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Lola Johnson is in their third year of their Politics and Sociology with East European Studies BA. They tell us why they chose to study at SSEES and share their aspirations for the future.
Why did you choose to study at 911爆料网 SSEES?
SSEES as a department attracted me due to its specialism in the region and expert lecturers who provide such an interesting insight and perspective on political events and affairs in Eastern Europe. Equally, UCL鈥檚 location in London provides a wealth and breadth of opportunities for you to discover and utilise in your studies. For example, such close proximity to the British Library means that many historical records and artifacts can even be accessed in person when conducting research.
What are you studying and what attracted you to this particular course?
I study a BA in Politics and Sociology with East European Studies and what drew me to this particular course is studying the region of Eastern Europe in depth as that鈥檚 where my interests lie within the discipline of Politics and Sociology. Studying this at SSEES gives you a great opportunity to also learn a language alongside your studies. I chose to learn Russian alongside my degree and find that it really adds another dimension to my studies as I am able to learn and understand certain political connotations not only of events but also language and language use.
How is your course going? Any favourite modules so far?
I am in my third year of my course now and I absolutely love it! One of my favourite courses from last year was my Law, Politics and Society module. As I鈥檓 hoping to complete a law conversion following my degree this module gave me a background in law and legal writing specifically looking at how the law interacts with society and is implemented practically in Eastern Europe. Over the next year I am most looking forward to taking my Russian and Soviet foreign policy module which will be taught in depth over two terms.
How would you describe the academic staff at SSEES? What is the support like?
The academic staff at SSEES always go above and beyond not only when it comes to teaching but also pastoral support. They provide amazing advice and are a huge asset to the SSEES department. Equally many of them have a wide range of knowledge in the SSEES region which really comes in handy if you want to talk to someone about any questions you have.
What are the facilities like at SSEES and the UCL campus generally?
The facilities at SSEES are exactly what you need. The library has all the books you could ever realistically need for your degree, so you don鈥檛 need to spend too much money on books. The library is also one of UCL鈥檚 best kept secrets as study spaces can be difficult to come by in exam season but there is always space in the SSEES library for private study. Outside of SSEES, UCL has many libraries which all have a varied number of study spaces and rooms for groups to study in which is really helpful for group projects. The newly built Student Centre provides amazing facilities although can be very busy during term time!
What about the social life?
Both UCL and SSEES have lots of opportunities for you to chat to and meet new people. If you are interested in sport, I would highly recommend joining one of the sports societies as these are very social and UCL timetabling often gives you Wednesday afternoons off which is when sports activities are held. On Wednesday evenings, sports night is usually held at Scala which is very popular with sports societies. SSEES also hold a multitude of events ranging from coffee and doughnuts mornings to karaoke nights at the UCL karaoke bar, Mully鈥檚.
How would you describe your fellow students?
My fellow students at SSEES are absolutely lovely. Everyone is so welcoming and friendly it鈥檚 a brilliant environment to learn in. Equally, where I learn a language with SSEES, there are many people who study at SSEES from the SSEES region which means you can meet people who speak the languages you are learning. This allows you to not only learn a language but also gain an understanding of cultural and social differences through discussion with your peers.
Where do you hope your degree will take you after graduation?
Following my graduation, I hope to complete a law conversion course (GDL) and use the skills that I have gained through my degree to provide a nuanced perspective in the field of law on human rights law and abuses in Eastern Europe.
Any advice for those thinking about taking this course?
I would advise anyone thinking of taking the Politics and Sociology degree with SSEES to make sure that you have a solid historical background听of events in Eastern Europe as this really helps with understanding social and political events.