LLB (Hons) Law

Mel

I can remember having a few universities in mind but when I visited the University of Greenwich I instantly knew it was where I wanted to pursue my Law degree.

Having looked around the university on an open day, and not being from London myself, I was instantly impressed. I was overwhelmed by the Maritime Campus, the impressive buildings and the fact it sat perfectly adjacent to the Thames. The feeling of being a student at the University of Greenwich motivated me to work even harder for my A levels so I could both live and study in such a historical and beautiful part of London.  Soon after I was welcomed by a diverse team of student volunteers, all of whom were so very enthusiastic about the University and the courses it had to offer, I knew I would learn far more than merely enhancing my legal and academic skills at Greenwich. 

Not long after receiving my A levels and my university confirmation, it was time to move from South East England to South East London.  I arrived at my Halls of Residence, slightly anxious, but I was soon warmly welcomed by the Resident Assistants and by my new flat mates.  A few hours later, a welcome meeting was held at the University and a BBQ was held at the Students’ Union. Lots of information was given to us about the university, freshers week and local amenities within the Greenwich area. I enjoyed exploring Greenwich and I made very good use of the nightlife it had to offer. I applied for a part time job at the Students’ Union bar and my first shift started on the first week of term. I felt happy, excited and ready for the academic year to begin.

After an eventful freshers week, it was time for the lectures to begin. A lecturer told us straight, ‘if you do not want to work hard, do not study Law’. Another lecturer told us ‘if you cannot be a good student, then be a smart student’. These words of wisdom I never forgot. Within a few weeks, our first assignment had been given to us which was based on the undermining principles of contract law. As this counted towards my first year, I revised intensely until the in class exam was sat and until the next assignment was due. In the meantime I would continue to do the seminar work and do the recommended reading.  I realised it was important not to fall into the trap of trying to scrape through with a bare pass at the end. By working hard and receiving good grades throughout the year, not only is a lot of pressure taken off during the exam period but it looks good on your academic profile for yourself, for your lecturers and to show your future employers. It is extremely reassuring that you are virtually guaranteed acceptance into the next year with no re-takes, therefore having a well-deserved long summer break.

In my second and third year, I lived in a private property with my university friends in Eltham situated very near to the Avery Hill Campus. I continued my studies at the University of Greenwich and worked part time at the Students’ Union Bar in both Greenwich (Bar Latitude) and Avery Hill (Sparrows). I went to Sparrows on a regular basis with my friends, and they were some of the best nights of my student life which I will always remember and some of which, I will never remember. I partied hard but I studied harder, after all I was here primarily for one thing, to graduate with a well-earned Law degree.

As a law graduate, I can say with confidence that the lecturers in the law department are dedicated to their students and will go beyond measures to help you succeed. Most of the lecturers are qualified barristers and solicitors who have expertise and knowledge in the fields they teach beyond what you will require for your undergraduate studies. The lecturers will spend time with you in their surgery hours to read through your work and to help you succeed. They are the people with experience to seek advice about law schools and the next step in your legal career. 

There is something unique about the University of Greenwich, somewhat difficult to explain unless you have undertaken your studies here. I have felt very comfortable and safe within my studies, where additional help is always available if required. The diversity of students the university attracts is rewarding within itself because academically, socially and culturally I have learnt many different things. I have thoroughly enjoyed my student life at the University of Greenwich and it is, by far, a university I would recommend.

BSc (Hons) Biomedical Sciences

Keerthana

I have currently finished my first year of the three years Biomedical Sciences BSc Hons programme at the University of Greenwich. I initially applied through UCAS to study Medicine, however as I didn’t quite achieve the grades I had hoped for in my A levels, I opted to study Biomedical Sciences instead, hoping it would build a good foundation with which I could apply for Medicine as a graduate. Although, I was very disheartened at first that I was unable to study medicine, reflecting on the past year has made me realise that I do not regret studying Biomedical Science one bit! If anything, studying Biomedical Science has expanded my knowledge in the science field, given me the opportunity to work in a professional laboratory and has motivated me more to pursue my ambition.

