Case Study

I wanted to stay at home while studying for my degree, and after visiting the local universities, the University of Sunderland felt the most welcoming to me. I had originally planned to study Primary Education, but was unsure whether teaching was definitely the career route I wanted to take. At that point in my life, I was still more interested in learning, rather than learning how to teach. I decided that studying Childhood Studies would enable me to gain invaluable knowledge that would be transferable towards gaining a PGCE if I decided this was the career for me.

The best part of studying on the BA (Hons) Childhood Studies course was gaining an enormous amount of knowledge on theorists and their ideology. It always interested me how ideology could be applied to each module and how this could be used to understand academic discourse from a range of perspectives. Another aspect of the course which I’m thankful for was having the opportunity to develop my critical analysis skills. Developing these skills has changed the way I think about many aspects of life, such as questioning news articles, policy changes, sources of information and more.

I would advise prospective students to prioritise their own personal growth when choosing to study at university. There are an array of additional advantages of studying at the university, such as being able to learn another language, gain additional awards and explore societies that apply to your interests.

Since graduating, I have surpassed many goals which I would have once thought were unachievable. This has not only boosted my self-esteem, but has improved my confidence when setting aspirations. I have always dreamt of having a Doctorate in the future and having just gained a master's degree, this now seems completely achievable. I aspire to become an educational or clinical psychologist and I'm confident I will achieve this career goal.

I have recently acquired a fantastic job with Barnardo’s, a leading children’s charity, which I am extremely proud of. Having conducted an enormous amount of reading on the charity throughout my degree, this invaluably helped me when acquiring this employment opportunity. My role with Barnardo’s has enabled me to study even further by providing me with the opportunity to study on the NEWPIP Infant Mental Health course provided by Children North East, another leading charity.

My time at the University of Sunderland was fantastic. I think if I had studied the same course at another university, my experience would not have been as enjoyable. I received an enormous amount of academic support from my lecturers who were always happy to take the time in ensuring I was reaching my maximum potential. I am confident that no other institution would have provided this level of support.”

Published 4 May 2020