Atmosphere
The first thing I noticed about Education was the welcoming atmosphere. Soon after I started the lecturers arranged a mixer night for students across all three years. We all had a brilliant time! We were given a chance to ask any questions and get to know each other in a relaxed setting. Of course, there was wine, nibbles and a lot of laughs. We even had a pub quiz!
Education are really on their toes when it comes to engaging in social media. @DeptEdYork is constantly updated. You can see what everyone is up to, what workshops are running and find out about academics’ ongoing research and projects.
Meeting people with the same interests as you is one of the best things about university. Even though I’m studying English in Education, I’m a member of the Psychology in Education Society (PiEsoc). Anyone from the university can join! PiEsoc hold guest talks, socials and all kinds of events.
Support
Education staff are amazing at supporting us in so many ways. Once a week, second and third years run a peer-assisted workshop where we can ask for help and suggest a topic we’d like to look at in detail. This is great because they have been in the exact same situation as you and have felt everything you have!
You also get support from your personal supervisor. They can give one to one support if you have any concerns about studying or personal issues.
Having so many familiar faces and support networks is really beneficial whilst you’re at university – especially in first year when everything is brand new! You will find straight away that there’s many people to turn to with any concerns.
Modules
The modules on the course have so much variety that there is something for everyone. In my first term I was learning about politics, economics and education on a global scale and so much more. This is great as it really engages your thinking and shows that there’s more to education than just teaching. The modules really give you a chance to find your passions.
Staff
The variety of modules also means you have a chance to meet different staff. They have a mix of different backgrounds and experiences. This is great because there is always someone to turn to with any questions you may have. Lots of the lecturers have experience in schools which is amazing as many of the students are hoping to go into teaching.
The lecturers all have very successful backgrounds in writing, researching and teaching. This is something to look forward to as it is so easy to keep up to date with all the latest research. It’s also very fulfilling to be a part of your tutors’ academic careers and journeys. I have a seminar tutor who also studied English in Education – the same degree as me. She is now in the second year of her PhD.
There are many things I love about Education but, these are a few things you can look forward to. These things have made my first year extremely valuable and my experience has felt so special. I hope you experience this too!
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