Katherine Dooley – BA/BSc (Hons) Geography

Age: 18
Home town: Oxford
Country: England
Year: 1

What made you decide to come to University of Portsmouth to study?

'When I came to visit I really liked the area. The course sounded really good and the staff were friendly and welcoming on the open day.'

How have you found your course?

'I have found the course to be excellent so far - I love it! The staff are friendly, helpful and make sure you're aware of every option available to you. Resources at the University are very good indeed.'

How have you found life at the University?

'Portsmouth nightlife is brilliant. There are a variety of nightclubs and loads of live venues if you are into live music and comedy. I have been to some great gigs. University accommodation (halls) is great and is an excellent way of making friends. The Union has lots of clubs and societies which have given me the opportunity to take part in completely new things like fencing and playing in shows with the University orchestra. It's excellent!'

Laura McCrea – BA (Hons) Geography

Laura McCrea decided that Portsmouth was the place for her after coming to visit on an Open Day. She said: 'I just fell in love with the place. The atmosphere was great and the staff were extremely friendly and helpful.' 'The course has really lived up to my expectations.

There has been lots of practical fieldwork, which I love because it gives you the opportunity to work closely with other people on the course. One of the main factors in my choice of geography as a degree is that it allowed me to keep my career options open.

I am still undecided about what line of work I want to pursue when I graduate, but studying geography has allowed me to develop a huge range of skills such as statistical interpretation, analysis and presentational skills.'