Testimonials
The most fascinating as well as challenging part of Geography is that it is not narrowed down to one single scientific discipline.
- Previous education
- Bachelor in Geography
- Programme
- Cities, Culture and Inequality
- Study start date
'What I really enjoy in my specialisation is the opportunity to move to different cities to experience in the field what we have learned in theory in the classroom. On the other hand, the specialisation tends to get really theoretical and abstract sometimes, which can be quite challenging.
Studying the Cities, Culture and Inequality specialisation at the Radboud University is a great experience. Strictly according to the motto challenge and promote, the teachers expect a lot of the students, but they will also provide you with their help. Thereby, they don't act from a higher hierarchical position but rather interact with the students on eyesight, thus creating a really good atmosphere for studying.
The most challenging experiences I had so far were getting used to the amount of research papers one has to read every week, as well as the workload one has to fulfil in order to get the credits of the course.
For my Master's thesis I am doing an internship in a project of the HAN University at the moment. The project analyses voluntary work in the Netherlands and Germany and how each country can learn from the other. For my thesis I will analyse the political structures for volunteering in each country and how the interaction between municipalities and volunteers could be improved through the cross border exchange of ideas and working approaches.
The most fascinating as well as challenging part of Geography is that it is not narrowed down to one single scientific discipline. Geography touches a lot of different disciplines and thereby provides a platform for combining them in order to get the best solutions for problems. The specialisation of Human and Cultural Geography focusses on humans and how they live together. With the globalization, people tend to not stay at their home town for their whole life anymore but to move to different cities in different countries, thus creating the challenge for cities to cope with the needs of more and more multicultural societies. At the same time, cities need to get more sustainable and get prepared for the challenges of the climate change.'
I like how this programme gives you the freedom to pursue your own specialisation with the choice of electives.
- Previous education
- Cultural Anthropology and Development Studies - Radboud University
- Programme
- Cities, Culture and Inequality
- Study start date
- Study end date
What do you like about the programme/specialisation and why? How has the programme/specialisation challenged you (in relation to your previous education)?
I like how the programme has taken all the theories that I learned and liked to learn about from my previous study, and has put them in a very specific context, the city. I also like how this programme gives you the freedom to pursue your own specialisation with the choice of electives. The Master's programme Cities, Culture and Inequality has really challenged me to think about the ways that I can practically apply all the knowledge that I have learned throughout my time studying.
What do you think about the atmosphere in class (for example the relationship between students and with the teachers/researchers)?
There is a good mix of people with a background in geography and people with a background in different fields of study, and that makes class discussions really interesting with a lot of different perspectives. The trip within the first semester also really helps in getting to know your fellow students and due to the small classroom sizes, you can connect well with the teachers.
What do you find most challenging in your Master’s (specialisation)? Have you encountered any obstacles?
The Master's programme becomes serious almost immediately. Within the first few weeks, you have to pick a thesis topic and this can be quite challenging when you don't have a background in geography. On the other hand, making this decision so early really allows you to focus on the thesis from day one. This can help in choosing your electives and picking out the best theories that fit your topic.
Are you currently doing an internship? Or what is your thesis about?
My thesis is about the diversity and inclusion policy of Radboud University towards queer people. I'm also interning for Radboud's Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Office.
Why do you think is it important that there are people out there with this degree? What are your plans once have received your Master's degree?
I think that with current trends of urbanisation and globalisation it is incredibly important that there are people who studied the ways that people live together in urban environments. We learn many different things that can make a city more comfortable to live in and I think that we, as Human Geography students, can have a very important perspective for the future. When I finish my Master's, I want to do something that helps biodiversity in densely populated areas, either by volunteer work or getting a job in this area.