Alice Thomas

I have always been fascinated with the ‘Why?’ and Biology gave me the root to the answer. I have always been particularly interested in biology and the natural world; even when I was younger, I was always reaching into the little cracks in the wall to look at the moss and the tiny crawling things within them. When I got to secondary school and college, I absolutely fell in love with the more complex biology topic. I had a burning desire to know everything that there was to know about creatures and the genome, my area of particular interest.

Nowhere else provided the breadth of study and module choice I found at Edge Hill. I was able to really experiment and find what I wanted to study and then specialise in the final year. After visiting the campus and speaking to the lecturers who showed such a vibrant interest in their fields, it seemed to be the only option for me.

The biggest skills I have gained are confidence in myself, my knowledge and my standing as a scientist. I have also developed a strong ability to present information and communicate it to others, in formal writing, at conferences or just in a lecture theatre. The final skill my degree has taught me is initiative, to seek out new and exciting opportunities whenever they come.

The most memorable moment of my degree was handing in my dissertation. It was a huge sense of accomplishment, and I truly cannot compare anything to it. Knowing that the hours and hours of hard work I had put in over the past three years had truly paid off.

My favourite thing about my degree is how widely focused it is and the breadth of knowledge that I have been able to gain in all aspects of biology. But most f all, I love playing around with bugs and even tinier pathogens and seeing how they tick.

Edge Hill is a place where all the lecturers recognise you, know you and are always happy to stop for a chat. It means that the support given is something truly special and highly personalised to individual students. Also, the campus is beautiful.

My favourite place on campus is the Rose Garden. When it is particularly sunny, there is nothing better than sitting there with my friends and basking in the heat.

My advice to anyone considering studying biology at Edge Hill would be go for it. It offers unmeasurable opportunities to specialise, research and learn. I have gained skills I never could have imagined and have been given so much freedom to figure things out on my own. Whether you know or don’t know what you want to do in the future, this course is perfect for everyone with a passion and a love for biology.

I have also been hugely supported by the Careers Team and the Student Union in applying for internships, post-graduate degrees and jobs. They provide an invaluable service. Additionally, in growing my skills as an independent researcher, I was able to design my own project using the skills I had learnt over the past three years and innumerable laboratory hours.