I was attracted by the program's variety of courses in different disciplines such as social sciences, political sciences, and humanities.

All the elements were present to provide a positive experience at Seneca. The program coordinators, professors and classmates proactively created a thriving study environment. The Honours Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies (INS) full-time and part-time program coordinators displayed outstanding professionalism in guiding my graduation pathway.

The INS professors engaged purposefully with the students and applied interactive student-centered teaching methods. Such non-traditional material delivery fostered educational collaboration between professors and students (activities, conversations, and debates) and allowed students to learn innovatively.

The graduation day was the most memorable because we celebrated our success and the program’s success.

The solid content of the program’s courses and staff support made me believe that my academic journey is yet to finish.

My experience as an immigrant pushed me to explore the history of immigration and settlement in Canada. The Master of Arts in Immigration and Settlement Studies brought meaning to my immigrant journey in Canada.

The Honours Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies provided a substantial foundation of research and theoretical knowledge that helped me integrate into the master’s program smoothly.

The more you advance, the more complicated it gets. However, in each stage, you acquire new and concrete tools that make adapting to the next one easier.

My Seneca diploma’s curriculum was a pure application of laboratory techniques in chemistry and had few general education courses found in the Seneca degrees’ curriculums. The INS and the master’s curriculums were oriented towards theoretical principles and research.

While the INS degree covered multiple disciplines, the master’s was purely dedicated to the immigration field. Overall, I did not face significant challenges transitioning from a diploma to a degree to a master’s.

I recommend students to look up a field that they are passionate about. It is essential to take some time to reflect on the purpose of going into a master’s degree and to define the expected outcomes.

Balancing work, school and life is not an easy task to do. However, it is imperative to set priorities and avoid being in stressful situations as much as possible.

The best way is to maintain control of your course load and meet deadlines for your assignments. Make sure to create a self-study timetable and follow it accordingly.

Students can also use electronic calendars (Google Calendar) to manage their time efficiently between school and extracurricular activities.

I am currently a PhD candidate in Policy Studies at Toronto Metropolitan University and working in academic research. I enjoy my spare time with family and friends.

I am looking forward to completing my PhD and becoming a professor.