The first year of Biomedical Science compromises of 7 modules, each with a different number of credits:  Fundamentals of Biochemistry (30 credits), Fundamental Biology and Physiology (30 credits), Practical and Professional Skills (30 credits), Basic Chemistry for Life Sciences (15 credits), Introduction to Medical Science (15 credits). A typical week for all first years on this degree programme usually consists of lectures 2 days a week and 1/ 2 lab sessions in between. What’s good about the lectures taught at our university is that all the lectures are very interactive. We have a PRS system whereby the lecturer can ask us random questions about the topic that is taught in the lecture, which we can answer using a digital handset- this not only benefits the students as we can get immediate feedback from it, it also allows the lecturers to track our progress and identify those of us who are not paying attention! All the courses taught involve lab-based work to varying extents and are assessed through standard written exams and coursework. Online tests/quizzes are also provided- I found these particularly useful, as though the words ‘Online Tests’ may sound frightening, they do actually help you identify specific areas you need to focus more on. What struck me most about the teaching at this university is that all the lecturers are very friendly and are very willing to help whenever we need it.

Biomedical Science is taught on the Medway campus in Kent. Although it is rather quiet, there are many facilities nearby. The university provides on campus accommodation, which all have shared kitchens and en suite shower facilities. There are various café’s on campus, Coopers (our student bar), Drill Hall Library (which is the longest library in Europe) and a gym/sports hall. Off campus, there is a cinema nearby and several shopping areas, such as those on Gillingham high street, Chatham and Dockside. The Bluewater shopping Centre is only a short 30 minute commute by train. The Chatham and Gillingham rail stations are a short 10 minute walk from the campus and there is an intercampus coach service available.

I really recommend anyone who is considering studying Biomedical Science to do so. Although it entails a lot of hard work and will always keep you on your toes, it will open your door to a wide range of opportunities in the future and is guaranteed to expand your knowledge in the science field.

BSc (Hons) Financial Mathematics

Laura

My Name is Laura Cook and I am about to go into my final year of the BSc Hons Financial Mathematics degree. Maths was always my strong point throughout my time at school but I never started taking it seriously until I began my GCSEs. After receiving A*’s in both my maths and statistics GCSEs I chose to study maths and further maths at A level. I gained a B in Maths and a D in Further Maths at A level. I then received an offer to study Financial Mathematics at the University of Greenwich. I was really excited to be a fresher at Uni and couldn't wait to see what it was all about. My best friend was also going to study Mathematics at the University of Greenwich too so we arrived for our first day together. We couldn't believe that one of the largest lecture theatres in the Greenwich campus was almost completely full with students.

Over the first week we were introduced to our lecturers, personal tutors and show around the campus. Our first Friday there we were put into group relating to our courses and given our first piece of coursework due in for the following Friday. It was nice to see who was taking my particular course as we had spent the first week as with all the new mathematics students. We had to build relationships quickly as we had to answers questions and put together a presentation ready for the following Friday. We were a lucky group as we got on rather well and managed to successfully present our findings. After the first initial week the real teaching began.

The first year was mostly dealing with the last year of A level Maths and A level Further Maths and if you had taken statistics modules as part of your A level, it was all of that too. As I had taken both I was really lucky and knew majority of the first year topics and had minimal new topics to learn. It was a great refresh for me as I was surprised how much can slip out of your head over the summer! After the first year I felt really comfortable at university and knew my way around (I still don’t know my way around dreadnought library though!)

My second year was a lot more independent learning and it took a little getting used to but learning in this style was a great way to test your knowledge and how much you can remember. Most of the lectures are structured where you are shown what to do and the explanation of it and then you can go and try it out for yourself and see if it works. This is where your tutorials kick in. You can give what you learnt a go in these and if you find yourself stuck or not quite grasping the concept of the topic, tutors are available for you to talk to and get some extra help. I found this extremely helpful as one of my topics included some computer programming and let’s just say it wasn’t my strong point!

