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As we step into 2020, we have moved into a decade where we do not believe so much in what other people have to say, than in listening to our own needs and desires. Neither do we believe in getting the age-old degrees of engineering and MBA, nor do we crave for the same kinds of lives our parents or grandparents did. Along with our perspective towards life, our choices regarding the areas of study we intend to dedicate our time to, has changed. Our schools and colleges too have ample number of varied courses to choose from in the present day and age. Here’s a quick list of unconventional courses offered in India for the youth who is always hankering to get involved in something different.
I. Cartography
Cartography is the study and practice of making maps. It is a technique or art of graphically representing a geographical area on a flat surface, such as a map or chart. As a study field, Cartography includes a combination of scientific and artistic elements. Modern cartography largely involves the use of aerial and, increasingly, satellite photographs as a base for any desired map or chart. Rather than merely drawing maps the cartographic process is concerned with data manipulation, data capture, image processing and visual display.
Cartography is a very popular course option for students who are interested in Geography. In most cases, the Cartography is covered as sub-domain of Geography at undergraduate and diploma level, but there are also a few colleges that offer specialized cartography programmes at diploma, graduate and masters level.
You can find such courses in the following institutions:
Government College, Kerala
II. Art restoration
Art restoration denotes the repair or renovation of artworks that have sustained injury or decay, into something approaching their original undamaged appearance. The techniques and methods of art conservation and restoration go hand in hand and became a distinguished profession in the 20th century. The technique of art restoration is professionally practised in museums, civic authorities, as well as those concerned with works of art (artists, collectors, gallery goers). It is an old practice, but has gained prominence only recently after advances in scientific techniques have enabled people to take up this work in a professional capacity.
You can find such courses in the following institutions:
III. Flower Arrangement
Flower arrangement is the art of using plant materials and flowers to create an aesthetic and balanced composition. The art also known as floristry, goes back to the culture of ancient Egypt. The various styles of floral design include the likes of Botanical Style, Garden Style, Crescent Corsage, Nosegay Corsage, Pot au Fleur, Inverted “T”, Parallel Systems, Western Line, Hedgerow Design, Mille de Fleur and Formal Linear. The defining elements of floral design include line, form, space, texture, and colour, whereas the basic principles of floral design include balance, proportion, rhythm, contrast, harmony and unity. The contemporary commercial floral design industry is a result of the amalgamation of Eastern, Western and European styles.
You can find such courses in the following institutions:
IV. Toy & Game Design
“Toy and Game Design” is a trans-disciplinary course with regard to creative conceptualization and working with a variety of material and media. It is a creative approach to the growing needs and aspirations in the field of education and entertainment, with a progressive curriculum. The learning modules include elements of play, game theory, character design, user research methods providing specialized inputs. Students work on design projects of their choice ranging from heritage toys, digital games, educational play material to sports equipment and designs for futuristic scenarios.
Toy Design course specifically includes working with both hard materials like plastic, ceramic, metal, wood as well as soft material such as cloth, cotton, fibre, rubber and more. The designing of toys is not just limited to product development, but also implementing scientific research and quality check for safety standards.
You can find such a course at the National Institute of Design (NID)
V. Crime Analyst
The post of crime analyst has become an essential part of almost every police department. It is is a law enforcement function that involves systematic analysis for identifying and analyzing patterns and trends in crime. the crime analyst is responsible for analyzing available data and looking for patterns in order to help solve a crime or predict it. The duties include reading police reports and crime statistics and using a myriad of resources in order to be able to fulfill the given task. The crime analyst should be able to work with crime mapping technology, computer-aided dispatch (CAD), read police reports and keep contacts with other professionals in their area and around the country.
Crime analysis as a profession appeared back in the 1960s, even though some of their functions have been performed for many years. It is important to know that the crime analyst does not usually visit crime scenes to collect evidence. The collection of forensic evidence is done by detectives, crime scene investigators, and the crime lab. The job of the crime analyst is to analyze and interpret the information and evidence.
