Catherine Hollander, MSc Environment, Politics and Society

In this interview, Catherine tells us about what drove her to choose the degree, as well as her interest in addressing the challenges of climate change and her aims of bringing her passion into her future career.

Why were you interested in studying for an MSc in Environment, Politics and Society (EPS) generally?  

When I initially thought about applying to the Environment Politics and Society course, I knew that my interests lay in the intersection between nature, politics and the social, but I wasn’t entirely sure where this interest could take me. The EPS programme and its wide variety of modules meant that I could delve into an array of subjects without having to commit to studying one discipline in depth. 

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

Having completed my undergraduate degree in the Geography Department, I appreciated the flexibility of module choice as well as the freedom to engage thoroughly with specific aspects of the course and case studies that particularly interested me.

The course at UCL is highly prestigious and I know that even beyond completing the course I will continue to benefit from the wealth of connections and opportunities that UCL has to offer. 

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

For me, one of the most engaging things I learned in the course was the real-life challenges of mitigating climate change.

By exploring aspects such as justice and ethical issues and the barriers hindering the implementation of policy, the Politics of Climate Change module successfully explored some of the lesser-considered factors when thinking about climate change in an academic context. 

Can you tell us about any particularly memorable experiences from your time as a Masters student with us?   

One particular moment that I fondly think back to is when my coursemates and I came together to request a ‘viewing party’ of the videos we produced for the assessment of the Geopolitics module.

The Department organised drinks and snacks for the occasion, and we spent the afternoon watching our creative films on a variety of topics. Being able to share our hard work with peers when we usually only submit our work for assessment felt particularly special. 

What do you hope to do in the future?   

In the future, I hope to work in anti-corruption, tackling issues especially affecting the environment. This is a field that combines my interests in protecting the environment and engaging with social and political issues of practice.

I am sure that many of the skills and knowledge that I have acquired through the MSc will prove useful in my future endeavours. 

Would you recommend studying Environment, Politics and Society in the Department and why?  

I would definitely recommend studying EPS at UCL. The course helped me identify and pursue my interests, by allowing me to choose the topics of my assessments. All of the professors and lecturers genuinely care about your academic motivations and will encourage you to delve deeper into your chosen subject matter.

Even if you are unsure of what interests you specifically, the breadth of the course provides plenty of opportunities to explore different topics and theories.

Finally, as someone who enjoys expressing myself through multiple creative outputs, I appreciated the course's breadth in assessment methods; throughout the year I submitted not only essays but also a video, a photo diary and work from an ethnographic study.

I could not recommend this course enough. 

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