Undergraduate Student Profiles
Hollie Mitchell, BA English Language and Literature '09
“Having taken a gap year after completing A-levels, I joined Essex in October
2006. My degree involves two linguistic components (Linguistics and
Psycholinguistics), and two in literature (Literature and The Enlightenment). I
have really enjoyed my first year. As soon as I arrived I knew it was the right
place for me — departmental staff are so friendly and helpful, which meant I
instantly felt at home. My courses are interesting and varied, and my tutors are
always on hand to give advice. The facilities are brilliant and we have an
extensive library. Socially, all types of people are catered for – you can laze
around in the numerous bars and cafés or spend an afternoon on the tennis
courts. And if sport isn’t your thing, you can get involved by being part of the
Staff Student Liaison Committee like me, or do some volunteering — a great way
to get some experience if you’re thinking about future careers. I don’t live in
University accommodation, but I never feel like I’m missing out — that’s another
of the great things about Essex: because it’s a small and friendly campus,
you’ll always bump into someone you know in between lectures!”
Robert Leete, BA English Language '08
“I came to Essex after a year travelling round North America. A concern I
faced was getting back into a work routine after a year of relaxing and seeing
the world. It did not take long however, and once settled into university life,
I really started to enjoy the degree. The three Linguistics modules I took in my
first year (Sociolinguistics, Linguistics and Psycholinguistics) offered
considerable variety but were also usefully linked with one another, giving me
an overall understanding of the course. In my second year, the course is more
specific to English Language, comprising four two-hour seminars a week. In my
first year I lived on campus, in Eddington Tower. The people I lived with became
instant friends, which really helped me settle into university life. The campus
vibe is very friendly so I was soon saying ‘hello’ to quite a few people, many
of whom are now good friends. The University has a great nightlife, with its own
bars and nightclub — temptation to misspend the student loan! I try to keep fit
by playing squash and football at the Sports Centre, which offers favourable
student prices.”
Yousuf Joondan, BA Linguistics '07, MA TEFL '09
“One aspect of my degree scheme that I like is the freedom of course options;
in my second and final year, I have had a completely free choice of courses in
the Department. This has allowed me to explore numerous areas within the field
of linguistics and has given me the opportunity to take a broad combination of
courses. I have also taken advantage of other opportunities in the Department,
for example I am involved with the staff-student liaison committee and I am a
course representative. This has given me the chance to meet more students in the
Department, as well as enhancing my CV for when I graduate. I have acquired
useful communication and negotiation skills, and have been able to help other
students. Seizing opportunities outside of my courses has played a huge part in
my time at Essex, and has given me a rich and enjoyable experience.”
Claire Jones, BA English Language and Linguistics ’03, MA Sociolinguistics
’04, PhD '08
After completing her BA in 2003, Claire went on to study for an MA, and
isnow in the final year of a PhD in Language and Linguistics. At the end of her
PhD, she is hoping to pursue a career a social policy research.
“My BA at Essex covered a wide range of topics, which gave me the opportunity
to try a bit of everything. After graduating (the first time!) I was keen to
refine my studies so I applied for funding from the Economic and Social Research
Council (ESRC). Fortunately my application was successful for both my MA and
PhD. The MA in Sociolinguistics was a great chance to focus on the aspects of my
BA degree which I had really enjoyed. More importantly I learnt all the
necessary skills to go out and do research – which is the best bit! I’m
currently in the final stages of my PhD and I’m going to miss Essex terribly
once I leave. The departmental staff are great, and my lecturers and fellow
students are friendly and helpful. There’s also a first-rate social life and I
met some of my closest friends in the Students’ Union bar. I’ve been at Essex
for the past seven years, so they must be doing something right!”
Kirsten Hoeijmakers, BA English Language and Literature ’06
After graduation, Kirsten went back to Mersch in Luxembourg and spent
some time observing English teachers at her former secondary school, Ecole
privée Fieldgen. After three weeks, the school offered her a full-time post,
teaching English to girls aged 13 to 20, where she is working now.
“I was very sad to leave Essex in 2006. The University is a great place and I
made a lot of friends there. Coming from Luxembourg, I thought that it might be
hard to settle in, but there was no need to worry! I owe many members of staff a
big ‘thank you’ for always being friendly and helpful. I enjoyed all my courses
and particularly liked the atmosphere of the University — serious but relaxed,
too. The park and lakes are a bonus; living on campus means that you have a huge
back yard! After graduation I got the job I wanted: I’m teaching English at my
former school in Luxembourg. The courses I took helped my teaching, and the
University of Essex also gave me the opportunity to develop my personality —
important not only for my work, but for all parts of my life. University of
Essex: I miss you!”
Camille Banks, BA Modern Languages ’06
After graduating, Camille began work at a translation company where she
is currently a co-ordinator for the Freelance Department.
“I chose to study at Essex because it was a campus university offering the
perfect degree for me. It was also the ideal distance from home; far enough away
to be independent but close enough to go home for a quick visit. I found it very
easy to settle into student life at Essex. Living in the Towers ensured there
was always lots of people around, and being on a campus meant everything was
very accessible. Not only was it easy to settle in socially, but the friendly
and helpful Department of Language and Linguistics made settling into work easy
too; the administrative staff always e-mailed us with key dates and useful
reminders. As for my courses, French was really interesting and my Italian
classes provided me with a relaxed atmosphere to learn in. The TEFL course which
I took in my final year has encouraged me to consider teaching English abroad in
the future. I started my job as co-ordinator in a translation company just days
after graduating. The knowledge and skills which I acquired during my degree are
very relevant to my current career. As I deal with foreign texts every day, I
only wish I had taken up the opportunity to study German too! My time at Essex
allowed me to meet lots of friends, both from my course and from the
extra-curricular activities which I got involved in. I particularly enjoyed
helping with the multilingual drama group's production of Boeing Boeing; it was
excellent seeing all of our preparations coming together and then celebrating
after the show. I will also always remember the summer days spent revising in
the sun and enjoying barbecues by the lake. Summing up my time at Essex; a great
place to work and study - I'm a very happy customer!”
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Last modified on 07 May 2010.