Kieran Tang

My tips for success

Kieran Tang graduated from Geography BA(Hons) in 2018 – here’s what he has to say about his time here:

Studying Geography BA(Hons) at the University of Brighton opened my eyes to a plethora of course content, numerous routes for future career opportunities, the wonderful area of Brighton, and the occasional field trip.

The best aspect of the course is the wealth of different modules you can study, and how you can start to specialise in certain areas. During the course of my degree, I began to shape my learning on planning, the environment, and sustainable development.

Continue reading “My tips for success” →

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Dr Matthew Brolly

Dr Matthew Brolly is the course leader for Environmental Sciences BSc(Hons) and Geography with Remote Sensing and GIS BSc(Hons).

Head shot of Matt BrollyTell us about the subject area(s) you teach at undergraduate level?

I lead the teaching of remote sensing across our undergraduate degrees in Geography, Archaeology, Environmental Sciences, and Environmental Management. This subject area is therefore also the main component of the Geography with Remote Sensing and GIS degree. Remote sensing relates to any measurements that are made when not in contact with the object/target, so essentially we are all using remote sensing all the time using primarily our eyes and ears. Using this definition, the subject uses imagery collected by a range of sensors including cameras, lasers, and satellite radars. Continue reading “Dr Matthew Brolly” →

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Nick McGlynn

Meet Dr Nick McGlynn

Dr Nick McGlynn is course leader for Geography BA(Hons).

How I like to teach

I teach Human Geography, specialising in lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer (LGBTQ) equality issues and community spaces.With all of the progress that’s been made it’s easy to forget that LGBTQ people still face marginalisation and exclusion in our society, and really value having distinct LGBTQ spaces.

I bring high energy and enthusiasm to all of my lectures, using plenty of videos, group discussions, class polls, and sometimes a bit of quick research right there in the classroom. Learning isn’t about just sitting and listening, it’s about actually doing stuff!

One of the field trips I lead takes students to the Soho area of central London. We explore why Soho became an LGBTQ neighbourhood over the past 40 years, and document changes to the area by making our own ethnographic observations. Students get to visit LGBTQ venues, observe the nightlife, and hear from experts like local journalists about the politics of LGBTQ spaces and the issues faced by Soho businesses and residents.

You can read more about the Soho trip here

Human Geographers often use ‘qualitative’ data, like audio-recorded interviews or written stories. But graduates from lots of degrees leave university not really knowing what to do with this kind of data! I teach students how to analyse qualitative data effectively and rigorously, so that they can evidence the conclusions they draw from it. This includes training in step-by-step techniques like Reflexive Thematic Analysis (RTA), and specialist software like NVivo which helps organise and manage very large qualitative datasets. Students practice these during our 2nd year Morocco field trip, using them to analyse the data they gather in the field while doing their own group projects.

What I like most about teaching

Getting to see students learn and develop during their time with us. It’s so great when you see a student’s marks consistently getting better and better, because they’re listening to their feedback and actually enjoying what they’re learning!

We’ve got a really superb staff-to-student ratio, so we get to teach in small classes and genuinely get to know our students. This means we’re able listen and give advice tailored to individuals, their needs and their situations. No student here is ever just another face in the crowd!

My favourite location in Sussex

I love walking along the Brighton seafront. In winter you wrap up, watch huge waves crash and roar as flocks of starlings swirl around the pier. In summer it’s shorts and t-shirts, baking in the heat as you go to get an ice-cream. Amazing all year round!

Listen to Nick’s podcast

Podcast: Nick talks discusses his research into LGBTQ communities in both rural and urban areas and his high energy teaching style

Watch a video

Find out more about Dr McGlynn’s research.

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Group of people about to get on a boat

Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority boat trip

MRes Ecology and Conservation student Sarah George, really enjoyed the day spent on the Sussex IFCA boat (Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority), as part of the Ecotoxicology module.

“The boat trip with the IFCA was a real education and I’m so grateful for this opportunity.  I have not previously experienced aquatic sampling and just being able to be part of the process and see how things were done was fantastic – even down to the clear sequential labelling of samples and being able to visualise how large a sample actually was (much smaller than I’d thought).

