Damn core subjects. (Suzanne)

I just got a call for applications and an advert in my uni email for Institutions in International Law, a subject they offer at the law school here. Essentially, in this subject, you fly out to Geneva as a class of 25 over winter break, you tour the UN and the WTO and the Red Cross and the International Monetary Fund and the International Court of Justice and wherever else the subject coordinators think is an important institution in international law, you get guest lectures and seminars from people who work there, and two weeks later you come back and do a research essay in the remainder of your winter holiday. Plus, your accommodation and travel in Geneva is paid for over the course (but not your plane ticket, meals, or travel insurance).

How awesome does that sound, seriously?

Unfortunately, that’s an elective subject. And also limited to 25 people, with a selective entry process. The painful thing about doing law is that you have to take about four years of compulsory courses before you can do any electives during the semester. This one is over winter break, but you’re highly recommended to take International Law first, as a sort-of prerequisite, which is a subject I can’t take until 5th year at the very earliest.

Therefore, we may deduce one message from this advert: go study for Torts. You can’t take this subject for another 3-4 years. It’s a pity, because I’m toying with the idea of working for UNESCO after graduation (and presumably a lot of work experience) and I would really have loved to take this subject and poked around and been a bum around their headquarters.

But really, there are far too many compulsory subjects in law. 16 compulsory vs 8 electives, and the electives are all infinitely cooler than any of the compulsories.