Some of my favourite discussions have been on the work of Judith Jarvis Thomson, such as her paper on self-defence. The way she constructs her arguments is truly fascinating. I also really enjoyed the discussions of positive and negative duties (positive as duties to aid, negative as duties to not harm) and as the course progressed, I have found that it has been challenging preconceptions I had about whether the two duties are truly distinct from one another. I’ve also been enjoying discussions about mental health and philosophy, specifically those concerning whether psychiatric disorders ought to be thought of as being like physical illnesses or whether they are forms of social control. I still think they are disorders in their own right but it’s really interesting to consider the socio-political element of identifying and diagnosing mental disorders.

My favourite module was definitely semester one Bioethics! I didn’t expect to enjoy the module as much as I did, but so much of what I learned in Bioethics, such as the work of JJ Thomson, has stuck with me well past the first semester. I have also been really enjoying the Topics in Global Justice module as we look at a range of different philosophical approaches to issues like sweatshop labour which challenges me to become a better (aspiring) philosopher. I also really enjoyed the talk held by the IMF representative to the UN in Autumn 2024, and it was particularly interesting as he studied in Philosophy, Theology, and Religion, too so I got to see another possible future for me outside of this degree.

My career goal is to either stay in academia or become a journalist, or to somehow do both. The teaching at Birmingham makes me want to become a better student and philosopher and I am eager for each new challenge. The staff here are passionate about what they teach and are really supportive while also having classes that challenge our preconceived notions of the world. In addition, the careers network is a wonderful resource and the connections to Birmingham alumni and the talks held by Birmingham alumni have been really beneficial in helping me to figure out my next steps in achieving my goals after University. The postgraduate studies fair earlier this year was particularly helpful, as it made the idea of doing a PhD, even though I’m the first in my family to even have an undergraduate degree, feel like a real possibility. The environment at Birmingham has been really supportive but is also challenging in a way that nurtures growth, and I believe this has made me a better writer and researcher, which will be invaluable to my career goal(s).

Without the scholarship, I would not have been able to afford a Master’s degree. I come from a working class background and am the first in my family to have attended university, so I was never quite sure whether I would even get the chance to pursue a career in academia but the scholarship I received to study at Birmingham has made such a big difference to my life and career trajectory.

The city of Birmingham is a unique one in itself, so it’s safe to say any university within it is probably also really unique. I think the University of Birmingham is especially unique because the staff here truly believe in what they teach and the opportunities for networking and development are truly unlike any I’ve encountered before. The culture at the University of Birmingham is also something I greatly appreciate, as everyone here is so passionate about what they are studying and what they will do in the future. Whenever I ask someone what their dissertation is on, I’m blown away every time.