Gabriella Culham

Choosing Surrey

What initially attracted me to studying at Surrey specifically, was the range of placement opportunities that were available to me during my degree. Especially as Surrey has won the National Undergraduate Employability (NUE) award for the Best University Placement Service, two years in a row.

By having the opportunity to spend a year working in a business environment and being able to use the skills and expertise that I will have learnt at university, I feel really motivated by the doors it will open for me. It'll also give me a real feel for working in a professional environment. Also, the thought of being able to potentially study in a completely different country, and experience a new culture, as well as meeting like-minded people, really excites me.

Your time at Surrey

Since September 2019, I have had the honour of studying the Economics and Finance BSc (Hons) at Surrey. It has not only given me a range of analytical and critical thinking skills but has also given me a completely new outlook and perspective on how individuals, groups and nations manage and use resources in the business world.

After just a year of studying economics and finance at Surrey, which was ranked in the top 10 for business and economics in the UK by the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2020, I have been able to analyse the psychology of why people make the decisions they make. I have also acquired a whole new perspective as to how the world works. Economics is not just about maths and business - it also plays a large role in politics, law and geography, and almost everything else in life.

At Surrey, I really like the range of lecturers that teach the individual modules. Since they are specialists in their subject, it makes lectures always new and exciting, as they are constantly researching around our modules, making sure we are getting the best quality and up-to-date material. Some even have taught in other countries, making lecturers even more interesting and inspiring.

Support at Surrey

The support network at Surrey is also at a very high standard, especially as everyone is assigned a personal tutor. This can be used for any course-related or personal enquiries I have and it has really helped me in my first year to get settled into university life. All lecturers also have an open-door policy, which means if I have any queries or confusion about any of the topics we are studying, I can easily pop in and ask for help.  

Overall, studying economics and finance at Surrey has been the single most valuable investment I have made. I have experienced life-changing learning, which has given me the tools and confidence to continuously develop and improve my knowledge. I am looking forward to my Professional Training placement and the opportunities that it will give me.

Find out more about our courses in economics.