Tom BA Hons in Sociology
Choosing Newcastle
I chose Newcastle for a number of reasons. When I came to the Sociology open day, I was struck by how vibrant and fantastic the city was-it was always very important for me to attend a university that had at its heart a wonderful city. Because of the overall research excellence, I knew that I was going to get some of the best teaching in the UK. Lastly, I was blown away by the sports facilities because as an athlete I was looking to receive sponsorship through the Elite Athlete Programme, which I did successfully.
Studying Sociology
I would happily recommend Sociology at Newcastle to any student as it can open so many doors. The modules are really interesting especially the modules and seminars where you can engage and interact.
Lecturing staff deliver interesting lectures week in and week out, and are always helpful when it comes to assignments. They also give great direction for seminars and have brilliant seminar leaders. All the teaching staff are really helpful and were accommodating for me as they knew I had time constraints because of sporting commitments.
The mix of students was amazing too. Coming from Liverpool I was always afraid that making friends would be difficult but I’ve met an amazing mixture of friends from across the globe.
University Facilities
The libraries at Newcastle are certainly the best facilities I’ve seen. The online facilities and Blackboard are superb and support you through your studies. But the best facilities for me are the ones for performance sports. Coming from a road racing background I wanted to be able to move up to Newcastle and get the support I needed. I applied for the Elite Athlete Scholarship and was awarded it. This not only provides amazing pastoral support but gives you unlimited access to the Health and Fitness Suite which is superb.
Newcastle is a great city and has a brilliant nightlife. Because campus is centrally located, you can pop into town to shop, eat and enjoy yourself with great ease. The arts and culture scene was a lot bigger than I expected and very impressive.
