What attracted you to Bristol University’s MSc in Society and Law?

I started studying at Bristol in September 2018, after doing my undergraduate degree in Sociology at Newcastle University. Bristol, the city, has always appealed to me ever since I first visited with my parents when I was young – and the university itself obviously has an incredible reputation. When I visited Bristol for a postgraduate open day, I really enjoyed the buzz of the city, plus everyone I met was really friendly. The MSc course seemed to combine interests I already had, having been interested in the law and coming from a background in social science. I enjoyed the idea of understanding the law within social, historical and cultural context.

What have you found most challenging about the course?

I enjoy the fact that I’m being challenged so I try not to view anything negatively. The sheer amount of reading can be quite challenging, and I often have to go over pieces more than once to make sure I’ve fully grasped the concept. Luckily the other women on my course are incredibly supportive and we often meet before and after seminars to discuss things between ourselves, which I find helps me grasp concepts with more ease.

What skills are you developing as a result of taking part in the course?

For one, I’ve never formally studied Law at any level so that part of the course is, academically, brand new to me. I’ve learnt how to read and understand cases and legal documents. As well as this I’m learning how to think and write with much more clarity.  I enjoy the fact that our seminar groups tend to be quite small – it really gives you the opportunity to talk and understand concepts with more depth. I’m also doing more presentations and public speaking than I did in the academic side of my undergraduate degree, and I feel like this is generally a great skill to have.

What area of research are you finding most interesting?

That’s a hard question because I’m finding so much of what I study truly fascinating. My own research is based in sex work so I’m finding any time that topic pops up really insightful! I’ve also enjoyed studying the same academics as I did during my undergraduate degree, such as Foucault, through the Socio-Legal lens rather than simply a sociological perspective.

Has there been a stand out moment for you whilst studying at Bristol?

There’s been a few stand out moments but the main one would have been deciding on my dissertation topic and being encouraged by my course friends to take it further in the form of a PhD – it wasn’t something I’d considered in seriousness before so it’s great to think that it might actually become a reality.

How has being on the course influenced your thoughts about your future career - where do you hope to be in five years’ time?

I’m definitely way more likely to do a PhD than I was before, and in five years’ time, ideally, I’d like to be on the forefront of decriminalising sex work and helping vulnerable people who have entered into this sphere. For my PhD research to help work on social and legal policy reform regarding sex work in the UK – and possibly other places.

What advice would you give a student currently considering studying the MSc?

Read about all the courses that you’re considering doing, and the different places that offer them. Try to go to open days to get a feel for the places you want to go – remember you’re going to have to live in that city for at least a year. Also, just be organised, use it as an excuse to get new stationery and manage your time effectively! I actually emailed the lecturer I met on my open day in Bristol to see if he could point me in the direction of things to read before starting the course. It may seem a bit keen, but I took a year out last year and was just working. I found that reading a little around the subject has helped me before starting my degree. Obviously if you’re going into a Master’s straight from your undergraduate, extra reading might be more difficult and way less appealing.