Visual Art SL vs History SL

[Arya Prasetya]

I need help, ASAP!!
Can you guys give me good reasons in whether to take History or Arts?
6 subjects I chose so far:

- Physics HL

- Geography HL

- English HL

- German ab initio

- Math HL(trying out, highly probable to drop to SL)
- History SL/ Art SL

I would really appreciate your help! Thanks!

[~Lc~]

I think Art SL is a good release, if you are efficient enough with your time management and get your projects done in time it will be good not to have an extra subject for the May exams. That being said, will you be applying to any degrees which would require a good grasp of writing essays? If yes History may be a good idea to demonstrate how well you do that.

[alefal]

Hey there!

I personally believe that the decision on taking either arts or history very much depends on what you're going to do in the future and what you're going to study at university. I'm not familiar with the arts syllabus, but as ~Lc~ pointed out, if the degree you want to pursue requires efficient essay-writing, then history should be your choice. History would also be beneficial for any degree with some (any) history in it (for instance international relations, or indeed history itself). Some careers also require you to have some understanding of history. For instance, if you want to get into the ministry of foreign affairs, knowledge about the history of your own country is a requirement (or, at least it is in Norway). It is also a good subject for learning analysis, as the history essays should be based on analysis and not narration. One thing to keep in mind is that the analysis you learn in language A courses and in history is slightly different in that analysis in languages is solely textual whilst in history it is not. Do you want to pursue a degree or career where research is a fundamental skill? History would also be a good subject choice in this case, as you will conduct a lot of thorough research for the IA and EE, if you decide to write your EE in this subject.

Another thing to consider is what you are interested in. Are you more interested in history or arts? Are you interested in causes and consequences , or perhaps international relations and development? If so, history should be your choice. If you are more of the creative mind, then arts should probably suit you better. I would assume that history is in many ways more restricted in terms of structure and formalities than arts, thus limiting your creativity.

Edited May 26, 2013 by alefal

[Rachael Nath]

i think you should do visual arts if its something you enjoy - however if history is vital to the career path that you choose than do history but SL

Hope this helps

[Guest]

Well, looking at your schedule, it seems like you have many classes that are hard and require constant studying... I would suggest taking Visual Art SL as a class that could be your release or break from your other HL classes. Good luck!

[mdabella]

I would say try to do Art SL, as looking at your subjects they seem very challenging! You might need some time off to release your stress (Art.... lol) however Art SL also requires a lot of work and time. But History requires the left side of your brain, and doing Art would definitely show your creativity more. Good luck!

[RandomPeersoon]

It depends on what you want to do in the future.

For example, if you want to be a lawyer, it would be best for you to choose history.

If you don't yet know then choose whichever one you like the most.

Art is always a good option since you don't have an exam to do in May but you will need to be dedicated enough to finish all of your projects on time.

[Holly Masterson]

Some universities consider visual arts to be a 'soft' subject and so I would perhaps check with where you want to study to ensure that you are taking what is right.

At the end of the day though you should take what you enjoy the most as then you are likely to gain the most points from it.

Good luck.