Sophie
Why did you choose to study at the University of Huddersfield?
The University of Huddersfield just felt so incredibly friendly and welcoming to me, and being a smaller uni, it really felt like a close-knit community. The teaching staff got to know students rather than students being just another face in the crowd and the level of support offered seemed far better than some of the other unis I had seen.
I also love the location – the Uni is situated over a canal and it’s beautiful. The location is also convenient, you aren’t far away from many major cities, including Leeds and Manchester, but you’re situated in a slightly quieter, less overwhelming area, and still one with plenty to do!
What is your course like?
The Psychology staff here at Huddersfield are genuinely some of the friendliest, funniest, most down to earth, approachable people you will meet. They are just so lovely to talk to; helpful and enthusiastic not only about their subject, but discussing it with students also. They massively stood out to me in that aspect on the Open Day I attended, more so than the other universities I saw.
I also love that my course uses a variety of different assignment methods, rather than just written essays or exams. About half of our assignments are multiple choice tests, and then we have a few written pieces, a couple of exams, and usually a poster, presentation or other kind of assignment. It’s really mixed, and I really appreciate that: it plays to different people’s strengths and doesn’t overload you with too much of one assignment type.
Did you find attending an Open Day at Huddersfield useful?
The Open Day is what sold Huddersfield to me. I mean, without attending an Open Day, it’s very hard to get a good idea of what the Uni feels like, what the teaching staff are like, what the location is like, so on and so forth. When I went to the Open Day, I got to attend a Psychology course talk, a campus tour and an accommodation tour and every one of those things just sold Huddersfield for me.
The accommodation was brilliant, really lovely and really well priced compared to other places. Seriously, the selection and pricing of student accommodation in Huddersfield is the best I’ve seen anywhere in the UK.
The campus is lovely, it’s built by and over the Huddersfield narrow canal, which is beautiful, and the overall campus just has such a nice community feel to it.
“At the Open Day, the teaching staff were just so funny and friendly; they made me feel so comfortable at the subject talk, and I knew I’d be happy at this university.”
How have you got involved with student life at Huddersfield?
I am a part of the climbing society, which involves rope climbing and bouldering. I had never done much of either prior to joining and had never been able to get to the top of a rock climbing wall as a child. I’ve done so much and come so far since joining, and found a huge passion for climbing. The society itself is very friendly, and being in the society allows me discounts to local climbing centres, which gives me loads of opportunities to climb both alone and with others. It has been very worthwhile!
There are loads of other activities that take place on campus, including relatively frequent record and fashion sales, board game afternoons and all sorts of different festivities for celebrations across cultures, which I really appreciate. There really is something on each week at the Uni.
“The campus is really aesthetic and in a decent location, where there’s plenty to do in Huddersfield itself, without the chaos of a large city, but plenty of easy options for travel to various big cities when you want to.”
Tell us about your role as a Student Ambassador
The Student Ambassador scheme has been really great as a small part-time role where I can earn some extra money and take part in more of the Uni’s activities. I can get paid to help out on open and applicant days, which I’ve really enjoyed, as it gives me an opportunity to work with different people and meet potential students.
It's been a great way to make friends and make new connections with people at the University and provides an individual with really valuable CV experience. It’s a zero hours contract too, so you can apply to work as many or as little jobs as you want and choose what you feel most comfortable with and when you want to work, meaning if you have a really busy period with assignments, you can take on less roles. It’s very flexible, which is great as a student.
Would you recommend the University of Huddersfield?
I really would! It has a really nice supportive community feel, owing partially to it being a smaller uni than some larger institutions. Lecturers can get to know you personally and there is a feel of much more emphasis on personalised student support than other places.
There are also plenty of activities and festivals at the Uni throughout the year, often multiple times a week, and a huge range of society options. If you are considering Huddersfield, I would really recommend coming for an Open Day and seeing it for yourself in person!
