What our students say

Freya Dargavel, UK (2020-21)

Why did you choose this programme at the University of Glasgow?

At the time, Glasgow was one of a handful of universities offering such a course. I had become involved in asylum issues whilst studying as an undergraduate, writing my dissertation on identity formation amongst asylum-seeking women. I was working as an Asylum Support Worker and was ready to return to university to further my knowledge. The course struck me as an integrated mix of theory and activism, placing migration as a central social justice issue, not just an abstract theoretical subject. GRAMNet epitomised a bridging relationship between community and academia, something that was lacking in Nottingham, but for me an essential part of effective asylum/migration activism. Then there’s Glasgow, the city that takes the largest number of asylum seekers under the dispersal scheme and the only city in Scotland to do so (at the time of writing!). There seemed to be a ‘welcome’ ascribed to Glasgow, that the community celebrated refugees and migrants, in comparison to an increasingly hostile England.

Could you describe what an average week in your programme looks like?

I undertook the course part-time, which made my weeks look a little different to the other students! In my first semester I took only 2 modules, so my week was taken up with two days in university (two lectures, with two accompanying seminars) and 4 days of employment. I was working in a migrant-rights charity at the time, and the content of the programme brought new ideas and innovations to my work. Aside from lectures, studying and work I still found time to enjoy myself – Glasgow is a good night out and you’re not far from beautiful countryside, beaches, islands to enjoy on the weekends.

What part of your programme did you enjoy the most?

As part of the Public Social Science for Social Justice module, several classes were led by people outside the course. We were taken on a walking tour of Govan to understand the relationship between the local area and social justice issues, such as Mary Barbour and the Rent Strikes. We also had a Round Table with external organisations involved in the migration sector, including staff from the Scottish Refugee Council. Gaining an understanding of Glasgow’s historical and contemporary activism and the working-relationship between community and academia was a large part of why I decided to study at Glasgow so seeing this in practice in the classroom was a new and rewarding experience.

How do you feel your programme helped you/will help you with your career plans?

Whilst studying, I went on to volunteer and subsequently work at a migrant-rights charity in Glasgow and coordinate their refugee housing project. As someone who had moved from outside the city to study, the course introduced me to people working in the sector and began realising opportunities of where to volunteer and get involved in. The breadth of ideas and theory I studied at university were instrumental for developing my practice at work as was the commitment of the Global Migrations & Social Justice course to ensuring the academic migration theory is applicable in real-world charity and activist settings.

What is it like to study the programme and live here as a student?

I studied part-time, which is not for everyone, but spreading the course out over two years meant I had longer to engage in the complex ideas and theories brought up by the course. Migration is an emotionally charged and controversial topic and having more time to think through the ideas was a valuable experience. As for Glasgow, well I’m fully settled here now after moving just to study! It’s a friendly city unique to anywhere else I’ve lived in the UK with a long history of social justice activism and welcome. It is well-connected to the rest of Scotland – so the mountains, beaches and tourist attractions of Edinburgh are just a train ride away!

 

David Aitchison, UK (2018-19)

Why did you choose this programme at the University of Glasgow?

I chose to study on the Global Migrations & Social Justice programme due to the innovative, multi-disciplinary nature of the course, which offers the opportunity to study the sociology, history, law, economics, politics and geography of an issue of immense importance in the world today. The programme stood out in this context within Scotland, and the impressive array of lecturers and seminar tutors made it too good an opportunity to miss. It’s an incredibly important and necessary area of study as we seek to navigate through the multitude of challenges facing the world - from climate change to global conflict and beyond - and the programme provides students with all the necessary tools to assess, analyse, and challenge the nature of global inequality.

Could you describe what an average week in your programme looks like?

While everyone on the programme has to do 3 modules in both semester 1 and semester 2, and a dissertation project over the summer, there really is no ‘average week’ on this course due to the wide variety of options available to study. There are multiple ‘core’ modules that you need to complete - Global Migrations, and a course to prepare you for your dissertation in semester 1, and Social Science for Social Justice in semester 2 - as well as many wide-ranging options of elective courses to make up the rest of your credits. Options included gender, race, criminology, international security, human rights and many more - there really is an option for every interest. Teaching time takes up about 6 hours each week, meaning there’s plenty of time for independent study and to enjoy all the city has to offer! I also had the opportunity to undertake a paid internship managing GRAMNet social media accounts - sharing the many great seminars, film screenings and events that GRAMNet and the wider family of migration organisations across Glasgow and Scotland had to offer.

