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Charlie Brooks is a third year BA Politics and International Relations student at the University of Reading and has loved being a member of the Politics and International Relations Department. 

“Being an international relations student has been a wonderful experience. It is great to be a part of a department who are serious about their work, and this is propelled onto students. The Department is always striving to ensure students perform to the best of their abilities and have access to a range of help if needed, including in-person meetings or teams’ appointments.”

Charlie has had the freedom to explore and debate a variety of contemporary issues during his course and has enjoyed collaborating with both students and professors. 

My professors are always open for debating opinions on a wide range of political issues whilst being completely open to differing world views.” 

Charlie had the opportunity to complete an Undergraduate Research Opportunities Programme (UROP) which has enabled him to engage in real time research for the first time. 

“I was part of a UROP scheme that intended to research diverse histories in Berkshire during the 18th and 19th century which is an area of history that I am particularly interested in and hope to become more mainstream. 

During my project I was able to work at the Museum of English and Rural Life and the Berkshire Records Office. This gave me the opportunity to engage with archival research for the first time which was daunting, but those 6 weeks really enabled me to improve my researching skills which is something that can be taken forward into my future studies and career. The experience I gained working alongside professionals in this realm is something that I will cherish throughout my own professional life.” 

After his degree, Charlie hopes to find a role in the Civil Service, and believes his experience with UROP will enable him to stand out from a sea of other applicants. 

“I would recommend anyone that is interested in politics and international relations to study at the University of Reading due to the breadth of opportunities that are available. The Department are great at making the content engaging whilst allowing a large range of political subjects to be studied at an intricate level.”