Reaching out to others, including teaching, support staff and other students, has given me so much

MSc Planning student Swechchha Bhattarai, talks about her experiences in Plymouth
Swechchha Bhattarai

My desire is to be an urban planner in the future.

This helped me to decide on architecture for my undergraduate degree as I thought it would broaden my knowledge. I then chose Plymouth to do my MSc Planning . I was really attracted to the academic modules and also the fact that the university has a good position in the Times Higher Education rankings.
Coming from Nepal, the main difference I found when I arrived in Plymouth was the weather. Apart from that, Plymouth is a good place to live as a university student! It has lots of international restaurants which is great if you are missing food from your country. I've spent a lot of time touring the region and getting to know my neighbourhood.

MSc Planning is a great course with good modules and a supportive. motivating faculty.

It also has a wide range of career options later. My favourites modules were coastal urban regeneration and urban design. My focus is on the sustainability of building/construction materials in coastal towns. This plays a vital role in meeting net-zero energy needs and also in maintaining the architectural values of English coastal towns.
Aerial view of Plymouth Hoe
Torquay panorama
Plymouth Hoe - showing Smeaton's Tower in the distance
Some of the biggest challenges I found was in the way of writing assignments, essays and reports. I have found that academic writing is very different here to in my country. However, I was able to find help from the English language centre and my professors.
My plan is to get graduate job experience for two years in the UK before I go back to Nepal. I am very grateful for the academic experience the university has provided and made us ready for work.

The folks here are extremely patient and give much of their time. Reaching out to others, including teaching and support staff as well as other students, has given me so much.

It's something I think every student should attempt.

Do you want to pursue a professional career in planning?

Our fully accredited MSc Planning has been designed to offer a comprehensive understanding of the factors influencing the formulation and delivery of spatial planning policy across the built and natural environments.
Modern apartment buildings