For Mia learning from research-active staff and taking opportunities to pursue her passions has broadened her horizons. Through her module choices and internship opportunity, she has been able to explore new interests and see how education principles work in a real-world setting.
When Mia first visited Southampton Education School for an open day she got the impression of a friendly academic community with plenty of opportunities on offer, and she hasn’t been disappointed.
The School has a relatively small cohort compared to other departments at the University, and Mia has enjoyed the benefits this brings.
Small-group learning
Mia talks about the sociable and supportive learning community at Southampton.
"We don’t have a lot of big lecture-style sessions – they really like to get us talking, so a lot of the teaching is in small group discussions. Going from the classroom to big lecture halls can be quite intimidating when you first come to university, so it made the transition easier.
"As the degree has progressed I’ve been able to see the real difference that research in education can make. Being taught by people who are doing their own research is really interesting. You hear about what they’ve learned and you can see how passionate they are about their own area.
"You can get to know everyone really well, and we have our own social space where you can go and work. When I’ve needed to speak to my personal academic tutor they’ve been very supportive and they do want to get to know you on an individual basis."
Student empowerment internship
Mia describes the opportunities her internship provided.
"I’ve also been doing an internship relating to student empowerment which is only available to students at the University of Southampton. It involves going into a school and facilitating sessions to help students create a project where they can make improvements in their school.
"You also do some work for the organisation that runs the initiative and I get to connect with other schools internationally."
It is something I’m passionate about and it helps me see what I’ve been learning about in practice within a school. It’s also given me extra experience that I can use when applying for jobs.
Building a personalised degree
Mia found the modules in year one helped her get a broad understanding of education issues and themes before selecting options in years two and three.
"There is a lot of flexibility to choose optional modules. I’ve got a lot of friends doing the course but we’ve all done slightly different modules – you get to tailor it to the areas of education you’re most interested in.
"Having always enjoyed languages, I also took the opportunity to take a Minor in French in my second year. It makes my degree more unique to me.
"I’ve enjoyed learning about international education and how things are done differently in other countries. Alongside a foreign language, it has made me think about things differently, and consider different things I could do in the future."
Mia's advice
Mia's advice to anyone thinking of studying education is to consider choosing a BSc (bachelor of science) option.
"Don’t be intimidated by the fact that it’s got the word science in the title. With a BSc you gain some additional skills, such as research skills, which can be very helpful going into any type of career."
