BSc Sport and Exercise Sciences
“I learnt more about interpersonal relations and teamwork. These skills have already helped me to develop as a person, and will undoubtedly be invaluable for the rest of my life.”
Why I chose Birmingham
I thought that Birmingham had a great mix of everything that I was after. It is very high on the rankings (especially for Sport Science), and has a great reputation for sport (especially middle distance running). Another factor was that it was not too far away from home (only 1.5 hours). I was considering Leeds and Exeter, but I thought that Birmingham would push me more out of my comfort zone than Exeter, but not as much as Leeds would – best of both worlds. The university has a large student population, so I thought there would be more opportunities for extra curricular.
What is unique about my course
It was number one on the university rankings for Sport Science at the time. The school has a really strong reputation for research, so we are getting taught current and up to date content by the leading researchers in their respective fields.
My personal highlight
In 2nd year I was voted as the Athletics and Cross Country Club Captain 2014/15 which was a big honour as it is one of the largest and best university athletics clubs in the country. This role involved leading two joint committees and coordinating the activities of the club from day-to-day training, to helping to organise social events and BUCS competitions. Although the role was very demanding and I made a lot of mistakes, I learnt so much from the experience. For example, I learnt how to chair meetings and delegate tasks successfully. More importantly, I learnt more about interpersonal relations and teamwork. These skills have already helped me to develop as a person, and will undoubtedly be invaluable for the rest of my life.
Living in Birmingham
I like the fact that I am living in the second biggest city in England, but the campus is far enough away from the city centre that it doesn’t feel like it. The student area is close to campus so no-one is living too far away. Also, campus has loads of useful shops which makes living here very convenient. Birmingham is incredibly well connected in terms of transport links, which makes it really easy to get around the country eg. To visit friends at other universities, go to national competitions, and visit home. It also makes it more likely that your friends will come to visit you! On bike rides, I am in the countryside within 20 minutes which is really nice.
Clubs, societies or events I've been involved in
- First Year Student Rep for Sport and Exercise Sciences (1st year)
- Member of the Athletics and Cross Country Club (1st-3rd year)
- Club Captain of Athletics and Cross Country Club (2nd year)
- Kit Rep for Athletics and Cross Country Club (3rd year)
- Member of Triathlon Club (2nd year)
- Level 3 Diploma in Sports Massage (1st year)
- Great Britain Age Group (20-24) Duathlon – Bronze in European Championships (2nd year)
My aspirations for the future
I would like to become a secondary school maths teacher. I did maths at A-level, but need further understanding to teach at secondary level. Therefore, I am staying on at Birmingham to complete a conversion course in mathematics in the School of Education (Subject Knowledge Enhancement course) for year 2016/17. The following year I will complete my PGDipEd at Birmingham.
My top tips for prospective Birmingham students
When you arrive, take advantage of all the opportunities available, especially in first year! Through joining clubs and volunteering you get more out of the university experience, meet more people, and have more fun!