We talked about her Double Major Program journey with Hilal Tatar, a 4th-year student at Istanbul Gelişim University (IGU), Faculty of Fine Arts (FFA), Department of Radio, Television, and Cinema.
Hello Hilal. Thank you for accepting our interview proposal. You are continuing your education in the Faculty of Economics, Administrative and Social Sciences in the field of Psychology, and in the Faculty of Fine Arts, in the Radio, Television, and Cinema departments at our university. What do the fields of cinema and psychology mean to you, and how did you decide to pursue a double major in these areas?
Thank you for interviewing me.
Psychology is a wonderful discipline that helps me make sense of myself and everything else, and that constantly develops and improves me. It teaches me how important psychological health is, as well as all those moving things that you always feel but don't realize you feel because you don't know their name. Cinema is a very powerful way in which I can express what I have learned, show people what is in my head, and explain myself.
I decided to double major before I started university. That's why I chose Istanbul Gelişim University. In the middle of high school, I decided that I wanted to be in the field of cinema. But then I realized how exciting psychology is. I decided to learn both together and my process began.
What excites you most about the relationship between cinema and psychology? What do you recommend for our students who want to study interdisciplinary?
It excites me to awaken those movements in people that I just mentioned. Psychology fascinates me, and cinema teaches me how to fascinate people and gives me opportunities to do so. It is also very fun to be a guest in different departments during my education process with my different vocational training.
My suggestion to students who want to study interdisciplinary is to first focus on the fields they are interested in. Of course, disciplines that are close to each other will add a lot to you professionally, and even doing a double major in a department from the same faculty will lighten your course load, but different fields will also create very different paths for you. So don't be afraid. We live in a period where there are no clear boundaries, and in such a period, applications such as "double major program" will create many different opportunities for you. You already find a way to bring them together.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of the double major training process? Are you having a hard time? Can you advise?
I recommend it. Obtaining two different diplomas is an advantage that will put you ahead in many places. In addition, it allows you to be two different worlds, two different abilities, and two different characters. I think it's fun and a great experience. But this process also brings with it tremendous intensity. Exam weeks are very busy. Especially if, like me, you start studying for exams during exam week. There were times when I took five exams on the same day or even had to take two exams at the same time. Sometimes, due to lack of sleep, I wrote my school numbers on the wrong department exams. Yes, you have two different school numbers and two different school cards. During this process, my professors from both departments and my one and only friend Ceren helped me a lot. Ceren kept her psychology notes very organized for me and shared them with me. During this period, I was completing my cinema projects. Without her, I might not have been able to complete this process so easily. My professors, my friends, and I carry out this process as a team, so I have less difficulty than a normal major student, but yes, I have a lot of difficulty. But when the process is over, it is definitely all worth it. You create a perfect network.
In what field and how do you aim to advance after graduation?
This part is still constantly changing for me. I can be an academician who covers both fields, I can work as a psychologist, or I can progress entirely in the cinema industry. But for now, I still don't have a clear plan. I like writing psychological, fantastic stories and scenarios. I am aware of the necessity of accessible therapy. That's why I want to combine both fields in my world. For now, I have a mixed professional flow plan in which I plan to constantly add different projects one after the other.
What advice would you give to students who want to double major before and during the process?
First of all, they should follow the process well. The year I applied for the Double Major Program was during the Covid period and the name of the department had changed, and I was mistakenly enrolled in the Radio, Television, and Cinema department at a different faculty. Of course, this is a one-in-a-million confusion, but you still need to follow the processes, dates, and procedures well. Afterward, you should be in constant communication with the students you know and your department secretaries who have gone through this process. Long before the process even begins. You can even plan your course selections from semester to semester this way. The most important advice I can give is to take as many courses as you can and, if possible, start from the lowest grade first. You should be in constant communication with faculty members in case of a conflict of courses. They will also make your processes much easier. My professors from both departments helped me a lot in this regard. Remember that the continuation of your second episode also depends on your success in the first episode. It is a difficult process, but you adapt to the situation very quickly. I hope everything goes well for them too.
