Sam Halvorsen, PhD

Now a lecturer in Human Geography at Queen Mary University, London, Sam says the chance to research and teach on his PhD was invaluable.

“I was drawn to UCL by its Globalisation MSc, which stood out from its competitors, and for its world-class Geography Department. My PhD was in a way an extension of my Master’s degree and I was very happy to continue working in the same research environment.

“My PhD involved researching the Occupy London social movement, which appeared in September 2011 in London. I undertook a participatory study, using my active involvement in the movement in order to understand it.

Skills for a career

“Highlights of my PhD included doing cutting-edge empirical research; attending international conferences and civil society forums to discuss the academic and practical implications of my research, working with a great set of fellow PhD students and developing skills as a critical writer.

“Just about all the skills I developed from my PhD are beneficial to my career given that I have continued in academia. This includes writing, critical thinking and reading, presentation, time management, teaching independent working, qualitative methods and analysis.

World-class

“The Department is world-class with leading scholars and a great reputation. It is located in central London in the heart of an academic community. It has great networks including strong contacts with international scholars. It values both empirical and theoretical research. The staff are very friendly and always give great support. They provide PhD students with their own desk, something I understand is not the norm elsewhere.”