Beth

What do you like about your course and why?

Studying Criminology and Sociology has provided me with lots of opportunities to apply my knowledge from lectures in real-life situations and assignments. I've received a huge amount of support from my lecturers who speak engagingly about the topics they teach. I've enjoyed studying a variety of modules including Victims and Victimology, Advanced Quantitative Methods and Psychology of Criminal Behaviour, which have provided me with a range of skills and breadth of knowledge.

What do you enjoy most about Surrey?

Before coming to Surrey I was nervous that university wasn't going to be for me. However, the Surrey campus has a great sense of community which gives students the scope to meet a range of people from all backgrounds and has allowed me to make friends for life. 

When I lived in student accommodation, it was very modern and immersed me into the university culture. The campus has various facilities including food and drink outlets, an onsite club, a pub, shop and a lake. The town centre is a short walk away and has a range of pubs and bars which are great places to socialise. Surrey provides students with opportunities to develop their skills, whether this is through societies or programmes such as becoming a student ambassador. Opportunities such as this increase your employability. 

What do you want to do when you graduate?

Through the modules I've chosen on my course I've realised the career path I believe I would find the most fulfilling. When I graduate I want to work in the public sector, specifically those organisations which investigate crime or work to prevent crime. I'm particularly interested in working for counter-terrorism organisations.

Your advice to new students

I would encourage any students thinking of taking this course to do it, as it is highly engaging and allows you to not only understand key theories and concepts, but also to be critical about them in ways you would have not considered before. 

The mix between lectures and seminars is beneficial as students learn the content in lectures and apply this work in seminars where we have the opportunity to engage with the lecturer and peers about the taught content. This set-up is useful for meeting students on your course. 

Additionally, whilst there are compulsory modules, there's also a great amount of scope to choose your own modules so you can tailor your degree to your interests. All my lecturers have been highly supportive and give lots of advice around assignments.