The tutors were so helpful when it came to helping me a “beginner” in this particular topic. By the end of the year I can say I’ve definitely improved and it’s nowhere near as scary as I thought it was in the beginning! About two thirds of the way through our second year we were given a talk about our third year options. Your third year gives you the chance to pick areas of mathematics that you have enjoyed the most or found most interesting. Depending on your degree depends on how much freedom of choice you get. With a normal maths degree you get complete freedom of choice. With my degree I have to take two compulsory courses (one in each term), two courses in a particular area of mathematics and then I have free choice on another two courses. If you don’t want to be too restricted on choice you can change your course title to allow as much freedom as you want (providing the first two years of the courses are the same!). This was great help and the talk was really informative and gave me a good idea of what to expect this year…

…And here I am now! Waiting to begin my third year excited to get back, nervous that it’s all coming to an end (with a dissertation on the horizon!) but I couldn’t have got as far as I have without my tutors. They may seem scary but they are your friends! They have given me a lot of support over the two years and I will be sad to say goodbye at the end of it. I chose the University of Greenwich as I can tailor my degree to my individual needs. There were a number of courses or opportunities available to me to choose between. I could choose to take a year out after my second year and spend a year working within an industry that I would be interested in. If I didn't want to take a whole year out but still wanted to gain some experience, there is an opportunity in the final year to take a course known as the Mathematics in Industry course. This allows you to base your coursework on work experience gained by spending a minimum of 13 hours of work experience within an area of your interest. Also if you think that you would like to go into teaching, there is another course in your final year that allows you to spend time within a school (primary or secondary) assisting teachers and also teaching yourself. There are also great connections within the Mathematics and the Guidance and Employability Team that can help you with your CV's and help you get on the right track to find a graduate placement. The career options within a maths degree are endless. It can range from staying on for further study and gaining a Masters or a PhD, or going into the city, or taking a PGCE and training to become a teacher. With a degree in Mathematics, the opportunities really are endless.

BSc (Hons) Business Information Technology

Rifat

Hi there, my name is Rifat Ara Chowdhury and I’m a student of Business Information Technology at the University of Greenwich. I would like to share my experience as a student and why I have chosen to come here.

Before getting in to the university, I spent a lot of time researching on which universities have the best teaching standard and facilities on my preferred program of study, as I knew that not all universities have the same level of standard in all programs they offer. I found that University of Greenwich is one of the best universities for studying Business Information Technology. I went to the university web page and found that it has professional and up-to-date information about each module that I am going to study and gives an insight of what I will learn from that particular module. It also explains how I will be able to apply my knowledge in the industry. There’s also an option available for students to choose between a normal degree and sandwich degree (1 year of your degree that you will spend working in the industries). I personally find the sandwich degree very valuable and our teachers always encourage us to do it as this is where the university provides lots of support to the candidates starting from applying till the end of the placement.

There are few things that I found quite exceptionally exciting about my program like once we had to do a ‘Business Game’ where we were given practical problems what companies face in  real life and we had to find solutions to resolve those problems. The game went on for one week and on the last day we had to do a presentation on what we did, why we did it and what lessons we learned.

Another time we had to do a presentation where we were representing our own systems (a simulation) to our clients (Not real!) and had to answer their queries about it. It was really a fun thing to do and we all enjoyed doing it.

Although these were only ‘made-up’ situations I feel that these kind of activities really help students to understand what problems they might face in real life and helps to learn how to get over those challenges.

The other reasons why I like Greenwich is it’s fantastic view, transport links and the huge cultural diversity.  I am based on the main (Maritime Greenwich) campus and I love the campus and its surroundings.  My second year classes will start on 17^th September and I can’t wait to be there!!

BA (Hons) Physical Education and Sport

Alex

My name is Alex Woods and I am studying BA Hons Physical Education and sport.

