My Interdisciplinary Journey as an Arts & Sciences Student

UCL BASc (majors in culture) third year student Maxima Bachmaier shares their interdisciplinary journey.

Hello everyone! I’m Maxima, a final-year Arts & Sciences (BASc) student at UCL with major in Cultures.

With my diverse range of interests spanning languages, communications, business, marketing and psychology, the interdisciplinary BASc programme immediately appealed to me for its flexibility and breadth of opportunities.

The BASc course at UCL offers a unique framework where students can tailor their studies to their individual interests and strengths by taking modules across diverse disciplines and departments at UCL. As a BASc student, you will choose a major and a minor pathway for your studies from the four fields of Culture, Societies, Engineering and Health & Environment, within which you have a free choice of modules of your interest. This gives you the opportunity to dynamically explore your strengths and gain an insight into diverse academic fields, fostering a holistic approach to learning.

Personally, I chose Cultures as my major pathway in line with my personal interests and aspirations, allowing me to immerse myself in two foreign languages, Spanish at advanced and Mandarin at beginner level, while exploring modules in Linguistics, Communication Science, Media Studies, Journalism, and Creative Writing. For my minor, I chose to focus on Psychology as part of the Health & Environment pathway, engaging with subjects like Social Psychology, Individual Differences, and Organisational Psychology. Holistically, the multifaceted skillset I have acquired throughout my BASc journey will be of great value and benefit for my personal future career aspirations in the marketing and communications field.

Beyond acquiring knowledge in my areas of interest, the Arts & Sciences programme has nurtured my interdisciplinary thinking, providing me with many new perspectives, fresh insights and opportunities to broaden my horizons. Through our core modules in interdisciplinary research, including both quantitative and qualitative methods, I have developed a robust academic foundation and holistic problem-solving skills essential for navigating today’s dynamic educational and professional landscape.

During my BASc journey, I have become increasingly aware of the value and significance of interdisciplinary thinking in addressing the complex, interconnected global challenges of our time, from climate change to social inequality. As BASc students, we are encouraged to transcend academic boundaries, explore multidisciplinary perspectives, and bring together diverse insights to develop innovative, integrated solutions.

Overall, my BASc journey has truly shaped my personality and perspective of the world, equipping me not only with in-depth academic knowledge but also with the ability to connect the dots and grasp the interrelationships between diverse ideas and insights from across disciplines. As I prepare for postgraduate study and my future career, I’m highly grateful for the enriching experiences and lifelong skills this programme has provided me with.

Curious to broaden your horizons and gain new insights from a range of disciplines?

Then the BASc programme may be the perfect choice for you!

Feel free to get in touch with me if you are interested to learn more about my experiences.
Looking forward to connecting and perhaps crossing paths at UCL in the future!

Email: maxima.bachmaier.21@ucl.ac.uk 

Instagram: @maxima__b
 

Find out more about UCL Arts and Sciences department and the courses they offer.