Fadhilah

MA in Applied Linguistics for Language Teaching, 2016

What made you select the University of Southampton?

University of Southampton is one of the leading universities in the UK, especially in the field of Applied Linguistics for Language Teaching. The department is the fourth best department in the UK at that time.

Moreover, Southampton city is located only 2 hours drive from London, my favourite city in the world. Thus, the living cost is much cheaper than London, but I can still visit London every week.

What was it like studying here?

• Studying MA in Applied Linguistics for Language Teaching at the University of Southampton enhance my knowledge in language learning and teaching, which later on is very useful for my carrier as an English tutor in Indonesia.
• Moreover, the courses were predominantly  taught by renowned scholars in the field of Applied Linguistics for Language Teaching who publish books and papers.  They inspire me a lot in teaching and conducting research.
• Southampton University is a very convenience campus located 15 minutes’ drive from Southampton city centre, which is a great learning environment. Especially for Humanities department, the campus is located within Southampton common area (a large open green space), which is very peaceful and relaxing. No wonder many squirrels and chirping birds are everywhere around the campus.
• The campus has a very vibrant atmosphere since it has many international students coming from various countries around the globe. The university also accommodates a place of worship for all beliefs, including Moslem; it has a spacious prayer room and a washing room for both men and women. A moslem prayer room is also located in common area with green view in front of it, which is very easy to find. It also accommodate Jumu’ah prayer for man once a week. So as a moslem student, Southampton university is a great choice for me, since I feel very comfortable to practice my faith at the university.

What were your Southampton ‘highlights’ (best experiences)?

Southampton University is best for its academic community since it has diverse students, and academic staff from various nationalities. Therefore, the academic atmosphere is vibrant, where you can gain knowledge and experiences not only from the UK, but also from various countries around the globe.

Southampton is also the best for its library (Hartley library), providing 24 hours service and great facilities. The library is very comfortable and warm in the winter. Thus, no wonder I spent mostly 7 hours in a day both on weekdays and weekends in the library.

What did you enjoy most about your course?

I enjoyed most the classroom environment since it consisted of students coming from various countries, such as China, Taiwan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Greek, Czech, England, Europe, US, Caribbean Islands, Japan, India, Saudi Arabia, etc. Thus, I gain many knowledge and experiences about English learning and teaching from various countries. Moreover, It was a great experience pairing up with classmates from various countries for group work, where I must learn and understand cultural sensitivity from other countries.

How has your degree helped develop your career?

After having MA degree in Applied Linguistics for Language Teaching, I can easily find a job as an English tutor at various institutions in Indonesia, particularly because I am a UK graduate, which is known as one of the most challenging place to study for International students. So, being a UK graduate, particularly from Southampton University, help me to develop my carrier in Indonesia.

What interesting projects have you been involved in that you would like to tell us about since graduating?

I am currently working on my PhD Project in University of Newcastle Australia majoring in Linguistics. All the courses that I studied from my master degree are very useful for my current project. Overall graduating from Southampton university, which is ranked as one of the best universities in the UK, help me obtain a PhD offer at an Australian university.

What have been the highlights of your career to date?

Currently, I am a PhD candidate in Linguistics at University of Newcastle, Australian. I am now in the fourth semester of my PhD study

What tips would you give to current students looking to start a career in your sector? What could they be doing now to make themselves more employable when they graduate?

• Focus not only on your theoretical knowledge but also on practical knowledge of Applied Linguistics by attending university training and workshop outside the course, especially on language training. I joined Spanish course for beginner and the way the tutor delivered the course inspire me in teaching English.
• Expand your friendship with student from various countries to gain knowledge about varieties of English dialects and English learning and teaching in their home countries.

Do you have any future ambitions?

After completing my PhD, I want to focus my carrier on teaching university students and research in Applied linguistic area.