Education is a life-changing thing

Portrait photograph of student ambassador Ismail Haider
Ismail Haider
Current student
BA Quantitative Social Sciences
Student ambassador Ismail talks about the variety of modules he was able to choose as part of his degree.

Why did you choose your course at the Sheffield Methods Institute?  

I chose this course because it offered a lot of module choice in the topics I was interested in and many optional credits, so I could pick and choose what I wanted to study. 

What have you most enjoyed about your course so far?

What I’ve personally enjoyed so far are the lab practicals in the SMI105 Data Visualisation Course where we learn to make graphics and animations. I also really enjoyed studying SMI106 – Introductory Quantitative Data Analysis for Social Scientists, which is my favourite module. In this module we get straight into learning coding skills vigorously. Although it is challenging and quite intense at times, the satisfaction you get in doing what you once thought was problematic is incredibly rewarding.

What has been the most surprising thing about your time at University?

What surprises me the most about my studies is how intrigued I’ve been in what I’m learning. I’ll be in my room doing the week's assigned reading and be surprised at how well this reading fits into the direction the module is going. Another surprising thing about my time at University is just all the amazing staff and students I meet, conversing with them and getting to know them, the things they’ve done and what they hope to do in the future. It’s pretty inspiring stuff!

What do you like most about the city?

I love how green this city is; for every person in the city, there are three trees. This is my favourite thing about the city, having always been a fan of nature, and with Sheffield being one of the biggest cities in Britain whilst still being so green in so many ways, it’s very intriguing.

Are you involved in any clubs or societies? 

I’m involved with the Islamic Society, Comic Book Society and Muay Thai Boxing. They all add to my university experience because it enables me to be in the same space as other like-minded people who share common interests with me.

Do you have any advice for students thinking about studying your course?

Start working on the first day! Keep on top of all reading and don’t be afraid to ask questions. The staff at the SMI are extremely kind, as well as helpful. Work together with your course mates to bounce ideas off each other.

Is there anything else you would like to add?

Education is a life-changing thing!

Image of Charlie SMI Alumus sat in his office

Mae & Charlie are here to tell you more about Applied Social Sciences

Applied Social Sciences student Mae and alumnus Charlie will tell you what they enjoy most about the course, what skills they have learned and how it has helped develop their career.

Four students laughing while sat at a bench, outside the Students' Union

International Merit Scholarships

We offer a generous package of financial support for international students including 75 undergraduate scholarships worth £10,000 towards the annual tuition fee and 125 postgraduate taught scholarships worth £5,000 towards the tuition fee. Applications are now open for existing offer holders.