After spending a year working in a local comprehensive school as a Teaching Assistant I was certain I wanted to complete a degree in Physical Education which would allow me to eventually become a P.E teacher.

I attended a few open days around the country and found the academics at Greenwich particularly helpful and passionate about the subject. They have an ability to transfer their own passion for the subject into the subject through lectures and practice sessions; this makes a huge difference in a student’s commitment to the course.  The Greenwich campus is full of historic buildings steeped in beautiful architecture and is next to the Greenwich Park which makes it a lovely place to study.  Initially I was rather upset at being based on the Avery Hill campus but after making use of the free shuttle bus to the Greenwich campus and Avery Hill Park I found it hard to complain. Also the campus has a community feel to it which makes you feel very secure.

My course is a particularly popular one and it’s nice to study with people who also share such an interest in sport, although daunting at being in a lecture theatre with 80 other people! Dance sessions quickly bring practical groups together and help you form friendships; even if it is through embarrassing yourself!

The lectures are taught in a professional manner but do not include the jargon you can expect in other subjects; the tutors also supply you with lots of discourse and opportunity to read around the subjects you are studying. I particularly enjoyed the Policy module this year, although I’m aware many others found it to be dense and perhaps even boring I enjoyed learning about how the curriculum is structured the way it is and what forces change. The way a political ideology can influence sporting success and participation is something I haven’t looked into before. Policy in sport changes all time and the coalition coupled with the effects of the buzzword ‘legacy’ (referring to the Olympic legacy) make policy an extremely interesting area to study. The second year brings more practical work and a more detailed look at theoretical aspect of Physical Education. Studying biomechanics and physiology can be very confusing but after apply yourself in the first year you should be able to cope by drawing on the knowledge you have already gained.

I have thoroughly enjoyed the first year of my course and am really looking forward to starting the second year. The tutor’s willingness to support you and the positive, friendly atmosphere the staff and other students create on course motivates me to achieve and reach my potential.  During the third year you are given the opportunity to pick modules of study and conduct an independent which means you get the opportunity to further study the most enjoyable parts of your course.

After graduating I hope to complete a PGCE and become a qualified teacher. I goal is to use the knowledge I have gain over 3 years and my qualified teacher status to travel the world whilst physical education in developing countries.

BSc (Hons) Computer Systems and Software Engineering

Danielle

Computer Systems and Software Engineering had always been the course for me.  I have a background of IT professionals within the family that have encouraged me in pursuing a profession in the IT industry.  My interest in software engineering came to me at the age of 14.  I didn't know much about it but in order for me to gain a better understanding; I did some research and gathered information. 

The information gained was helpful.  It directed me on my path through education i.e. what subjects to do at A-levels and what the entry requirements were in order to get a place at a good university.  The A-levels that I decided to take were:  Maths, Chemistry and ICT. These subjects were decided based on the relevance to the Software Engineering course that I wanted to do.  Unfortunately, I did not get a place at my chosen universities as I did not meet the entry requirements for the course there.

Luckily, going through Clearing, I first contacted University of Greenwich and got a place on my desired course “Computer Systems and Software Engineering”.  I was overly excited about the offer and thankful that University of Greenwich were able to give me a place on their degree course.

I attended the university with an open mind but had one or two doubts that the course would be hard especially as I was making the transition from college doing A-levels to University doing a degree. I had heard stories from past graduates that went through the same experience as me. They were a mix of feedback/ stories about university but I wanted to make my own judgements. 

The first days of lectures came.  They were a big eye opener.  I felt slightly unknowledgeable about the actual degree course and some of the module contents.  As time progressed, I developed the skills and knowledge from the course.  I gained new friendships from both students on my course and students around the campus.  I found that the lectures and the lecturers were understandable, helpful and informative.  I only have good words to say about the lecturers.  They are always around if you need them.  I also found it nice that the people within my course were friendly and willing to help whenever in need.  The group as a whole are very supportive, work well in teams and very sociable.  I would have never imagined. 

