Wellington has always been my favourite city. I have the best of both worlds here—the politicians and decision makers are just down the road, and then there's this bubble of culture and creativity.

I can chill at a café, check out a gig at the Fringe Festival or head to a show at the theatre. There's always something happening, it's got a great vibe and is a place where I'm happy to be myself and do my own thing.

I'm in my fifth year studying towards a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and International Relations and a Bachelor of Laws. I chose a conjoint degree at the University because it gave me the chance to study both of my passions—politics and law—in the heart of where politics plays out.

At university I've mentored students of all levels. Being able to pass on knowledge and see struggling students succeed has been amazing.

Getting involved in these mentoring programmes and becoming part of the Pasifika community, has opened doors and opportunities. I've met a lot of influential people, made connections and most importantly, I have new friends and a family away from home.

As a discipline, Strategic Studies seeks to provide the tools with which one may endeavour to navigate the future.

I was drawn to the University’s Master of Strategic Studies (MSS) programme for several reasons. First, the MSS is well suited to students who are passionate about multiple humanities subjects. For me, they’re history, philosophy and international relations. Second, the MSS offered something I hadn’t encountered elsewhere—the opportunity to learn about the various tools used in statecraft, security and foreign policy planning.

Over summer, I was able to put some of these tools into practice while working as a research intern at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Dovetailing my MSS research paper—which considers New Zealand’s future foreign policy choices—I was fortunate enough to attend the 45th St Gallen Symposium in Switzerland, joining others in debating the future of small states.

The MSS courses are run by passionate academic staff and are designed to provide practical skills for use in real-world contexts. I have the programme to thank for the opportunities that have come my way

International Relations (IR) as an academic field is so new and multifaceted that you could find yourself working on economics, politics, international law, conflict, security, migration, climate change, regionalism, ‘big man syndrome’ and trade, all within the same 2,000-word paper.

I found myself studying with people of really diverse backgrounds and experiences who challenged my own world views and assumptions and allowed me to develop a more sophisticated understanding of the global political system.

The Honours programme in particular is excellent in this respect, as you’re studying with students doing Masters of Arts in IR who are typically mid-career professionals who pop your idealistic theory bubbles with a little cold, hard, reality and cynicism.

The skills I learned through my IR degree are essential to my job now: being able to quickly understand murky issues in an information vacuum, research skills, negotiation skills, listening, networking, respect and being able to write about complex issues in a straightforward way.

I’d recommend anyone interested in getting a holistic understanding of the world to study International Relations. The diversity of the programme is well suited to equip students with the tools they need to succeed in international organisations, government, NGOs, business, politics, journalism, or diplomacy.

“As a first year—especially when you opt for political subjects like I have—you can be pretty naïve. You’re at university, you’re raring to go and you think you’re going to change the world. Now I’m in my fourth year I feel like I have a more accurate picture of myself, where I belong in the world and what I’d like to do with my life.”

“When you’re in classes with Political Science students you’re confronted by such a spectrum of ideas. There are radical leftie activists through to libertarians and, while it’s generally a very respectful environment, people have strongly held beliefs. You get fierce debates happening, which I think is really healthy.”

Shortly after completing his studies in mid-2014, Josh landed the ideal job to kick-start his dream career working at the intersection of politics, development and international relations with a Pacific focus.

“I'm working in the Pacific Development Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. I'm a development officer on the Tonga desk, which means I manage activities in New Zealand's bilateral aid programme there. I couldn't have asked for a better graduate job.”