Armandeep
Sangha

Why NTU?

Why inspired you to study your subject?

"I initially became interested in psychology when I studied the subject as part of my GCSEs and I really just loved learning all about it. Then, I followed this up with an A Level in psychology and ultimately decided that psychology was what I wanted to do. I’ve always been fascinated by human behaviour and was captivated by being able to understand my own and others’ behaviours at a deeper level."

Why did you choose your course and NTU?

"Since I was young my parents, and grandparents taught me to be caring and to help others wherever possible; this derives from the Sikh mentality and beliefs. As a result, I’ve always wanted to be part of a workforce that is people-centred. The counselling path, mixed with my love for psychology, felt like the perfect combination of my interests and values."

What's your experience been like of your course so far?

"The counselling module as a whole has been the highlight of my three years at NTU. It is such a relaxed and comforting experience; you never feel out of place. There’s also a lot of open discussion which is something I adore as there are no right or wrong answers, only suggestions with justifications. Also, the lecturers and support teams have been really friendly and supportive throughout the course."

Have you been involved in any projects or extra-curricular activities that have supplemented your studies run through NTU?

"In my final year, I took a module called Sleep (Objective) Lab. During this we built a real-life study from the ground up, where the lab groups were split into smaller groups and given responsibility for certain aspects of the study. The study involved participants engaging in sleep deprivation over 36 hours in a sleep lab fitted with beds to sleep, leisure and quiet rooms, testing rooms and even a wet lab. I was part of logistics management for the study which involved things like timings of the study, food for the participants and so on. Some people were in charge of creating test batteries (multiple questionnaires in one) and others were involved in participant recruitment. We all took six-hour shifts, and it was a really unique experience that I never thought I’d get at university. It definitely opened my eyes to the world of research and study planning."

What does Social Science mean to you?

"To me, Social Sciences is anything people-centred. Any career path that is focused on helping others. That can be through direct work, such as counselling or teaching, or through research, which helps understand people and their problems better in order to solve them."

Support

What do you think of the support available from tutors and staff at NTU?

"The support team at NTU were incredibly helpful. They’re very quick to help and really do show an interest in all aspects of your health – both personal and university-related. They are hugely knowledgeable about the types of support available and really helped me to access support I would have otherwise never known about.

My tutors were also incredibly caring and just amazing. Any queries I had were answered very quickly and I almost felt like my tutors were closer to friends who had more knowledge about and authority in the university. They also are the reason I knew about NTU’s support team which I am grateful for."

Outside of the Lecture Theatre

Did you find it easy to make friends and settle in at NTU?

"I’ve always been a very sociable person, so I found it very easy to meet and talk to people. All of the modules tend to have two sessions, one lecture and one seminar. During the seminars, you often have a lot of open discussion, and it becomes easy to meet people. A lot of these friendships then last for the duration of your stay outside of the lecture theatre.

Also, there are plenty of societies to join where you can meet people who share your interests which can really help. With the amount of activities and things to do in Nottingham, there’s always something you’ll enjoy doing with the friends you make."

The Next Steps

What's next for you after NTU?

"I’m going into a teaching course Nottinghamshire SCITT. Throughout my years at NTU I often ended up helping others with their statistics work as I understood it quite well. From there I found my passion for teaching, and I am very excited to get started after summer."

How is NTU helping you to achieve your career goals?

"NTU allowed me to explore my interests and really opened my eyes to teaching in an indirect way. With how easy it was to get in contact and help others with their statistics through Teams I was able to discover that passion. The careers team are also incredible and not only amazing at providing all the information you could ever need about any career path but also the opportunities to pursue those careers."

Advice

What top tips would you give anyone thinking about studying your course at NTU?

"I would suggest you get stuck into it with an open mind. Explore as much as you can both academically and in your personal life too. Get out, see the city, take a walk down the river, take a tram to somewhere outside the city centre and just explore. There will always be something for you in Nottingham and NTU personifies this. You might start your course and end it going into the same career path as your course or you might realise halfway through an alternate career path and that is completely okay. NTU will support you, just make sure to reach out to your tutors and the support teams available."