What subject are you currently studying/did you most recently study at university? What persuaded you to choose this option?

I am currently a PhD student at RGU, having previously graduated from the BSc (Hons) Forensic and Analytical Science and MSc Analytical Sciences – Environmental Analysis courses. I found a passion during my previous degrees for research and wanted to return to academia after I graduated.

What course did you study at college, and which college did you attend?

I studied Applied Sciences at North East Scotland College.

What did you find easy and what did you find difficult about making the transition from college to university?

I personally found the transition relatively easy. I think that my college course prepared me well for attending university. For the most part, I felt I was at a similar level academically to others who had attended university since first year. There were certain subjects where I was slightly behind and had to do some work to catch up, but equally there were some subjects where I felt I was ahead of others.

WHY RGU? WHAT WAS IT THAT ATTRACTED YOU TO THE UNIVERSITY?

I really liked the campus, and the overall feel when I visited, and all of the staff seemed very helpful and approachable. In particular, I was attracted to the hands-on approach to lab work that the university offered – I think this provided invaluable experience to take forward into my career.

HOW WOULD YOU RATE YOUR EXPERIENCE AT RGU?

Overall very good – I enjoyed the courses I studied throughout my time here.

HOW DID RGU SUPPORT YOU IN YOUR JOURNEY? DID YOU USE ANY OF THE SUPPORT SERVICES AVAILABLE TO YOU?

All of the staff were very helpful and supportive. There were lots of support services available to me, although I didn’t make use of many of them as I didn’t personally feel I required them.

Would you recommend the route you chose and specifically the college to university pathway?

Yes, I was very undecided on what career path I wanted to take so I found this was a great option for me as it allowed me to keep my options open.

What are your future plans?

I have returned to RGU to do a PhD, as I want to continue in research and academia.

How has RGU helped you achieve your goals?

RGU provided me with lots of knowledge and hands-on laboratory experience which has prepared me well to continue in academia, or to transfer the skills to another industry.