Vedika Mathur, BA Geography (International)

Vedika tells us about some of the amazing things she's gotten up to during her degree and the opportunities to study abroad.

Why were you interested in studying BA Geography generally?

Honestly, I felt a little lost about what to study at university because I was interested in so many subjects, especially the social sciences. I was considering an international relations or sustainable development pathway but was encouraged by how vast and diversified a geography degree is. You can study history, politics, economics, biology, sociology and environmental sciences all in one!

What was it that encouraged you to choose UCL to study it?

UCL’s geography department is honestly spectacular and contributes to an incredibly supportive and enriching learning environment. Here are a few reasons why I chose UCL:

• Studying in London is a BA Geographer’s dream because its socio-economic, political and urban landscape offers up endless opportunities to see geographical concepts in real time. 
• UCL itself is a very diverse and international university, where my worldview is expanded by hearing the experiences and opinions of people from all over the world, and from many different walks of life.

Would you recommend studying the BA Geography International degree in the Department and why?

I have spoken to many prospective students while working at UCL open days and summer schools, and I honestly can’t recommend studying here enough. Here are some of my favourite elements of the UCL Geography department:

• All of the field trips are free, to make sure that everyone can access this part of studying geography, regardless of their finances
• The geography cohort is smaller than the average UCL department, allowing each student to have lots of contact hours with all of the academics here. We are all on a first-name basis and professors are always available to discuss your ideas
• There is plenty of room to explore new topics and figure out what you are interested in: you can switch between the BA and BSc geography course at any time and can take both human and physical modules throughout your degree
• The Geography Department goes out of its way to facilitate student events and support networks. The Geography Society puts on events throughout the year, from pizza socials and summer boat parties to guest lectures and museum trips. We also have open invitations to ‘Tuesday Teas’ and the geography BAME Network, where academics and students come together over tea and biscuits.

Why did you choose to take the International route and what has it been like so far?

UCL’s Study Abroad team partners with universities from all across the globe – from Singapore to Australia to South America and more. In your 3rd year studying Geography, you have the opportunity to go and study at one of these fantastic locations before returning to UCL to complete your degree. As I write this, I am on a flight to Los Angeles, California ready to start orientation at UCLA ! 

For me, it was a no-brainer. I knew that going abroad would open up my future career and, of course, be really fun! 

Studying Geography has taught me that immersive fieldwork in a location’s physical and cultural landscape is integral to the study of the world around us. Going to a new country with the support of UCL is a brilliant opportunity to foster international connections and study with new perspectives. UCL also provides access to lots of funding and grants to help with finances while abroad.

What were the most interesting or engaging things you learned on the course?

Doing a deep dive into key geographical concepts such as sustainable development, geopolitical conflict and urbanisation in lectures and seminars is always really interesting. I find it particularly engaging when we are able to connect each concept to current events and see the impact geography has on people’s lives. We are also encouraged to think critically about ‘taken-for-granted’ aspects of the world, such as border security, capitalism and resource consumption.

What do you hope to do in the future?

Being in London has been so useful for pursuing network events, internships and work experience alongside university. In my first few months at UCL, I attended an info and networking session for careers in environmental policy at the Natural History Museum. For the past year, I was able to intern for The Fairtrade Foundation by visiting their London offices once a week. And the UCL Geography degree is definitely flexible and independent enough to allow me to do that and keep on top of my studies. This insight into business-led sustainability has opened it up as a possible career path in the future.

Interested in following in Vedika's footsteps? Visit our Study pages to find out more