On a Different Note

Filmmaking has become a popular subject among students nowadays.

Looking Beyond the Regular

Naziba Basher
Photos: Md Ata Islam Khan Mojlish

Gone are the days when people who loved Biology had only Medicine to study, who loved numbers had only BBA to look forward to and who loved the Arts did not have an option but to study an entirely different subject. Time passed and more subjects developed. New doors opened, new opportunities came. The wide array of subjects to major has grown and people are finally opening their eyes to something beyond the regular. New subjects have come into the country and finally, students are being able to express their passion with the subject they choose to study.

Studying numbers, calculations, statistics that also include money -- to many that would mean studying Accounting and Finance. However, there are many universities across the country that have a faculty of Economics and for those who love calculations and studying about the economy and money, this subject is perfect if you want to study something other than BBA or Finance. The study of Economics has a lot to do with how we are leading our everyday lives, the expenses and the savings. The fact that the entire country has a budget of its own, the fact that every single farmer working on the agricultural fields is equally important compared to all the big banks and garments industries when it comes to contributing to the countries survival. Asif Azam Khan, an Economics student from North South University, says, “All these little things seemed to be a puzzle for me, which I am steadily trying to solve with the enhancement of my knowledge in Economics. I have learnt that Economics is about choices and the impact of our choices on each other. It's quite challenging to understand and realise these facts and you just have to be good in your mathematical calculations, but yes, at the end of the day when I get my answers, it definitely brings me a lot of joy and satisfaction.”

Many who love the Arts would usually ignore their passion and think about studying other subjects just so that they can have a well-paying job. Now is the age of advertising and it's finally time for people to unleash the artists within them. Visual Arts is valued greatly all over the world and has hit the scene with the young students recently. Visual Communication (Graphic Design) is one such subject that people with that very creative quality can look forward to studying. Visual Communication is a modern form of art. It is not just about creating shiny posters or using interesting fonts to catch people's attention, it is about getting an important message across, both artistically and visually, in such a way that even people who do not understand anything about design would be able to understand what the certain message is all about.

Other than BBA or Finance, Economics can be a perfect subject for those interested in matters like calculations and the economy.

Nishwar Mohtamin Mirza, a student of Visual Communication at Raffles Institute of Higher Education, says, “I think, before you choose to study this subject you have to realise that it is something that requires a lot of patience, time and effort. On top of that, it has both design and art disciplines. The thing is, if you want to be successful in this field you have to be completely and utterly mad and that is the best part. You can just let loose and that will allow you to think outside the box. An Idea is all that is needed to push the boundaries further."

Filmmaking has become a popular subject nowadays amongst students and is still rising. Dhaka University has opened a brand new department just recently on Filmmaking. Filmmaking is not limited to just 'making films' as the name suggests. It is a vast and extremely diverse field, ranging from the general notion of directing a film to understanding sound design to being a film critic or a film distributor. The technical aspects, such as understanding cinematography, lighting techniques, etc; the aesthetic aspects, such as reading a film, constructing a meaningful scene, understanding the narrative; and the absorption or viewing of film, such as film critique, deconstruction of film language, etc are integral parts of this wing.

On another note, there have been countless cases of students loving Biology as a subject but backing out from studying Medicine because of the pressure of becoming a doctor. For those, there are now subjects that can please your soul with biology but also release you from the 'doctor-hood'. University of Chittagong is the only university in the country that offers a Bachelor's degree in a subject as exciting as Oceanography. It also offers Marine Science and Fisheries. This subject revolves around matters like the ocean, fisheries resources, fisheries economics, aquaculture, environmental biotechnology and more.

Professor Doctor Ashraful Azam Khan, Chairman, Department of Marine Science and Fisheries, says, “Bangladesh has water all around it. Whatever is on the land is being studied rigorously by students in other fields, but what happens in the water should also be a matter of concern. Our seas and rivers are our assets, and we need students to preserve and take care of them. Marine Science is an absolutely fascinating subject to study. And for resource exploration, students need to know the importance of this subject.” He also adds, “Marine science opens students to innovation, discoveries and inventions of new technology. I think it is definitely a subject that children will enjoy.”

With different doors opening for students with different interests every other day, there is hardly any reason for students to face dilemma when choosing what to major in, after school is over. Find your passion and ambition and just choose accordingly.