Sam Jackson – BA (Hons) Social Studies

Name: Sam Jackson

Course Name: Social Studies

Course Type: Higher Education

Image caption: NWSLC adult student Sam Jackson
Sam from Nuneaton started the 2+2 BA Hons in Social Studies just as her Mum, Sue Adcock, was completing it! Sue had recommended the course to her daughter after Sam was made redundant four years ago when the funding for her youth work was withdrawn. 

Sam has recently completed her degree at the University of Warwick, earning a 2:1 and has also been awarded a grade 7 for her English GCSE which she studied at NWSLC. She has just started work as a support officer for a national regulator based in Coventry and is currently going through the induction process.   

Sam said, “I was inspired by my Mum’s success to take up the degree and the study arrangements were flexible enough to enable me to look after my son who is now aged five. I spent two years attending the college’s Nuneaton Campus and then another two at the University of Warwick where I worked in the Centre for Lifelong Learning as a digital skills mentor and was also a student ambassador.  

“When the coronavirus lockdown started, I had almost completed my studies and continued to work online finishing off assignments while also home-schooling my son. He is going back to school in Year 1 next week and I am now at work full-time in my new role. I definitely think that my qualifications and the experience I had at college and university helped me to get the job. 

“I enjoyed the course because it explored some fascinating aspects of how politics influences daily life and really opened my eyes. Especially over the last few months, we have been exposed to so many examples of decisions affecting health and social policy. The course gets progressively more challenging, but I was able to adjust to it naturally.      

“Both me and my Mum had positive experiences of studying for the 2+2 degree. The support within the college is fantastic; it feels like being part of a family. I would definitely recommend this route to others who are thinking about returning to education.”  

NWSLC’s 2+2 BA (Hons) Social Studies course is taught in partnership with Warwick University. Students spend two years studying at NWSLC’s Nuneaton Campus and then transition over to Warwick University to complete the final two years of degree study. This gives adults the chance to get back into education even after a long break. It equips students with the skills needed to study at degree-level and offer a personalised route by letting student pick their modules.