I am in my final year of my social studies BA course, majoring in health and social policy. For my dissertation I chose to examine factors influencing the provision of care services to palliative patients and their families, mainly because I work in this field and have a keen interest in it.

This course has helped me understand how policy making is influenced by decisions based on research material and I feel privileged to be able to contribute to the information available in this area after identifying a gap in existing research.

This course has allowed me to choose a range of subjects from various faculties across the university. By having this flexibility, I have been able to focus my learning on areas I am interested in which has kept me motivated. I have chosen some modules that have challenged me to think outside of the box and consider how I can make an impact on the real world. My research project is just one example of how I am extending my learning beyond the boundaries of this institution and potentially helping to transform society in a positive way.

About the author

Michael Adcock is a student from the 2+2 Social Studies course.