School of Sociology and Social Policy

Charlotte Byrne

BA Sociology (Industry) | 2008 - 2012

About me
I’m a local girl - originally from Dewsbury, and I’m the first in my family to go to university. I initially applied for a BA Sociology course, but decided in my 2nd year to change to a ‘sandwich’ course by taking an industrial year.

Why I chose Leeds
Leeds was always my first choice for university; I was familiar with the area and the city and Leeds has always scored highly in league tables and student satisfaction surveys.

I knew I wanted to go to university, but I wasn’t sure which course I wanted to take – 3 years of being committed to one subject seemed a long time! After reading up on the different courses that Leeds offered, I found myself interested in the courses offered by the School of Sociology.

I’d never studied Sociology before, but the course content and the modules sounded really interesting and engaging. As a result, I decided I’d like to apply for the BA Sociology course.

My passion for Sociology
I’m passionate about Sociology because it is so engaging – it’s something that can be applied to and used to look at everyday life.

Sociological theories that were written centuries ago can often still be applied to modern life. The other exciting aspect of Sociology is that new theories and studies emerge all the time, so the subject is constantly evolving. Overall, I think Sociology enables you to look at things differently and be more analytical.

My experience
I have enjoyed my course so far and I am looking forward to my final year. The parts of the course I have enjoyed the most are the modules that focus on more modern sociological issues, rather than examining theory, but that’s a personal preference.

I’ve found the staff in the School of Sociology and Social Policy to be very approachable and helpful and the resources that I have used such as the Careers Centre have been a massive help to me throughout my course and placement.

My placement
I’m doing a 12 month placement working as an Office Administrator for a credit insurance brokers in Bramham. I found my placement after months of searching and applying without success. I found it through the University Careers Centre recruitment site.
    
It is my job to deal with all administration in the office and to provide administrative support where required to the other members of the team.
    
My day to day tasks can vary. I carry out everyday tasks like answering the telephones and directing calls and I respond to emails. I usually have to file papers, sort the post and make sure the other members of the team receive important paperwork.

I also get involved in larger tasks, such as dealing with insurance claims, creating presentation portfolios for prospective clients and doing the prep work for meetings.

The highlight for me was being given the responsibility to organise the Christmas party. I enjoy planning and organising events so I was thrilled to be given such responsibility so early on.

I’m learning so much. I’ve developed my commercial awareness and knowledge of business procedure but, perhaps most importantly, I’ve developed a lot of transferable skills such as time management, organisation and communication. These skills will carry over into my final year of my course and then into work.

The routine of working for a set period of time is a habit that I’m hoping to apply in my final year. The skills that I have developed, such as time management, presentation and initiative will also be vital.

I would recommend a placement year to everyone. It’s been a great opportunity for me to improve my CV, develop my skills and get a taste of working in a certain industry.

Outside of study
There’s a lot of extra-curricular choice for students. There are hundreds of LUU clubs and societies to take your fancy, who arrange trips and events, and I would recommend going along to these. If you’re into clubbing, Leeds has a great nightlife – if a pint of real ale is more your thing, there are loads of pubs which cater for that.

Leeds and the surrounding area is also full of beauty spots and historical buildings, such as Nostell Priory and Temple Newsam. These are worth a look if you can get out to them.

City life
I think Leeds is a great city. It has a diverse range of shops and boutiques and a fantastic array of restaurants and cafes. There’s also a huge nightlife in the city with clubs and pubs to cater for everyone’s tastes. Leeds also puts on annual events such as the German Christmas Market which are good fun. All this but without the expense of a city like London!

• View all profiles