In the first of a two-part series, Andrew Balfour talks to graduates from the Ulster University in Coleraine about their experiences of campus life and what will be the next step on their career path.
The 22-year-old from Ballymena, Co Antrim, has graduated in psychology, focusing on forensic and clinical psychology.
She hasn’t started job-hunting yet, preferring post-graduate study.
“I did my placement in third year within Ulster University. I’m now doing the Master’s with the same research team, working in the field of health psychology. I plan to do that, then a PhD,” she said.
“Initially I planned just to do three years, then I did the placement. Fourth year was blended learning, but I still got a good uni experience out of it.
“I’m just a home bird, and I didn’t even apply for anything out of Northern Ireland. Initially I wasn’t sure I wanted to do psychology either.
“Then I was speaking to one of the lecturers and she convinced me to do psychology and here I am four years later, wanting to stay on and do even more,” she said.
Jack Cardy
Geography graduate Jack (22), from Holywood, Co Down, focused his studies on Geographic Information Systems and plans on becoming a teacher.
He said: “I’m actually going on to do a PGCE in Bristol and I’m going to be in the classroom for most of it.
“I prefer doing [study] in person, but support [at Ulster] was really good online.
“I’m getting a bursary from the Department of Education to move to England, but I would like to come back to Northern Ireland. I think it will be harder to get a job here, so I will probably stay [in England] for a few years and then come back.
“I just absolutely love the location of the campus, being along the north coast. I wasn’t really ready to move out of home, so living up here is more convenient.”
Lauren Moore
The 24-year-old psychology student, chose optional modules in neuroscience, counselling and evolutionary psychology.
“It feels surreal. I didn’t think I’d ever get to this point, but I feel really proud of myself and my classmates,” she said.
“It has always been a dream of mine to go to university and Ulster has always been my first choice, so I’m speechless I got this far.
“Northern Ireland’s home, and I think it needs psychology graduates.
“Now I’m going to Queen’s University Belfast to study clinical health psychology in September, on a Master’s course.”
Lauren said that she coped well with Covid-related challenges, adding: “I feel like our classes worked together. But I don’t think it has diminished all the memories and experiences. Of course, there were challenges, but we overcame them.”
Japheth Njukullah
Japheth, from Carrickfergus, Co Antrim is an international psychology student. He plans to continue his studies at Ulster University.
“There was an opportunity for a PhD and I put myself up for it. I’m still waiting to hear back from the interview.
“I have also applied for a Master’s, and I hope to stay at Ulster University, in Coleraine,” Japheth said.
“I think Northern Ireland has lots of opportunities, but there are also tendencies for other people to graduate and go to other places in the UK. I am a Nigerian, but my wife’s from Northern Ireland, so it’s home for me.”
He praised the university faculty, saying: “It’s been a really supportive environment for my work, academic and social life, and the staff have been incredibly supportive.”
Olivia McKee
The 22-year-old geography graduate, from Magherafelt, Co Londonderry focused on political geography “because it’s where my interests are — how societies are constructed and how people behave based on where they live,” she said.
“I’ve secured a graduate job starting in August with a tax and accountancy firm. The career service [in UU] is brilliant. They held an event to get students motivated and help them.
“All the students always have good things to say about Ulster. Coleraine is more of a chilled-out experience. You can still live the student life, with bars in Portstewart and the coast. There’s a variety of activities to do.”
Olivia felt that the more remote learning experience was a blessing in disguise, adding: “The university provided online lectures, so I learned to be more resilient and self-motivated.
“I learned so much about working from home and how to do it better.
“My job is going to be hybrid working, so I feel prepared for that now.”
Hannah Thompson
The 22-year-old, from Castlederg, Co Tyrone, is an environmental sciences student and is embarking on a PhD in September.
“I became aware of it through my dissertation supervisor, they guided me through the process,” she said.
“I’ve got support from my lecturers. My uni experience was fantastic, and I loved everything about it, then I did my placement at Derry City and Strabane City Council.
“I wanted to stay in Northern Ireland to study the environment, and Coleraine was the obvious choice being so close to the sea and the coast.”
Hannah also wants to focus on home once she transitions to employment, adding: “I want to go into the agri-environment sector, which is a huge sector.
“For the future of agriculture, it needs to be more environmentally sustainable, so I hope to stay in Northern Ireland.”
Abbie Kerry
The Environmental Science graduate (22) has decided to focus on employment.
She said: “I’ve got a job starting as a graduate groundwater consultant in Belfast. I had looked at England and there were a few opportunities, but the one I got just felt right. I like the company and everything lined up.”
She also explained that Covid lockdowns affected her work experience.
“For the majority of Covid I was in placement, so it was work from home for half the year. [The graduate position] has let me know that they’re very flexible so if I want to work from home I can or come into the office.”
She also praised Ulster University for being welcoming to students: “When I came here, I liked the environment because it’s a very warm and friendly university.”
Amy Merron
Psychology student Amy focused on social psychology and development of social behaviour, and she had work ambitions during her studies.
The 25-year-old, from Portstewart, Co Londonderry said: “I threw myself into the deep end. I ran for People Before Profit in the NI Assembly election in May.
“Then I started a job in the Zachary Geddis Break the Silence Trust, a suicide prevention charity working with kids from age eight to 15. We offer Alternative therapies, like arts and crafts.”
Amy cited her family as the primary reason for staying in Northern Ireland for university.
She added: “I’ve got two kids, so I like to stay close to home. My mum went to university here too. I decided to keep it really close to home, and I would probably come back to Ulster to do my Master’s.”
Amy said remote learning was “a lot easier to organise, with the kids and all”.
“The social aspect we missed. I started the pro-choice society in Ulster, so we had that bit of socialising there.”
Part two will be published on Monday.
