I chose to complete a Master of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies (Advanced) after completing my Bachelor of International Relations at the ANU, having developed a keen interest in the region from undergraduate level CAIS courses, that I wanted to be able to explore more thoroughly, in a world class degree.

I transferred into the Advanced version of the MMECAS after a year of fascinating coursework study, in order to complete a higher level of research and undertake an in-depth study of an area of my interest. The completion of my sub-thesis component in the Advanced degree, 'A Comparison of Islamist Movements in Turkey and Egypt: the AKP and the Muslim Brotherhood from the 20th Century to the Present', allowed me this rewarding opportunity.

This degree facilitated my development of a diverse, interdisciplinary body of knowledge in an important and broad geopolitical region and its many involved actors, covering from Turkey, to Central Asia, and the very core of the Middle East. This degree has offered me pathways into incredible study and travel opportunities, such as the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism's postgraduate study trip scholarship in Turkey which I undertook in August 2015 after completing coursework on Ottoman and Modern Turkish history and politics.

The Advanced MMECAS has also given me valuable skills and a higher level of qualification for future opportunities. Upon completion of my degree I have temporarily moved to Qatar in order to immerse myself in the Middle East, and will seek employment roles in public and private sectors that will further develop my knowledge of the region and my interest in research and writing.