You can find such courses in the Bureau of Police Research and Development.
VI. Value Added Vocational Competence Courses
Vocational education prepares people to work as a technician or in various jobs such as those of a tradesman or an artisan. Vocational education can take place at the post-secondary, further education, or higher education level and can interact with the apprenticeship system. At the post-secondary level, vocational education is often provided by highly specialized trade schools, technical schools, community colleges, colleges of further education (UK), universities, as well as institutes of technology (formerly called polytechnic institutes).
In India, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has included a list of vocational subjects in all the streams of Commerce, Engineering, Health and Paramedics, Home Science and others. Post-secondary vocational education training is conducted in many institutes all over India.
Such courses can be found at St. Mira’s College, Pune.
VII. Jewellery Designing
The entire process of making jewellery is quite complex and requires technical expertise. Before any jewellery piece is created, a design for it is conceptualised through a detailed drawing which is made by a jewellery designer.
Jewellery designing, manufacturing and trading have been an integral part of the human society since thousands of years. India is no exception to this. In fact, our country is world renowned for its jewellery and jewellery designs since ancient times.
Many institutes in India offer long-term, short-term and even distance learning programs in jewellery designing. They teach you basic skills like stone cutting, engraving and polishing, as well as testing the quality of precious metals and gems. Special skills like electroplating, metal colouring, anodising, enamelling and stone setting are also taught to students of jewellery designing.
There are many jewellery designing courses available all over India. For joining a diploma course, you have to complete your graduation in any field and for short-term courses the minimum qualification can either be class 10 or a 10 + 2. It is advisable to pursue a programme in jewellery design, BDes, from a renowned design school such as National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) or National Institute of Design (NID).
After completing your bachelor’s degree in design, BDes, from a recognised design school you should look for an internship with a renowned jewellery house in India or abroad. Alternatively, you can do a master’s course in designing also.
You can find such courses in the following places:
VIII. Dance Movement Therapy
Dance/movement therapy (DMT) is defined by the American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA) as the psychotherapeutic use of movement to promote emotional, social, cognitive, and physical integration of the individual, for the purpose of improving health and well-being. It is a holistic approach to healing, based on the empirically supported assertion that mind, body, and spirit are inseparable and interconnected; changes in the body reflect changes in the mind and vice versa. DMT as an embodied, movement-based approach is often difficult to describe, as it is necessary to actively engage in the process to get a true sense of what it is.
You can find such courses in the following places:
IX. Certificate Course in Disabilities: Awareness and Inclusion
Often our fears and discomfort about interacting with people with disability is based on lack of knowledge, uncertainties, and stereotypes that can influence your attitudes. Hence disability awareness is an important part of establishing inclusion for people with disability. The more informed one is, the more likely that he or she will feel comfortable communicating with someone with a disability at work, in education or in any other space.
You can find such a course at St. Mira’s College, Pune
There are also various free online courses available for this field of study.
X. Certificate Course in Mindfulness Based Counseling – Listening with Embodied Presence
Most of us have often used some form of counselling in our day-to-day lives, whether it be while consoling a close friend, relative or oneself. However, professional counselling is a skill that can be learnt and made use of. Especially in this day and age, it has become a profession that is almost nobel in the way it helps people suffering from various mental health issues and disorders, starting from bereavement to depression. Counsellors need to be emotionally flexible, non-judgemental, and first and foremost know that no two people are alike, or can be cured in the same way. Since talking to a counsellor gives clients the opportunity to express difficult feelings such as anger, resentment, guilt and fear in a confidential environment, it helps ensure trust. The ultimate aim of counselling is to enable the client to make their own choices, reach their own decisions and act upon them. There are a number of skills that are required by counsellors. Perhaps the most important are good communication skills. Such skills are imparted through various courses on counselling available in various institutions.
You can find such courses in the following places:
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