The reason I chose this course
It's allowed me to continue my own education and the things that I enjoy, and to fashion the course to my interests, which has been absolutely fascinating. I didn't really notice that being offered anywhere else. It's been great to be able to work very closely with professors and lecturers. The independent study modules were the main focus as to why I picked this course.
It's fascinating to be able to organise my own focused study
I'm a very particular person like that. I’ve been able to focus on my interests while also being able to engage in other areas that may be interesting to me. Last semester in an independent study module, I chose an area where none of the professors’ had a deep knowledge, but they were able to coordinate with me and engage with the topic themselves for the first time. It made me happy that I had chosen to do this topic as somebody was willing to engage with me, we both benefited working this way. It's definitely allowed me a lot of freedom.
You can engage in conversation and in debates
Engaging with contrasting opinions to your own, which is fascinating. In my first semester I focused on 17th century utopian literature. Then the second semester I went the opposite way, and I did 21st century post-modern dystopian literature, where I focused on how the human and nonhuman are represented in fictional worlds, how it's portrayed and changed. I was engaging with two different spheres. I worked with one professor who was a 17th century expert in the first semester and in the second semester the professor was able to engage in my topic in relation to the landscape and things like that after a post-apocalyptic event, or in a dystopian world. The tutors are experts in their fields, and even when they don't have a particular focus on a topic, they're willing to engage on it with you. They're willing to help you out and are able to provide support.
The course is completely engaging
I think it's because each of the professors are so fascinated and passionate about their own topics. They don't take their work for granted or their interests and they enjoy what they've cultivated here at Brookes and themselves personally. I think that really comes across in their teaching and in their discussions of different topics. Because of that, it makes you want to engage, it makes you want to ask questions, have discussions and debates and bring up contrasting opinions.
They're doing extra dissertation classes for us to help us with our writing. The professor engages with me in my work and that's just an amazing aspect to have, and to be able to have those discussions on a weekly basis or just walk up to their offices and go, hey, can I have a 20 minute chat with you? This has been absolutely amazing.
I want to be able to teach people who want to be taught
That’s my reasoning for wanting to go on to do a PhD, to be able to teach at a higher level. I want to be able to engage with people to find common interests, the same way I found myself with my professors and lecturers. I want to continue working in this environment, it's rewarding and it's enjoyable, and that's why I want to hopefully go on to do a PhD.