Charlotte Bailey’s (Theology and Philosophy BA (Hons) Alumna and current MA Contemporary Christian Theology student’s) Newman University journey
When first applying to Newman, I chose to study Theology and Philosophy as this was a topic I was interested in at school. I also knew by doing this course, I could most definitely consider teaching as a prospective career or could equally consider the numerous avenues of different career paths this subject relates to.
After graduating in 2019, I began to study my Master’s degree of Contemporary Christian Theology at Newman. I really enjoyed my time at Newman throughout my undergraduate degree, and didn’t feel ready to end my journey so soon. I also wanted to develop my skills and qualifications further, to hopefully give me additional options career-wise in the future.
When I was deciding upon which university to go to, I knew a smaller university would suit me well. At Newman, you’re most definitely not just a number, you’re an individual. The last thing I wanted to be was a face in a crowd of thousands of faces, and for no one to really know who I was – this is certainly not the case at Newman. At Newman, I was given a friendly, warm welcome both when I came to Open Days with my family and when I officially started my studies. I was also aware that, by studying at a smaller university, the support I would receive would be far superior than if I went to a bigger university with many more students, and this has been the case throughout both my undergraduate and postgraduate studies – the support network is phenomenal. I was also really drawn to the modern campus, particularly the library where you’ll undoubtedly spend a lot of time!
Both my undergraduate course and my postgraduate course so far have exceeded my expectations. I thoroughly enjoyed my undergraduate course and I also really love the independent nature of my master’s course I am currently undertaking. Both courses have been challenging, but very interesting and have really allowed me to develop and challenge my own beliefs. My favourite thing about the course I am doing now, the master’s degree, is both the independence of the course and the friendly, supportive lecturers. Throughout my undergraduate and postgraduate time at Newman, the lecturers have been so supportive, approachable and friendly and that is something I’m very grateful for as studying at university can be challenging and stressful at times, so it’s comforting to know they’ll always be a friendly face on hand to help.
I think my favourite thing about Newman University as a whole is the friendly, warm atmosphere the campus has. Because of the university’s small nature, you’ll walk around campus and see so many familiar, smiley faces you recognise. I remember when I first visited Newman for an Open Day, a student at the time told me how you can’t walk from one end of the Atrium to the other without seeing a familiar face, and this is definitely true and it’s so comforting. All of the staff around Newman, from lecturers to cleaners, are friendly and they’ll always say hello when passing in the hallways. The atmosphere here will truly encompass you in the best way possible.
Throughout my entire time at Newman, the Theology team have been nothing short of amazing. They truly are a lovely, approachable team who are always on hand whenever you need some extra support, help or guidance. The Heads of both undergraduate and postgraduate Theology are so lovely and welcoming, and are amazing just like the rest of the Theology team. You’ll most definitely feel like you’re in safe hands and constantly supported if you choose to study Theology here at Newman University.
My time at Newman has definitely positively developed me as a person. I’ve developed skills such as hard-work, resilience, the ability to rise to challenges, time-management, social skills and so many more along the way. All of these will really help throughout my future after my journey at Newman has finished, especially with regards to prospective future career paths. I was previously interested in becoming a teaching, however, now I’ve become more interested in possibly pursuing a career in intelligence and anti-terrorism or work within a specialist department of the police.
My advice for future Newman students is to jump into your Newman experience head-first and take advantage of all the amazing opportunities that may come your way during your time here. I’ve been lucky enough to have various opportunities while studying at Newman, which even included going on a trip to Rome and visiting Pompeii! So, I’d definitely suggest trying to make the absolute most out of your time here at Newman.
I’d also suggest really making the most out of the resources around you. Newman has an amazing, modern campus with a variety of different resources so making good use of those will certainly enhance your Newman experience and benefit your studies too. The library is great so I’d recommend taking advantage of that by studying in there either alone or with friends, getting support from the librarians if you need it, and by making the most of the academic resources Newman’s library has to offer. I’d also recommend reaching out to your lecturers if you need any support or have any questions about assignments or exams, they will always be supportive and willing to help!
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