What part of your programme did you enjoy the most?

I really enjoyed all aspects of the course, thanks in large part to the passion and support of the academic staff. However, the variety of what was on offer to study in relation to migration is what really stood out for me during this course - and the fantastic fellow students on the programme and across the wider department meant that all courses were engaging and interesting. Everyone will feel able to learn much from their classmates' broad range of experiences.

How do you feel your programme helped you/will help you with your career plans?

This programme has been a great help in allowing me to further my career in an area that interests me. I now work for housing and homelessness charity Shelter Scotland within their Policy Advocacy department. This allows me to use the knowledge of the broken housing system that I gained on this programme, especially for those who are new to Scotland, to advocate for change in housing in Scotland. I think the wide variety of options that this course presents means that whatever direction you want your career to go in after graduating, you will be able to gain the skills and knowledge to help you get there.

What is it like to study the programme and live here as a student?

Glasgow has lots to offer for students. The programme and associated Glasgow Refugee, Asylum and Migration Network provides a great range of events in and around the university, and the city also has lots to offer everyone. This is especially true for those interested in migration, with a large number of organisations working across the city to support people who have moved here. There is also a huge amount of cultural and social activity to enjoy in the city, and Glasgow is in a good location to access the rest that Scotland has to offer - including Edinburgh, Loch Lomond and beyond into the Highlands and Islands.

Rachel Bean, UK (2017-18)

‘I feel that you really get a sense of what kinds of opportunities are available to you and they really encourage you to get involved in things outside of your own research.’

Why did you choose this programme at the University of Glasgow?

I chose to study Global Migrations & Social Justice because I had been volunteering with migrants and refugees for some time and I wanted to broaden my knowledge about the issues facing displaced persons in the world today. The programme really stood out to me because it is the only Masters of its kind in Scotland and the opportunity to collaborate with GRAMNet was a real advantage. The depth and breadth of the programme is really impressive and the lecturers are very well established in their respective fields and have a wealth of both academic and real world experience. I would highly recommend the it! 

Could you describe what an average week in your programme looks like?

We have three courses in semesters 1 and 2 and a dissertation project in the final semester. For me, each course was a 1 hour lecture and a 1 hour of seminar per week - 6 hours in total - but some of my friends had longer lectures depending on their modules. As well as lectures, we were frequently invited to events, such as plays and talks that were relevant to our studies. Glasgow really is a fantastic place to be for anyone interested in this field.

What part of your programme did you enjoy the most?

Besides the regular events, I really enjoyed the Round Table discussion we had as part of our Public social science course. We heard from refugees, journalists, and academics about their experiences of working in this field and we were given the opportunity to ask them questions. It was an incredibly useful discussion. I feel that you really get a sense of what kinds of opportunities are available to you and they really encourage you to get involved in things outside of your own research. As a direct result of one of the talks that we attended, I started volunteering for Awaz, a charity that supports South East Asian migrants living in Glasgow. I designed an exhibition about migration to Glasgow in the 1950s and 60s that was held at Tramway and the Scottish Parliament. The knowledge I acquired from the course really helped me in my volunteer work, and definitely made me stand out as an applicant.

How do you feel your programme helped you/will help you with your career plans

I’ve already seen how advantageous this degree has been. I think this is because it aligns so strongly with the kinds of jobs that I’m interested in, mostly in charity and frontline work, and there are very few Masters programmes like it! I now feel confident in my own knowledge about the kinds of issues facing migrants and refugees in the world today and I have a much stronger ethical and social awareness that can only be gained from talking to people working in the field.

What is it like to study the programme and live here as a student?

I was an undergraduate student at the University of Glasgow and after a year abroad I decided to come back here to do my Masters degree. I love being a student here, and as a Global Migrations & Social Justice student, it really is one of the best cities to be in.