Karen - Why I chose Herts

Hello! I’m Karen, I am a mature student currently in my second year of Dietetics at the University of Hertfordshire.

I fell in love with Herts when I went to their open day. The student ambassadors and dietetic team were so friendly and approachable that I knew from that day that my heart was set on the University of Hertfordshire.

Our dietetics program has a small cohort of roughly 30 people, so you get to know everyone in your class, it’s great that we have a diverse range of students from the UK and international to school leavers, mature students, parents, and so on. Honestly, this course has a diverse range of students from all walks of life; it is a great representation of students that I am proud to be a part of.

What stood out to me about the University of Hertfordshire was that I didn’t have to worry about sorting out my placements, some of the other universities I looked at told me I was responsible for finding my placements, which I found daunting but here they are all allocated for you giving me more time to focus on my studies. Each year, I get to go on placement, and by the time I graduate, I will have worked in both an NHS hospital and a community-based setting, which is rare to find at other universities.

All of the lecturers are registered dietitians and nutritionists and we have guest/visiting lecturers to come and speak about their specialist fields. I like the variety of teaching methods used at Hertfordshire; we don’t just have lectures but workshops and practicals in our diet lab, it is great that they incorporate different learning styles to help us with our academics.

The University has loads of societies and activities catered to students; I liked that there is also a focus on students having a life outside of their studies. Throughout the year, there are various events around campus that students can participate in, most of which are free or at a reduced price. I recommend participating and being open to what Herts has to offer you.