In my third year of University, I felt quite unfulfilled in my undergraduate course at a different university because I chose a course I thought I should do rather than one I wanted to study. I have always been really interested in defence studies and foreign affairs. So, I began researching which universities offered security/international relations courses at postgraduate level. Durham came up with one of the most specific and tailored options that really fit all my core interests, it also had a cool name! Defence Development and Diplomacy (DDD)
Why Durham
Durham is a fantastic university for many reasons. The course is structured very well, and balancing modules over different terms helped encourage my academic development. The activities and opportunities were very engaging and weren’t just sat listening to a lecturer. The department regularly has external speakers who are experts in various fields and are super interesting to speak with.
Outside of academics, the collegiate system is a great way to meet people, play sports and join interesting societies. This is particularly beneficial if you are coming to Durham for the first time at a master’s level.
I have truly enjoyed the last year so much, the content is extremely interesting and the lecturers are helpful, engaging and encourage productive discussion. International diplomatic and defence issues are changing minute by minute. Sometimes we would literally be sitting in a seminar and news would pop up which changed elements of the topic we were discussing.
What I have achieved and learned
What I think is particularly beneficial is how in-depth DDD is and the skills that I have learned and developed over the last year. My favourite module ‘Defence, Innovation and Entrepreneurship’ has been super helpful as the module is a project-based module where we are able to interview people who work in the Defence Industry. This pushed me out of my comfort zone and made me feel at ease talking to experts about their field and I have found this has helped me when I’m in interview situations.
After my MSc
Having just finished my course, and awaiting results, I have officially entered the real (big bad) world of starting a career. DDD can lead to so many different opportunities, for me, I am looking at the public sector and charitable organisations, which DDD definitely prepares you for. The course altered some of my interests and made me think of avenues I hadn’t previously thought would be open to me, such as defence policy. I have become very passionate about international development and the role that the UK government and private organisations have in this field.
Discover more
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