Godwin Taurai Hungwe BSc Accounting and Finance, MSc Accounting and Finance, 2017
Trainee Chartered Accountant, Kreston Reeves
Studying at the University of Southampton was a truly life-changing experience. The lecturers were inspiring and always willing to help. The support the University provided was invaluable.
Why did you choose to study at Southampton?
My reasons for choosing Southampton were mainly to do with the great academic reputation, course structure, facilities, vibrant city and campuses. Visiting the University at on the visit days cemented my desire to want to study at the University of Southampton.
What was it like studying here?
Studying at the University of Southampton was a truly life-changing experience. The lecturers were inspiring and always willing to help. The support the University provided was invaluable. I received assistance from the CV drop-in centres and placement advisors. The career opportunities provided at the University of Southampton are vast.
There were also lots of events held by the students union throughout the year, for example the petting zoo that comes on campus around exam seasons to help students take a break and distress. The campus is very, offering safety buses for students who take advantage of the 24 hour library facilities. The campus atmosphere was incredible, hosting farmers markets, employers, societies and events throughout the year. There was never a dull moment on campus.
How do you rate study facilities at the University?
The facilities at the University are great. As someone who is quite sporty, I found the sporting and gym facilities around the universities to be of a great standard.
The University has 5 libraries which are located around different campuses. The main Hartley library is the one I mainly used and is a great place to study. Being open 24 hours has made it easier for a lot of students to work more flexibly. It is a very large library with 5 floors and a lot of computer rooms, quiet study areas, group rooms and it also loans out laptops and other equipment to students. The University then offers additional study spaces around exam seasons which also helps cater to the demand of study facilities.
The Bloomberg suite that is available to the Business students is also another great area for students to look for market data and to also learn about financial markets by offering free subscriptions to the Bloomberg Market Concepts e-learning course.
What were your Southampton highlights?
My highlights at the University of Southampton includes being part of the basketball team, and working on open and visit days for four years, which allowed me to improve my public speaking. I also attained a first class grade in my undergraduate dissertation and secured a graduate job before finishing my masters degree.
How did your time at Southampton help you grow as a person?
I enjoyed the different types of modules I did on my course; from learning about accounting and society to corporate finance. I enjoyed being immersed in those different disciplines e.g. taxation, audit, financial accounting, management accounting, corporate finance etc.
Did you have the opportunity to study modules outside of your core subject area?
Yes, in my second year of my undergraduate degree, I chose the LAWS3101 'International Criminal Law' module which was 100% written. This module prepared me for my dissertation as it required a lot of research skills. It was completing different to the types of modules that I was used to as an accounting and finance student. However, I enjoyed taking myself out of my comfort zone and learning new skills.
What one word sums up how you feel about your experiences at Southampton?
Unforgettable.