The experience overall was amazing.  My first year went very well, I learnt a lot. The course was made up of exams, assignments/ projects and assessments which I liked and did well in. There was hardly any pressure to get everything done.  As I am an organised person, I like to get things done straightaway.  Some advice though:  ‘Never wait for last minute’.  The work will pile up on you.

Thank God I PASSED!!  Now for 2^nd year, I wonder what that will begin.

The Computer Systems and Software Engineering course definitely is AMAZING!! 

If you’re interested in computers, technology, have a broad idea of programming and software, then Computer Systems software engineering is for you.  

BA (Hons) Marketing

Christeena

Some people may consider marketing to be all about people who try and manipulate people into purchasing items which they may not necessarily need by using multiple techniques. On one side it is true but on the other there is a totally different story.

When I first came into contact with the whole academic side of marketing I was only 15 and doing my GCSE’s. At that point like most young teenagers, I had never considered that, this was the road I would be going down in the future. During college when I was doing a BTEC National Diploma I came across the subject again, but in more detail. This was really the stage that made me open my eyes to the vastly growing topic that is marketing. By having simply a taster of the different directions in which it could lead into in the future, I took the step and decided to do it as a degree at University. When it came to choosing where I would study my degree for me personally there was no option except for Greenwich. This was because of a mixture of mainly personal reasons as well as the wide range of courses offered for marketing, the way they taught it (presentations, lectures, real campaign building, stories and case studies) and the deal was sealed when I attended one of the open days and spoke to the head of the department.

For me, I consider marketing to be like the Chinese yin & yang, made up of complimenting forces that help create a dynamic system. On one side there is;

YIN –  the regulations which guide and create the rules of marketing to ensure the safety as well as protection of consumers, their rights and to ensure that all forms of marketing are ethical and in compliance to the set regulations.

And,

YANG – companies who are using marketing to communicate with consumers their messages and products or services.

I never thought about how complex marketing was before I started studying the subject, but it is a subject which draws you in and manages to entertain your mind through the wide variety of different aspects it includes. Whilst studying marketing I have learnt that it is highly regulated and whilst studying the topic you learn and expand your knowledge of the rules and regulations stated by numerous regulators, the ASA being one of them. You also understand the processes behind the reason for marketing campaigns.  Not only do you learn about simply marketing but also the business world, how companies’ hierarchy affects marketing, logistics, branding of products, communications, and the list is endless. Marketing can be the strongest form of communication between consumer and organisation if done right. It is not only for profit organisations marketing is also a vital part in helping charities spread their awareness.

Social marketing is just one area which you learn about and this is the area which has captivated my interest. Being able to guide people to making choices about helping not just themselves but other through their behaviours including their decision process, to me is the best form of marketing.  Marketing is such a powerful industry to be a part of, as everywhere you look there is some form of marketing, whether it is a logo, a slogan, a poster or a T.V campaign. I aspire to be part of the industry which can help make a difference not simply financially but in a general positive way.

The course at Greenwich gives you a unique take on the subject with the tutor’s incredible background in the topic some of which have worked for companies like BT and Honda and they are all amazing at teaching and introducing the students into the world of marketing by teaching us from the experience they have gained.
This is a quote I was introduced to by one of my tutors; to me this is a perfect way to explain what marketing is all about and what we do. For me it explains that although you may think you know yourself it is with the help of others around you that lead and guide you to the places and decision you take in your future.

“…Since you always lived inside your own head, you were much better at seeing the truth about others than you ever were at seeing yourself. So you navigated your life with the help of others who held up mirrors for you. People praised your good habits and criticized your bad habits, and these perspectives – often surprising to you – helped you to guide your life. So poorly did you know yourself that you were always surprised at how you looked in photographs or how you sounded on voice mail.”

Eagleman, D (2009), Sum, Edinburgh: Cannongate Books