Studying Geography at Winchester Q&A

Georgia has just finished her Geography degree so we thought we'd ask her a few questions about the course, her time at Winchester, and what she hopes the future has in store for her.

What attracted you to studying Geography at the University of Winchester?

I really like the variety of content within the Geography courses here. I feel more drawn to human geography, but I still enjoy aspects of physical geography so I loved that, at Winchester, I had the opportunity to take modules in both. The opportunity for field trips also interested me as I think getting out into the field is a great way to learn rather than purely being in the classroom.

Can you run through some of the modules you studied?

Geographies of crime - this was my favourite module on the course as we were able to explore the relationship between the environment and crime, studying anything from homicide in the global south, to the international illegal wildlife trade.

Understanding urban and rural society - This module enabled us to study the opportunities and challenges posed to people in both urban and rural areas. My favourite part was looking at how rural spaces are represented within TV shows and films such as Hot Fuzz and This Country.  

Critical geopolitics - As a human geographer I liked being able to combine my geographical knowledge with the world of politics, understanding how the world is divided by borders and discussed within media. 

Global spaces of education - Overall this module looked at many aspects of education around the world and for the essay we had freedom to write about whatever aspect we wanted. I explored the issue of decolonising geography curriculums around the world, which was hugely beneficial not just for this module but generally as a geographer, as colonisation is an issue which affected vast amounts of the world’s population. 

Were there any field trips that you particularly enjoyed? 

In my second year we spent a week in Edinburgh (plus a day trip to Glasgow) looking at tourist landscapes. We went to many places such as The Royal Mile, Edinburgh Castle, Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Riverside Museum. We had our evenings free and were able to do whatever we wanted.

I went out for dinner with my course mates and spent a few evenings at the pub. One day we were allowed to go to any tourist attraction we wanted so my friends and I went to Edinburgh Zoo which was really fun.

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum

How did the course challenge you?

I found the Geographical Information Systems (GIS) module really difficult to get my head round as it was quite different to the human geography data I was used to working with. However, I had great support from the lecturer, and whilst it was challenging it’s a key skill used in a lot of geographical careers so it was useful to have some experience using the software.  

What would you say to someone thinking about studying Geography at Winchester?

If you like a variety of aspects of Geography this is a great place to study it. I found that I was always able to choose modules that interested me and had a variety of assessment styles too. Also, the course at Winchester is quite small which means you get to know your lecturers and they know you, which made it easier to go to lecturers for support.

What are your best tips for saving money as a Winchester student?

One way to save money is to look out for deals and offers, for example lots of restaurants or bars in Winchester will do deals in the week which will help you save money. I saved money by sticking to a budget to stop me spending more than I needed to.

I would highly recommend getting a railcard, I was able to get mine through the student bank account I use and it saves me 1/3 on travel which is a huge saving which comes in handy when going home to see family.

To find out more ways to save money at Winchester, click here. 

Outside of studying Geography, what were some of your favourite things about student life?

Being a student, you often have quite a varied schedule which means you have freedom to fit a lot into a week. I love the variety of bars and pubs in Winchester as it was a great place to meet with friends and recharge after busy days spent in the library.

Bop at the Student Union on a Wednesday night was always a great laugh, getting to dress up and have a dance with my course mates. Winchester has such a beautiful and safe environment, a walk up St Catherine’s Hill or a coffee in the cathedral grounds was always a nice way to spend time with friends. A huge benefit of all the nice spaces in Winchester is that there is stuff to do that is low cost or no cost at all. Practically everything is walkable too, which is great. 

River Itchen

What are your hopes for the future?

I am hoping to get into the charity sector, perhaps in areas such as housing or education. One of the great things about my degree is that I was able to acquire a number of transferable skills. I have gained experience in research, portfolio/report production and am able to communicate effectively to name a few skills I have developed. These will help me in whatever career I go into in the future as well as generally throughout life as well.

 

To find out more about our Geography course, click here. 

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