Lawrence Wolff

Lawrence Wolff on fieldwork

I chose Bournemouth University (BU) because I was really keen on the sound of the BSc Applied Geography course.

I knew I wanted to study Geography having done well at GCSE and A Levels. It was the 'Applied' aspect which really appealed to me. One of the best aspects of the course was the placement - this is not a part of most degrees and yet doing the placement allowed me to really see how the theory I had learnt during my degree could be applied to the work place, which is ultimately where it counts. The placement is a brilliant chance to get a top-notch CV. The standard placement length is for six weeks but I was lucky enough to get an extended contract on both occasions throughout the summer, and an additional offer from the Environment Agency to come back for another five months once I graduated. A big bonus from choosing Applied Geography!

The course also gave me the opportunity to study abroad for one week in Portugal; an excellent chance to see a country I hadn't previously visited. Through my course I gained a broad spectrum of knowledge from ecosystems, pollution and geomorphology to environmental law. The course has flexibility and scope to cater for a wider range of interests. My future plans include going back to the Environment Agency for five months and then travelling to N America, New Zealand, Australia and SE Asia. After that, I intend to apply to join the RAF as a commissioned officer. Studying geography has put me in good stead to achieve my aspirations of joining the RAF as an officer. Did you know that half of the current Red Arrows pilots have a geography degree?