Amy Gill - International Relations and Global Development
I've really enjoyed the subjects covered, and feel like I'm learning about something topical and of real interest to me.
”Amy Gill, graduate
Amy Gill graduated in 2007 after studying our International Relations and Global Development course. She got to travel to Papua New Guniea as part of her research for her final year dissertation, and talks of her experiences.
Why did you choose this course?
Having worked for a hotel company for eight years, I decided that it was time for a change. Having spent time travelling to different countries around the world I chose to study International Relations and Global Development, as I'm really interested in what's happening around the world.
What did you enjoy most?
The course covers a wide variety of subjects, from politics and economics to development studies and international law. There's a mixture of students from all over the world and all different age groups - I was worried that I might be the oldest in the class but I wasn't! The group got on really well and on a trip to the Gambia we had a brilliant time sampling the Gambian nightlife and of course doing (some) work.
The best bit of the course has been the research for my dissertation. I travelled to Papua New Guinea, sponsored by the Oceania Football Confederation, to carry out research into how football can be used to help prevent the spread of HIV in the country, which is currently in the middle of an epidemic. The trip was an amazing experience which was reflected in my final project.
What do you plan to do in the future?
Leaving full time work to study again was one of the best decisions I ever made - a cliché I know, but true! I've really enjoyed the subjects covered, and felt like I was learning about something topical and of real interest to me. It was difficult fitting in work around the study, and at times assignments weren't finished until hours before they had been due in, but overall it was manageable. I'm planning to carry on studying and complete a masters, and after that who knows. I would definitely recommend anyone thinking about doing the same thing to go for it - it's hard work but no harder than working a full time job, and I've met loads of people who I'll stay in touch with.
