What's it like to study at Northumbria?
When I first experienced University, 20 years ago, my experience was of large lecture halls with distant, faceless professors. I was really pleased to have a much more personalised and friendly start at Northumbria. My classes were by and large face-to-face, small-group classes where we were encouraged to contribute and voice our own views on the things we were studying. The online system Blackboard gave me access to lecture materials, wider reading and assessment information ahead of time, meaning I could digest the information at my own pace, and ask questions of staff when I was struggling.
Best thing about studying Nursing Studies (Mental Health)
The best thing about the course is probably the staff (I promise they haven't paid me to say that!). Mental health nursing is a small cohort of two classes, so the teaching pool is relatively small. You get to know a lot of the lecturers well, making it a lot easier to approach them with any worries, concerns or just curiosities about what we're learning.
Favourite thing to do on campus / community
I'm based on the Coach Lane campus, which houses the health sciences and more vocational courses such as teacher training. It is a small campus, which makes it easy to find my way around and makes it feel welcoming. I really enjoy meeting up with my course mates before classes start in the canteen for a chat about our nursing placements, some needed morning caffeine and a general catch-up!
Course & career goals / industry links
The course is linked directly to the main Mental Health Trust in the North East, CNTW, which offers placements each semester to students. When I (hopefully) graduate, I will qualify as a Registered Mental Health Nurse, with wide experience in different areas of Mental health work, giving me a head start in applying for jobs in the summer.
A time you realised you were capable of more
I have been out of education for about 20 years. Whilst I had a professional job before returning to learning, years of illness, maternity leave, and stagnation in my previous career had left my confidence low. I was worried about returning to studying, whether I would cope academically and fit in with the generally much younger peers! However, the feedback I got at the end of my first year's placements and my academic results gave me a real boost in believing I was in the right place and I could succeed as long as I continued to put my mind to learning and soaking up all the opportunities that were on offer.
Support that boosted confidence / ambition
Within my course, we do real-world placements within Mental Health wards, Community Treatment Teams and more specialised treatment areas. It's opened my eyes to the breadth and depth of areas, niches and opportunities I could get into when I graduate.
Advice for someone considering Northumbria
My advice would be to come to one of the open days for potential students. There are stalls where you can ask staff and current students on the course any and all questions you have about the course, and get a feel for the actual campus and what it would be like to be based here for the next three years.
