David Hicks MSc Transportation Planning and Engineering

Hi, I'm David Hicks and I studied MSc Transportation Planning and Engineering within Engineering and the Environment at the University of Southampton.

I think that anyone with a true interest in transport and planning for the future will enjoy this course.

I've always had a strong interest in all things transport-related. I initially started my time at university wanting to study civil engineering, but after discovering that it wasn't quite right for me, I decided to study environmental science instead, which I greatly enjoyed. Following this, however, I still had an urge to learn more, especially about transport-related subjects. I have found my previous degree to be very useful in providing me with a strong foundation of knowledge about the way the world works, giving insight into potential future problems that may be faced, especially with regard to transport - transport is, after all, very sensitive to energy costs, pollution issues, and other political and economic factors.

I initially planned to do an engineering degree - something for which Southampton has a very good reputation. It just so happens that Southampton is also a brilliant place to study environmental science, and I was even more fortunate to be able to stay here to do the Master's in Transportation Planning and Engineering, something only a few universities in the UK offer, a niche subject where the University of Southampton excels!

I have enjoyed many aspects... from having a truly international group of classmates (now all my friends!), to the broad variety of transport-related subjects taught, helping to ensure that I have a well-rounded knowledge base and set of skills. I think that anyone with a true interest in transport and planning for the future will enjoy this course.

As the student representative who relays any problems or suggestions to staff, I have also enjoyed a positive relationship with all the students and lecturers. I have taken my position as "class leader" to try and further enhance the experience of my classmates, by getting class hoodies made and organising social events, as well as organising a tour of cycling infrastructure in the Netherlands for those interested.

I have found all the staff on the course to be friendly, supportive, and willing to listen to students. I have found my personal tutor, Nick Hounsell, always happy to answer emails about anything, however random, and he's always happy to make an appointment on short notice to meet with me when I need to talk in person.

The teaching facilities are generally very good - I'm especially happy about the Panopto recording facilities now available, meaning that lectures are usually available to listen to for review purposes afterwards, which is great for exam revision.

Having spent many years here at the university, I can confidently say that they have been continually improving over time. There are plenty of places to study and work, including the library and many computer rooms, some of which are open 24 hours a day. Two new buildings have opened since I have been here, not counting the new Maritime Centre of Excellence (formerly Boldrewood Campus) that is due to open in 2014. The Uni-Link bus service is now very good, and only continues to get better. The student union always has plenty going on, from a cinema to comedy evenings to live jazz, and the newly refurbished and revitalised Bridge Bar is a favourite of mine for some very good food at student prices. There's never a dull moment here!

As a part-time student, I have not yet started working on a project at the time of writing this; however, I can say that the choices for choosing or designing your own are very good, and I am currently planning to write my dissertation either on how policy, design standards, and infrastructure interact with the uptake of cycling as a mode of transport, or, on how policy and infrastructure provision vary for disabled people in other countries.

I am sure that whatever project I choose, it will be relevant and useful to my future career, and also provide many useful skills relating to procuring and analysing data.

I'm quite flexible with regard to my future career, as I'm used to living in other countries, and I have a "personal" attachment to Asia, so I suppose I might end up in Hong Kong, Thailand, Malaysia, or somewhere like that. I see the potential for the huge amount of infrastructure development still to be done, especially in Southeast Asia, and I believe that it should be done with a vision to the future, not like so much of the car-centric development seen over the past half century in the west. I hope to be part of a new generation of transport and urban planners who are able to provide sustainable, safe, well-designed, enjoyable, and economically attractive transport infrastructure and technologies to everyone, regardless of their social status, enabling mobility for the masses and thereby promoting economic development and increased quality of life, especially for those in developing countries.

As to my exact career path and specialisation, I suppose only time will tell - but hopefully by keeping a vision for the future in mind, there is at least a goal to be reached!