Sarah

“Everyone who works at UCO wants you to do your best.”

Why did you choose University Campus Oldham (UCO)? 

I didn’t actually know I could study for a degree in Oldham, but I found out about UCO while studying an Access to Social Work course at Oldham College. 

It was ideal for me because it was an easy commute and meant I could continue working alongside my studies. I hadn’t been in education for some time before starting my Access course, and the smaller class sizes at UCO gave me a more supportive and personalised experience. 

What were the highlights of your time at UCO? 

I really enjoyed the dissertation module in my final year. The support I received was also a highlight, particularly during challenging times. 

Having returned to education after some time away, I found UCO to be a really nurturing environment. The smaller class sizes and personalised support made a real difference to my experience. 

Did you complete any placements? 

Yes. I completed two placements in a primary school. My first focused on barriers to school attendance, while my second involved research into reading comprehension. 

The experience developed my interpersonal skills and gave me a greater understanding of how schools work. This has helped me in my work supporting children and families and continues to be valuable in my current role as a Trainee Education Mental Health Practitioner. 

Did you receive support from other teams? 

Academic Skills was really useful, and having the support embedded into teaching made it easy to access. I learnt about high-quality research and referencing and also received support with my dissertation. 

I accessed Careers support throughout my course and continued to use the service as a UCO graduate. This support helped me secure my current role on my first application. 

Overall, the support at UCO was excellent. I could really see the difference compared with a larger university, where you may have to seek out support. 

What are your next steps? 

I am currently working as a Trainee Education Mental Health Practitioner and may progress into more intensive cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) work in the future. I am also interested in working with children who have experienced complex trauma. 

How has attending UCO helped you achieve your career goals? 

I needed a degree for the roles I wanted to progress into, so studying at UCO was crucial to achieving my career goals. 

I also believe that I wouldn’t have achieved the same results if I had studied somewhere else because of the support I received at UCO. 

What advice would you give to someone considering UCO? 

Definitely go for it. It’s a really welcoming place to study, particularly if you feel anxious or struggle with larger groups. 

Everyone who works at UCO wants you to do your best. 

Find out more 

Take a look at our Working with Children, Young People and Families courses.