Aline is now in the final year of BSc (Hons) International Development with Economics degree at Bath.

Reflecting on her studies and her professional placement at L’Oréal, she talks about the skills she has gained and her future ambitions.

Settling into life at Bath

I’m originally from Kent in the southeast of England but lived my teenage years in Portugal, so I feel like an international student.

I knew about the University and its reputation from my school so when I found BSc (Hons) International Development with Economics it all really aligned with what I was interested in. I’m now in my final and fourth year after having a year on a placement last year.

A course that evolves with you

The degree is coursework-heavy, but I have found that all lecturers are very keen to support you throughout the development of your coursework. They have regular office hours and are available for a five-minute chat, feedback on an essay plan, or help if you are struggling with the workload. It is good to have those check-ins along the way and make sure you are heading in the right direction – and there is nothing they haven’t heard before!

For me, this course picked up two different threads I was interested in, economics and the social science nature of development. It’s very interdisciplinary. You tap into criminology, for instance, whilst diving further into economics. You can even tailor your course to suit your interests through optional units. I wanted to keep my learning broad initially and see where I wanted to head with it as I progressed, so this flexibility was great.

When you get towards the final year, you start drilling down into detail in some of the areas you’ve covered, so you can specialise in something that particularly has interested you. For me, development finance has been something I’ve found fascinating, building on a lot of material we have covered throughout the course.

The applied nature of our course has been one of its highlights. There is a lot of theory, but it is constantly contexualised into current world case studies. Applying the theoretical viewpoint to real-world issues in your coursework has been super interesting; with a particular focus on Africa and Asia.

We are assessed in part on our ability to think and analyse critically, so it really hones those skills. We work in teams on some parts of the course too, which develops team skills and the ability to work well with others to find solutions.

A lot of our teaching cohort have international backgrounds and bring different perspectives. They’ve done research in development in different parts of the world and come with first-hand knowledge – a lot of the content they include in the lecture is subject matter they’ve experienced, so you feel so much closer to the issues and understanding and nuances of a subject and you feel like you are learning from real experts!

From placement to future goals

During my professional placement I worked at L’Oréal in their London office within their commercial team, which involved a lot of internal liaison, whilst being in the same team that works with external contacts, so it was a good mix. Although I was in a corporate role in London, many of my coursemates went abroad or to NGOs.

There was so much help from the placement team with writing CVs and cover letters, alongside advice and support throughout application processes.

I was able to work on my soft skills, like organisation, time management, and teamwork, as well as how structure and routine can help you maximise a day’s work.

In my role, I also learnt so much about all aspects of the business, from supply chains to finance – both aspects that we cover in my degree, so it was interesting to see these coming to life in a business.

When you come back from placement, it’s like starting afresh. You have a real drive for your end goal and what lies beyond graduation.

Belonging in Bath

I felt welcome from the moment I arrived at Bath for moving in day; the Students’ Union created a good vibe on campus, when there was obviously a lot of excitement and a lot of nerves. Information stands were set up by very approachable people, there was great music and energy and plenty of signage around to help navigate in those first hours.

There were so many activities to try something in that first week, something for everyone and a chance to make friends. It is good to be on campus the week before the existing students return, it eases you into the busyness and the business of campus life. It was a good start!

The choice of sports and the facilities are fantastic, and the clubs are sociable and fun – that comes hand in hand with sport when you are not competing. I played tennis and netball, both sports I already played and enjoyed.

With first year accommodation on campus, you are immediately connected to 30 or 40 people, and this just snowballs into meeting more. With everyone being on campus, it’s easy to arrange to meet up and do things, with no time or travel plans needed.

I loved the size of the city of Bath, it is a city that is not overwhelming, everything is within easy reach and walkable, and there is a strong and positive student community.

A highlight for me is the walk from campus down into the city in the spring. You cross a field and cut down to the canal, seeing beautiful views along the whole route

After living on campus, I moved to Oldfield Park for both my second and fourth year. Moorland Road is a great hub for students; it’s quiet but has most things you need. There is a bus or train to easily get to Bristol for the bigger city experience.