My time studying BSc Social Science at Royal Holloway has been brilliant. I have had the opportunity to learn about a broad range of topics that are each linked back to social problems, policy, and historical developments. I most enjoyed the modules on Ageing, Death Studies, and Madness, which I took during my second and third years. With Social Science, I have been allowed to explore real-world matters and align what I have learned with areas of personal interest, through the course’s emphasis on written assignments over memory-testing exams.

I chose to take the Voluntary Work in the Community module in my final year. In this module, we were taught about the voluntary work sector and the types of skills that are developed through volunteering. The main component of this module was the opportunity to complete a 60-hour volunteering placement at a local organisation of your choice.

We each worked with the University’s Volunteering Team, who helped us arrange our placements by establishing what area of work we were interested in and matching us with a handful of organisations to choose from. I completed my 60 hours of volunteering with Bright Lights Junior Youth Club, a group for SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) children and young people to meet, play, and enjoy craft activities. The experience I had at Bright Lights was incredible; the team were really welcoming, and I loved getting to know the children.

All students who participated in this module were invited to the Runnymede and Spelthorne Volunteer Awards and awarded the Inspire 50 Award for completing over 50 hours of volunteering. I was fortunate enough to additionally receive the Outstanding Voluntary Work Student Award in recognition of my passionate engagement in the classroom and my thoughtful contributions to group discussions.

With Social Science, you are given the theory to understand the world around you. The skills you learn from the volunteering opportunities, field trips and in-person research exercises challenge you to engage in issues that really matter to you.

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