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The University of Southampton
Sociology, Social Policy and CriminologyPart of Economic, Social and Political Science

Sebastian Rooke BSc Criminology

2017 Graduate

Sebastian Rooke's Photo

I have been offered a job by the Metropolitan Police service. I largely attribute my time at Southampton to my success in joining the police due to the confidence and open-mindedness I developed at university.

Why did you choose to come and study at Southampton?

I particularly liked the campus, which helped determine my choice to study at Southampton. When I first visited the University of Southampton campus it was the atmosphere that appealed to me. Everyone seemed friendly and happy and there was a sense of intimacy. The grounds around the campus were very appealing and on a sunny day between lectures it was nice to sit outside and work.

What is it like studying here?

I really enjoyed my experience studying at Southampton. All of my lecturers were really friendly and there was a very informal and jovial relationship between staff and students at the university which was especially nice when you first join. Whenever I needed help I had a tutor that I could arrange regular meetings with or I could see the lecturers in their offices who were always happy to help. Having graduated I still receive emails from them informing me of interesting opportunities and they’ve extended the offer of having coffee with if I find myself back in Southampton.

What have you enjoyed most about your course?

The thing I most enjoyed about my course was the diversity in modules that I could study. The opportunity to choose modules from a range of disciplines allowed me to explore a broad category of subjects I had no previous experience with and really opened to mind to new things. The diversity in topics also helped me to stay engaged and not find myself bored of learning about the same thing constantly.

Did you have the opportunity to study modules outside of your core subject?

I found myself exploring so many different topics from lots of disciplines beyond my core subject such as geography, sociology, psychology and anthropology. I particularly enjoyed studying anthropology because of the interesting modules available such as exploring the rationality of different global concepts of witchcraft. Having the opportunity to study a topic like that, to then study about violent and sexual crimes in criminology provided a very broad education. The best part is it was all encompassed in a criminology degree and allowed me to expand my knowledge.

What have been your Southampton highlights?

The friends I have made from all over the world was one of the biggest highlights from my time at university. I also loved the ability to live with my friends and constantly be able to socialise.

Completing a dissertation was a big highlight for me as I saw it as a way of contributing my own unique piece of research to the academic field. My dissertation was an original project that allowed me to highlight a topic that I felt needed to be exposed and having this opportunity for me was a very distinctive experience.

How has your time at Southampton helped you to grow as a person?

One of the biggest opportunities that Southampton offered me was the ability to develop as a person. I really enjoyed the emancipation from not living at home. The new experiences of becoming very independent and supporting yourself fostered my self-development. Living by yourself enables you to take control of you own life and empowers you to do what you want. And while having my own house and being in charge of bills and rent seemed like a daunting task at first, student services were always available to help which eased the transition into adult life.

What opportunities has studying at Southampton provided you with?

Having finished university, I have been offered a job by the Metropolitan Police service. I largely attribute my time at Southampton to my success in joining the police due to the confidence and open-mindedness I developed at university. By undertaking a criminology degree I equipped myself with the necessary knowledge I needed to join the police, with the very questions I was asked during my interview being directly related to modules I had studied. Having the criminological knowledge from my degree really gave me a good foundation in understanding policing and made me a better candidate during my police assessments days.

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