Daniel
Claridge

About you...

What degree did you take at undergraduate level and where did you study?

I took BSc Psychology with Criminology at undergraduate level, and I studied at NTU (Nottingham Trent University), achieving a 2:1.

Why did you want to undertake a postgraduate degree, and do you think it has benefitted your career aspirations?

I wanted to take MSc Forensic Mental Health so that I would be able to work within the criminal justice system. I hope to be able to work with offenders aiding in their rehabilitation back into society as law abiding citizens. I feel that this course has given me invaluable transferable skills that I can apply to many different career paths within the criminal justice system.

Why NTU...

Why did you choose NTU and your course?

I chose NTU as I was already familiar with the city, had friends doing a postgraduate here, and was already well trained in using the NOW system. This made the transition between undergraduate and postgraduate relatively smooth.

I chose to study MSc Forensic Mental Health as I felt it gave me specialism in the area of mental health which I was interested in during my undergraduate studies. I also feel this particular course gave me the necessary skill development from undergraduate I needed to achieve my career goals.

Could you describe your experience of being a Postgraduate NTU student?

I found that completing a postgraduate degree very challenging and, however, it is very rewarding knowing that I have been very independent in my journey. There are sacrifices that need to be me in regard to how social you are in postgraduate compared to undergraduate as the work is significantly more demanding.

How would you describe the support from your tutors, university staff and student services?

Although doing a postgraduate is a very independent journey, the tutors, university staff, and student services are always available to answer emails, have meetings, and have a good chat if you need any support during your studies.

Outside of the Lecture Theatre...

What three words would you use to describe Nottingham?

I would describe Nottingham as a cultural, enriching, and fun place to go to university.

Where is a good place to eat, drink or visit in the city?

With amazing eateries, bars, clubs, and tourism sites, Nottingham has a tonne of amazing places to visit. My favourite food place in Nottingham ‘Sexy Mamma Loves Spaghetti’ located deep in Hockley. I would recommend ‘Coco Tang’ as a cool and ambient place to go grab a drink with friends. Nottingham is full of amazing outdoor spaces, go and visit Wollaton Park and see Wollaton Hall (which was included in a Batman film), also if you look carefully, you may be able to spot the deer roaming around the park.

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

I found making friends at NTU really easy; making friends on your course is really easy as everyone is in the same boat, and by being a postgraduate already coming from an undergraduate degree at NTU helped a lot as I already had established relationships with other students doing masters, and other people around the city. I also took part in the student rep program during fresher’s week, and this helped me to make friends with people across all years at university as I had the opportunity to work in a close-knit team helping first year students have a great and safe time during freshers.

The Next Steps...

Has the employability team helped you plan for life beyond NTU as a postgraduate student?

We had a member of the employability team come and give a talk/presentation to our postgraduate class, giving us both general help on creating a LinkedIn account, what to include in our CV’s, and interviewing skills. He also gave us some more specialised help regarding our course (MSc Forensic Mental Health), showing us the different career paths that we could take on completion of the postgraduate course.

What would you say to someone who is thinking of applying to a postgraduate course at NTU?

I would say to think about if a postgraduate will enhance your career prospects, and not to do it for the sake of doing it. Postgraduate degrees can be really helpful in achieving career goals, but there are also other avenues that someone can take to achieve that goal, so thinking about what suits you is the best thing to do.

What is one thing you wish you knew before starting at NTU as a postgraduate student?

I wish I knew how independent completing a postgraduate degree is. Although we have tutors and staff available to help, a lot of the learning, research, and writing of assignments are down to the individual student. Being able to grasp how independent the jump from undergraduate to postgraduate is very important when considering whether or not you want to take on a postgraduate degree.