''I learn a lot about different cultures from all over the world''
Talia is a 3rd year International Social work student. Curious about her experiences and her advice for new students? Read more to find out.
Talia loves the international aspect of the program
''I chose this course because my previous education was bilingual and I wanted to continue my studies in English, because there are so many people in the world who speak English.
Speaking English allows you to talk to so many people from all over the world, without immediate need for an interpreter. I already knew I wanted to pursue a course in the social field, but the English component is what made this course the cherry on top.''
Lecturers ask students for help in keeping the curriculum up-to-date
''I am incredibly happy that I chose this course. I find the course material so incredibly interesting. The course is still undergoing a lot of changes because it is still quite new, but that’s what makes it so fun, in my opinion.
The lecturers ask for our opinion on the course and its relevance to the society we see around us, and they take our feedback into consideration in the review of the program. Trends in society are changing all the time, and this course constantly adapts to it. It looks at worldwide trends - not just the trends in the Netherlands. After all, that wouldn’t make it international. We get to learn about a lot of different cultures from all over the world. We look at how we can have conversations with people from foreign cultures and help them.
Nowadays, most countries house a large variety of cultures, which makes these intercultural skills incredibly important to have.''
Talia's advice: Don't worry about your English skills too much
''There’s no need to worry about the level of English in the course. If you speak English at a B2 level, then you meet the requirements. Many students from International Social Work are non-native speakers from all around the world. So not only do you learn English from the course itself, but also from each other. This is something that I have experienced and so have a lot of my classmates. You don’t have to be a native English speaker.''
Read more about International Social Work at HAN.
