Will Beaver

Name: Will Beaver
Course Title: Humanities BA(Hons)

I have always had an interest in history because of my father’s background, he studied history and because of him I found the subject extremely interesting, so I wanted to study it at a higher level.

In undertaking the Humanities degree I have had the opportunity to study areas I haven’t looked at before. It’s a varied degree, you get to study subjects like sociology, English, politics and history. This has provided me with the opportunity to do a fair bit of reading on different subject matters. I have particularly enjoyed studying criminology, that was a bit of an eye opener and I liked the fact that I could relate it to different subject areas. The great thing about this degree is that when you start you look at all these various areas of study and then in your second year you can specialise in two areas, this means you can find out what you really enjoy.

I chose to study the Humanities degree at UCO because of the location and it suited my personal circumstances. Considering it’s a small campus you have everything you need here and the lecturers are very helpful. The class size isn’t too bad and there is a good mix of age groups. I think the Campus has a really good atmosphere, it’s a very helpful, supportive and friendly place.

When I finish my degree I would like to go in to teaching so I am planning on studying for the PGCE after this course. I think that if anybody is not 100% sure of what type of degree they want to do, they should consider the Humanities degree so you can study a broad spectrum of subject areas, which gives you more options to focus on.

Estelle Duffy

Name: Estelle Duffy
Course Title: Psychological Studies BSc(Hons)

I studied Psychology at A Level and found it interesting so I thought I would carry on with it at degree level. I liked the fact that University Campus Oldham was closer to home and as I work part-time in Manchester, to study here suited
my personal circumstances.

The course is very varied, you don’t just focus on one module, you look at all aspects of psychology including areas like criminology and health and behavioural sciences. I really like looking at the contemporary ideas in psychology and how these theories relate to everyday life, you can apply them to most things that happen in the world today.

There is a good mix of people here at UCO, a variety of age groups which means you tend to gain a lot of knowledge from different backgrounds. The facilities are good and there is a great range of textbooks for the course. You can get everything you need here just as you would at the University of Huddersfield, plus there is lots of support from the lecturers.

After I complete my degree I would like to work in business, particularly in the area of recruitment and personnel, looking at how you can profile employees and their dynamics of people within the business environment.

Safina Kauser

Name: Safina Kauser
Course Title: Digital Journalism BA(Hons)

I think the media is a really powerful source of information in our day-to-day life and I think it is interesting how we are now moving towards the use of digital journalism to access information about the world we live in, so I thought to study this subject at degree level would be engaging.

I’ve been enjoying the projects I have worked on and looking at the different aspects of writing, for example, how you write for radio is very different to how you would write for print. So far the course has been very worthwhile, the opportunities I have had to learn and experience new things have been immense. This is only my first year of the degree and already I have produced short films for Oldham Athletic including an interview with Kevin Lomax and most recently, Alan Hardy. One of the most exciting things I have got to do was interview the University of Huddersfield Chancellor, Professor Patrick Stewart. I was nervous at first, but he was very down to earth and provided me with some really good answers to my questions.

I feel that because we did so much in my first term it has really brought me out of my shell as I was quite a shy and reserved person.

The lecturer on the course is really enthusiastic and wants us all to get the most out of the course so that we our reach our best potential. He has a really good background in media so it’s great to be taught by someone with the industry knowledge and expertise.

The facilities in the Digital Journalism suite are excellent, I can’t complain about anything, we have access to a suite of computers and use the latest Avid software and Adobe Audition. I have also had the chance to gain some work experience at Channel M and got to shadow a reporter, this was really interesting and I even picked up some media language, it was very valuable experience.

I chose UCO as my friend had studied there, she recommended the place to me and said what fantastic support you get. It’s like a small community, you get to know people very well and it’s friendly. It’s a great place to learn and I am glad I came here.

Jenny Millar

Name: Jenny Millar
Course Title: Law LLB(Hons)

I enjoyed studying law at A Level as I have always found it interesting, plus there is a wide scope of what you can do when you have a law degree. One of my friends was doing the law degree and used to talk about it, I thought it sounded interesting so I decided to study for the LLB(Hons) Law.

I like it here at University Campus Oldham, the class sizes are smaller so it’s better for more one-to-one attention with your lecturers. I originally came over with a group from Oldham Sixth Form College to take a look round, I liked what I saw, the building was modern and the facilities were good so I decided
to study here.

I like learning about new cases and how they can be applied to every day life. In particular I have enjoyed doing criminal law but I have also enjoyed European law and I can now start to see how everything fits together.
I was recently awarded the Best Performing First Year Law Student and was presented with a prize from Harold Stock and Co. Solicitors. I was delighted to have achieved this award, it’s made me think that I can go on to really succeed.

I think that if you prefer to study in a smaller environment, then UCO would be a good choice to make. It’s also a great place to study as it is close to home, which helps me with my living costs.