone else might have an issue with it, amend it, and if necessary trash it and start over. That ability, combined with the technical skill of computer science makes every student a unique asset because they have a way of building technical solutions that nobody else in the industry has.
I am a data analyst in Musgrave. My role is to find innovative solutions to business problems, and to find ways of understanding our company through data. My role is to take a business question and build a solution using any available technology.
My day-to-day projects use all of the technical skills I learned in computer science, such as machine learning and programming, as well as the critical skills I learned from Philosophy, exploring things like 鈥榠s this the best way to approach this issue鈥� or even 'should we use this technology in this way鈥�.
Jessica Murphy Senior Manager with Global Management at VMWare Bachelor of Arts International in European Studies & French /en/ck108/
I had always wanted to study French, and the BA in European Studies added an additional lens to my knowledge of history at a European level, that I thought could be used in a professional context. The BA also gave the flexibility to choose 4 subjects, one of which was History, so I was happy to keep that for the first year of the program.
I felt was an excellent foundational degree that would also offer an intellectual and creative challenge for me. I had never considered any other track, as the humanities were always my favourite field of study. I loved my time at UCC so much so that I have come back for two further programs; a Cert in Supply Chain, and an MSc in Coaching which is currently in progress.
I manage a team of 20 people from Europe & Asia-Pacific, our primary function is in software logistics and getting product to customers. I find it an advantage to be an Arts graduate in the middle of many business or technology graduates so that it adds a diversity of thinking and working styles to the group.
I have a lifelong passion for Arts subjects, and I think it is important to give yourself a path that will challenge you, but also that you have an interest in. I think an interest in the subject matter is foundational to being successful and will take you places you may never have expected! I鈥檓 very proud to have a BA and I would still do it if I were 18 years old again.
Davina Muntjewerff Senior Associate Client Solutions at Gerson Lehrman Group Bachelor of Arts World Languages
I always loved learning languages and had a strong interest in learning Chinese. World Languages was a new course and everything about it appealed to me, from being able to study three languages, which I did for the first two years of my degree, to being able to split my year abroad, as well as the cultural element to the course.
I had a great experience with my degree at UCC. All the language teachers were very helpful, and the classes were always very beneficial due to the small classroom environment. The year abroad in Shanghai was one of the best experiences of my entire degree and was a fantastic way to improve the language and learn more about the culture.
My degree has been a major plus to my career. In my final year of college I was unsure of what my next step would be but due to languages being so broad, I had a lot of options, something that always appealed to me about the degree. One of the main things my current employer was looking for at the time I applied was people who studied languages. Now I get to use my languages in the workplace, as well as learn more about the world of business which is something I never had any prior exposure to.
Jack Talty Professional Musician, Artistic Director and Producer, Raelach Records, Independent ResearcherBachelor of Arts with Music /en/ck104/
Initially, I decided to study a BA in Arts with Music because I had intended on becoming a secondary-level teacher but that ambition changed soon after I began my studies at UCC.
For me, this was a very positive development because it made me aware that I had many eclectic interests within the discipline of music, and my studies at UCC encouraged me to appreciate education for its own value rather than see it as a stepping stone to some ready-made career.
As I look at my career today, I can certainly attribute many of the important and varied professional skills that I have developed, to my education at UCC. It鈥檚 a bit of a clich茅, but while at UCC, I became determined to make a job for myself rather than get one.
It is undoubtedly difficult for prospective students to know what path to take after second-level education, but I know that for me, my Arts studies at UCC provided me with a wide-ranging educational and professional training that opened up many opportunities after graduation.
I later went on to pursue further education in the form of masters and PhD studies. Few, if any college options will provide a predictable and certain future pathway, so I feel that it is important that students consider the educational flexibility and diverse skillset that a degree like Arts and Music at UCC can provide, in a professional world that demands such a range of skills, experience, and expertise.
Lynn Harding Senior Content Designer with Fjord at The Dock (Accenture鈥檚 global research & innovation centre) Bachelor of Arts in English & History /en/ck101/
I loved studying Arts. The degree was varied and so interesting, the lecturers were passionate and the tutorials challenging. I felt like I could study whatever I wanted.
What I really loved was the time that I had to develop outside of my course. Arts isn鈥檛 a 9-5 course, so you have the opportunity to really make the most of everything on campus: I joined the UCC Express and became a sub editor; I became a member of the Choral Soc; I went to more gigs than I could count. I was able to get a job and still study well. All of that made for a really rich experience, and it absolutely got me out of my shell and out of my comfort zone in a way that I don鈥檛 think a 鈥渟afer鈥� course with a defined career at the end of it would have done for me.
You get out of Arts what you put into it. I knew going into Arts that I would have to craft a career for myself, because it鈥檚 not a course with a cookie-cutter job at the end of it. But it鈥檚 so important to see that for what it is: an opportunity, not a limitation. Arts can take you anywhere. I鈥檝e worked in tech, in communications, in publishing and content creation.
Today, I work in design for the global R&D and innovation hub of one of the world鈥檚 biggest consulting firms. If you go into Arts with all guns blazing, you really will learn the skills that you need to succeed in the jobs market: how to seize and create opportunities, to think creatively, to build relationships and take chances. Employers will see that in you. Trust me!