Three people on a boat
View from the side of a boat in the water
Group of people about to get on a boat
Person with a line into the water from a boat

Simple things like rinsing the filter with clean water rather than seawater make so much more sense when you’re there as you can visualise how this would alter the sample you’d just collected.  Setting up and operating the sediment grab is something you can only really appreciate by doing it, the idea is simple but actually getting it to work needs hands on experience.   Again, being able to see how the sediment varied from site to site and even from one side of the boat to the other, told a really strong story.

Continue reading “Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authority boat trip” →

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photo of Mark Walker, Town Planning MSc graduate

Mark’s route into town planning

Graduating from our Town Planning MSc has led Mark Walker to embark on a brand new career. He tells us more about his route into a town planning career.

  • What were you doing before your postgraduate studies at Brighton?

I was the News Editor and Director of Communications at Latest TV, a terrestrial television station based in Brighton and covering the South Coast of the UK. Before then, I worked for a local newspaper and I have also previously worked in the House of Commons for a Member of Parliament, in the European Parliament for two Members of the Parliament and was then a Director of Policy and Advocacy for a major Healthcare Public Affairs Consultancy. I am now working as a Planning Officer at Adur and Worthing Councils, having gained employment in the planning sector very quickly after finishing my course.

  • What made you choose the University of Brighton and this course?

Firstly, the City of Brighton and Hove is a great location for a University and for a place of study. I was born in Brighton and love the area and already knew that the University of Brighton was the perfect place for the MSc. Furthermore, the MSc Town Planning course is accredited by the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and has an excellent record in regards to employment opportunities after graduating from the course.

  • Can you describe your course and experience of studying here?

The course was a mixture of learning about the theory behind town planning, exploring contemporary planning issues, such as the impact of climate change on development, and also gaining practical experience through the Environment Placement module. I found the course very rewarding, even though it was conducted largely online via Microsoft Teams, and the Course Leader, Georgia Wrighton, as well as Dr Helen Walker and Andrew Coleman, adapted very well to the changing circumstances which we all found ourselves in. The support staff were also very good and it was clear from the start of the course that help was always available if needed.

  • Was it what you expected, can you explain?

Yes, the course was conducted as I expected given I had heard good things about the course from previous graduates and I had already been given excellent customer service from University of Brighton staff in my communication leading up to the start of the course. Also, given the difficulties with studying for the course during the Covid-19 pandemic, it ran very smoothly on the whole and the course staff adapted very well to the changing circumstances.

  • What were the highlights of your course?

The highlights of the course were the Environment Placement module, where I was lucky enough to gain work experience as a Planning Assistant at Adur and Worthing Councils, as well as the Planning Theory module, where it was fascinating to learn about the theoretical concepts behind the Town Planning academic discipline. Another highlight was the Dissertation module, given I focused on a local topic close to my heart; rethinking utopia in urban coastal communities. The chance to influence planning policy at Peacehaven Town Council was also very memorable and to work as a team with fellow students.

  • What are you doing now you have graduated?

I am currently working as a Planning Officer at Adur and Worthing Councils, starting in March, 2022. I am enjoying it a lot, particularly working on the Adur Local Plan.

  • What was it about this industry that first interested you?

One of my passions and interests is politics, particularly British and European politics, and, arguably, planning does involve a certain degree of political involvement in order for it to function at a local government level. With my former work for Latest TV as a News Editor, I also became aware of a lot of planning related issues which I wanted to explore further. With the Covid-19 pandemic I also decided I wanted a career change which incorporated the skills I gained during my previous work experience in politics and the news media.

  • What do you recommend about it?

The structure of the course blends theory and contemporary planning issues with the chance to gain valuable practical work experience also, so that is a big bonus. The fact that the course was accredited by the RTPI and RICS was also very important for me.

  • What would you recommend about your course?

The tutoring is excellent, the structure of the course well designed and it all happens at a great local in the City of Brighton and Hove.

