Case Study

I chose to come and study at the University of Sunderland because of the wide range of health-related courses they had to offer at undergraduate level. I’d studied midwifery previously and I wanted to learn about health more generally, including health-related inequalities and women’s health. The BSc (Hons) Public Health was a great fit for me, and after completing my primary research in public health, I caught the research bug. It felt like a natural progression when I enrolled onto the master's course as I wanted to explore inequalities in health and society further, as well as develop my research skills to a professional level.

The range of optional modules available on the MSc Inequality and Society course are amazingly diverse and interesting – I wish I could have chosen them all! The core modules are also in-depth and brilliantly presented. The teaching is another fantastic aspect of the course; the sessions are so impassioned, uplifting, and inspiring, and the teaching staff are incredibly student focused. All the lecturers on the course are friendly, approachable and knowledgeable, working every day to make the student experience even better.

Both my undergraduate and postgraduate degrees have given me the skills and experience to go further than I ever thought I would, as I’ve been recruited as a social researcher at HEO level in the Civil Service. I will be working with a team at the Office of National Statistics to produce and publish quantitative and qualitative research findings on a range of social subjects, including health and social inequalities. The research training I received on the MSc Inequality and Society and the support I’ve had from everyone at the University has made all this possible. I’m also hoping to return to the University of Sunderland to complete a PhD alongside my new role.

I would definitely recommend Sunderland to anybody thinking of coming to study here. My advice would be to look at the whole range of courses and modules available, study something you’re passionate about, and make the most of every opportunity that comes your way. The whole experience for me has been life-changing.”

Published 13 June 2022