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English major produces more than just skilled writers

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A Bachelor of Arts is an extremely versatile degree, one that can be tailored to explore new or old interests and help you discover a wide range of career possibilities.

With majors in areas as diverse as English, History, Psychology, Classics, Criminology, Geography, Politics, and modern and ancient languages, the degree can be just about anything you want it to be.

And Bachelor of Arts graduate Hannah Rogers is just one example of how a BA can help you find your passion in unexpected places.

Hannah now holds a Bachelor of Arts with Honours and a Master of Social Work and has found an innovative way to make a difference in people's lives through creativity.

Hannah is the station manager for Hobart community station Edge Radio, a position she has held for the last four years. And her association with Edge goes back to 2013, when she started volunteering there after completing her Honours thesis in Creative Writing.

She is also a media tutor with Mosaic Support Services, teaching people with a range of self-identified disabilities to make radio content, led by the participants themselves and focusing on their interests.

This linked up perfectly with her work at Edge Radio, where she developed Edge Radio's X-Press Radio program, which helps young people learn skills in presenting, planning, interviewing, and media ethics, all through active participation and practical studio experience.

"I'm basically their radio producer," she said. "I help with editing, how to tell a complex story, giving guidance.

"I never saw myself working in disability, but it's basically just talking and helping people. It keeps me grounded and creative while I'm managing people in my other role."

For her Honours project Hannah wrote a long story from multiple viewpoints, perspectives, and narrative styles. And when she studied social work, she focused her studies on community spaces and the work done by volunteers in creating communities.

And by simply following her personal passions through her Arts degree and onward, Hannah found everything coalesced into her perfect career.

“A big part of what I was doing when I studied English storytelling was about the different ways we do it, what makes a good story.

"Particularly using audio to express interesting and vibrant stories. Audio is a great way to do it, you have to slow down and think about what you're hearing.”

Pursue your passions and you might be surprised by the places you'll go. Learn more about our study options in Humanities and Social Sciences.