I chose to do the MSc Social Science Research course because it was part of my Economic Social Research Council (ESRC) funding, which involved an additional year of learning and developing my research skills before my PhD.
This course has allowed me to greatly extend my understanding of research design and philosophy.
It also gave me the chance to develop my own research philosophy and recognise how that subsequently impacts my research and the decisions that I make throughout the process, ultimately putting me in a much better place to begin my PhD journey.
Many facilities were made available to help me during my course, in particular, I found the online and in person library to be extremely useful, as well as the NCSEM study area, which was a really good space to work in.
The university campus is a great environment to work and offers lots of separate spaces for postgraduates to work effectively.
I found that the lecturers on the course were really engaging and helpful throughout the process, providing me with much academic support and expertise. We also received a good level of both group and 1-1 support throughout the MSc course.
Upon the completion of this MSc degree, I have begun a PhD. The MSc course has really helped give me a head start on this, and prepared me for planning different research projects, writing proposals, and understanding my research philosophy, which have all been important within my PhD so far.
My future career aspirations are in research and academia. Specifically, I am interested in a career in both lecturing in the fields of sport and research methods, and post-doctoral research within the field of mental health in sport and related areas.
If you are considering studying this programme and are looking to develop your research skills and research philosophy to pursue a PhD or career within research/academia, then this course fits well with your aims.
Loughborough is a great university to build relationships and connections with experts in important fields of research. They invest in really important areas and will provide you as students with great opportunities to build your knowledge base and connections on top of the course you are doing.
A highlight of my time at Loughborough outside of my course has definitely been watching the high-quality sport regularly on display at Loughborough. I have also been involved with cricket at the university, which was great fun and an opportunity to build relationships and use the incredible facilities.