Jack Leaver

My dad worked in sport and leisure marketing. I always looked at what he did and found it fascinating. I thought it would be a good place to work. The subject always appealed to me because of my love for sport, and therefore the combination of a bit of marketing within a sport context made this course perfect for me.

I never wanted to study in a city. Edge Hill provided the perfect place – the social aspect without the distractions of a city, and I could focus on my studies.

The campus is one of the nicest around. It provides a space to be able to focus on my degree and really engage in lectures and seminars. Having access to amazing facilities such as the library and student union really allow for a balance between my social life and my degree.

The tutors know my name. I’m not treated like a number. I’m able to come to them and have a non-academic chat, as well as talking about whatever I’m working on. They make sure we’re on track.

The top three skills I’ve developed on the course would have to be critical analysis, communication and time management. Being able to critically analyse material and readings, understanding what everything means so I can put it into my coursework really helps. Being able to communicate has allowed me to become a much more confident person in team building activities, and I can definitely take that into a job after university. Finally, being able to manage my time is a critical skill at university. Managing multiple assessments, and meeting deadlines really helped me throughout my time here.

I created an event for a course module. It’s the most memorable moment of my degree so far. This event was a great success, networking and connecting current students to local employers. Seeing the amount of effort the group put in really motivated me, to carry on.

And I won the league with the football team in my first year. I’ve developed great friendships throughout my degree.

My favourite thing about the degree subject is the amount of 1-to-1 time you get with your lectures and tutors. Being able to talk to them after lectures, and being able to meet at short notice, allows me to reap the benefits of their knowledge and understanding of the subject area. I receive feedback really quickly and build on that to get the best out of myself.

The sports centre is definitely my favourite place on campus. Access to these facilities is very good. I’m heavily invested in sports, and the area acts as my cool-down place. The gym, swimming pool and free sports activities all come with my Edge Hill sports membership.

Edge Hill has given me access to a lot of help, support and technology. Also, the team at the Catalyst [the building housing the library and student services] provide all the support I need. During my first year in accommodation, the team and cleaners were very helpful in making sure everything was tidy in the kitchen and any issues were fixed very quickly.

My advice to applicants? Go for it. The tutors and lecturers are very friendly and are always there for me if I need any help with a specific piece of work or if I just want a chat. The course itself is fascinating and provides a lot of opportunities to work with outside employers, and you can develop those relationships after graduation. I hope to be in a job within 12 months, but I’d like to do a bit of travelling first.