  • How important are the knowledge and skills gained on your course to your job and why?

The skills I gained were very important, particularly the analytical skills in sifting through the different sources of knowledge and statistical information relating to planning applications whilst at Adur and Worthing Councils and the modules relating the Sustainable Urbanism in Coastal Communities and Comparative Practice in Property and Planning are essential to my current job as Planning Officer also.

  • What advice would you give to someone who is thinking of applying for this course / this university?

I would definitely go ahead and get a place on the course! It is well worth it!

  • How do you feel now you have graduated?

I feel very happy and think that undertaking the course was a very good career move, given that I was lucky enough to find a full time job in the planning sector very quickly so soon afterwards.

  • What are your plans for the future?

I am now working as a Planning Officer for Adur and Worthing Councils and I plan to work there to learn as much as I can at a local authority level, including with sustainability appraisals, day to day planning applications, the development of local plans and changes in national planning policy.

  • Did your course help you to decide on or plan your career / decide to apply for your job? If yes, how did it help?

Yes, the fact that I gained valuable work experience at Adur and Worthing Councils during the course was a key factor in me applying for the Planning Officer position at the same employer after I completed the course. It helped because I already knew people who worked at Adur and Worthing LPA and, perhaps more importantly, I already understood many of the key planning policies.

Watch this vide of course leader Georgia Wrighton chatting to Mark about the course on Latest TV.

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Head shot of Neesha, Biomedical Science student

Why I decided to become an Inclusive Practice Partner

What is the Inclusive Practice Partners (IPP) Scheme?

The Inclusive Practice Partners Scheme is a collaboration between students and academic staff at the University of Brighton. It is a programme that aims to diversify and decolonise the curriculum and pedagogy within higher education. What this essentially means is that students work alongside staff to produce a list of recommendations for improvement within these areas in their own subject area. I study Biomedical Science and I have forwarded changes in some of the literature searches, in how critical analysis is marked for future students, and recommended unconscious bias training and guest speakers within modules based on my own lived experiences of studying my course. Continue reading “Why I decided to become an Inclusive Practice Partner” →

Neesha SivaratnamLeave a comment
data with silhouette of hands

Critical Digital Geographies – a new module

We’re excited to announce that we have a new second year Geography, the Earth and Environment undergraduate module starting in the 22/23 academic year – Critical Digital Geographies. The use of digital technologies to transform work, homes, cities, romantic relationships, exercise, health and transport (to name a few), is one of the most pressing contemporary societal challenges, providing exciting possibilities but also new power struggles. Continue reading “Critical Digital Geographies – a new module” →

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Abbie with a duck

Getting a head start on your career

Abbie Hobbs graduated in Ecology and Conservation in January 2022. Read her story….

As a very recent Ecology and Conservation BSc graduate, I am sharing how a slightly unusual path through my course gave me a head start on my career.

I started my undergraduate course in 2016 and really enjoyed the wide-ranging content, from micro-biology to behavioural ecology. When a sandwich placement year was offered, I decided it would be a good opportunity to get some work experience before graduating and might help me get an idea of the kind of jobs I could work towards. The careers service was extremely helpful with finding possible placements, writing applications, and preparing for interviews. Continue reading “Getting a head start on your career” →

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graduates throwing hats in the air

Our first Town Planning Chartered Apprenticeship graduates

It was a proud moment for the MSc Town Planning and MSc Town Planning (Chartered Apprenticeship) course team when 22 of its students graduated in February this year.

We were delighted that so many could attend the Graduation Ceremony at the Brighton Centre, one of the first to be held ‘in person’. This was an especially poignant and moving ceremony for staff, given the success the students had achieved during a very challenging time of remote teaching and lockdowns in the Covid-19 pandemic.

This year also saw the first cohort of MSc Town Planning (Chartered Apprenticeship) students graduate since the route was offered in September 2019, following its Trailblazer status.

The dual Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) and Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) accreditation of the course, the only one of its kind on the south coast, will equip the students for rewarding and successful careers in town planning, and we wish the students all the very best for the future

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