Michael Kenneally Client Solutions Manager at Professional Services at GLG (Gerson Lehrman Group, Inc.) , Bachelor of Arts International in Mathematics & Italian /en/ck108/
I had a broad range of interests in secondary school; I loved both languages and Mathematics and was unsure about which route to pursue at third level. My Arts degree offered the perfect platform to combine these interests and gain further exposure to both fields - I would not have had this flexibility in any other programme!
My degree was challenging but ultimately very stimulating and rewarding; flexibility aside, no other degree would have offered me the same level of diversity in what I learnt as an Arts programme. I split my time equally between both subjects and was able to develop a range of different skills: attention to detail, critical thinking and an analytical mind-set are the three areas in which I progressed the most during my degree.
The Erasmus programme was a particular highlight, living and learning abroad were both great experiences from which I benefitted greatly. My unusual choice of subjects makes my CV stand out, in my experience, employers value anything on CVs which makes candidates stand out: the great thing about an Arts degree is that you can really make it your own in a way which isn鈥檛 possible with other degrees.
This diversity was important in helping me secure a place on the IBEC Global Graduate Programme with Bord Bia in Milan, my first job after finishing in UCC. There I gained valuable insight into the worlds of Food Marketing and Event Management while also furthering my Italian. This experience in turn helped me in obtaining the role I have recently begun in UCC, where I am still using the skills I developed throughout my Arts degree.
Faye Murphy F谩ilte Ireland Bachelor of Arts International: Irish and French /en/ck108/
I guess in school I really didn鈥檛 know what I wanted to 鈥渂e鈥�. I knew what I loved, and that was Irish but I didn鈥檛 see a clear career path for myself. I figured if I stuck with what I loved, I would eventually find my footing 鈥� and luckily enough, I did!
In first year, my four subjects were Irish, French, Spanish and politics. On day one I had my heart set on carrying Irish and politics through to second year. However, as first year progressed, I realised that I was really enjoying my French classes and I ultimately ended up keeping on Irish and French. This also resulted in me doing an Erasmus Year in France.
The wide variety of subjects offered in first year arts meant that I wasn鈥檛 bound with my choice and I was given the chance to try out a few subjects and develop my interests. Throughout my degree in UCC, I was given countless opportunities to put my hand up and get involved, and that is exactly what I did 鈥� I just kept putting my hand up.
Throughout my degree, I was presented with platforms to have my voice heard. This fostered many things in me: an interest in media and communications, a belief that change is possible and a passion for the student movement. Be open-minded about subject choice. I took up Spanish and I loved it because of the 鈥渘ewness鈥� of it, it was something I had never done before, and I relished the challenge. Just because a subject may be unfamiliar territory for you, don鈥檛 be afraid to try it.
Faye N铆 Mhurch煤 F谩ilte Ireland Eala铆ona Idirn谩isi煤nta Comhch茅im On贸racha 鈥� an Ghaeilge & an Fhraincis /en/ck108/
Nuair a bh铆os ar scoil n铆 raibh fhios agam c茅n post n贸 cen sort gairm beatha gur mhaith liom a bheith agam. Bh铆 an-ghr谩 agam ar an nGaeilge, bh铆 an m茅id sin ar eolas agam ach n铆 raibh aon shl铆 bheatha soil茅ir dom. Bheartaigh m茅 clo铆 leis an rud a thaitin go m贸r liom, is 茅 sin an Ghaeilge, agus bh铆os d贸chasach go dtiocfainn ar fhreagra sa deireadh 鈥� agus bu铆ochas le Dia, th谩inig!
Sa ch茅ad bhliain, roghnaigh m茅 an Ghaeilge, an Fhraincis, an Sp谩innis agus an pholait铆ocht. Ar an gc茅ad l谩, cheapas go mbeidh m茅 ag coime谩d an Ghaeilge agus an Pholait铆ocht. Le linn na ch茅ad bliana 谩fach, d鈥檃ithin m茅 go rabhas ag baint an-taitneamh as na ranganna Fraincise agus i ndeireadh na d谩la, shocraigh m茅 clo铆 leis an Ghaeilge agus an Fhraincis. Mar thoradh ar sin, bh铆 deis agam bliain Erasmus a dh茅anamh sa Fhrainc.
Toisc go raibh r茅imse leathan 谩bhar a bh铆 ar fail sa ch茅id bhliain, n铆 raibh m茅 s谩innithe le mo rogha agus bh铆 deis agam triail a bhaint as roinnt 谩bhar. Le linn mo thr茅imhse i gCol谩iste na hOllscoile Chrocaigh, tugadh na c茅adta deiseanna dom mo l谩mh a chur suas agus p谩irt a ghlacadh - agus b鈥檚hin d铆reach cad a rinne m茅!
Le linn mo ch茅ime, cuireadh ard谩in os mo chomhair ionas gur f茅idir liom mo thuairim铆 a roinnt. Chothaigh s茅 sin roinnt ruda铆 ionam: suim i gc煤rsa铆 cumars谩ide agus sna me谩in, muin铆n gur f茅idir linn ruda铆 athr煤 agus paisean sa ghluaisteacht na mac l茅inn. B铆odh dearcadh oscailte agat mar gheall ar rogha 谩bhar. Rinne m茅 fh茅in an Sp谩innis agus thaitin s铆 go m贸r liom c茅 gur rud chomh nua ab ea 铆 dom. C茅 go bhfuil 谩bhar 茅igean nua chugat, n谩 b铆odh fait铆os ort triail a bhaint as!
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