Health Psychology, Master Degree, Erasmus School of Social and Behavioural Sciences (ESSB), Erasmus University Rotterdam

"Amongst the infinite possibilities that are available today, EUR offered me the best opportunity."

After my bachelor degree, I once again had to ask myself the question: what’s next? My bachelor studies were in International Management and Business. When I gaduated I felt the need to change my field of study. I wanted to study something that would have a social impact and with which I would be able to expand my horizon. Moreover, I wanted to help people in this troublesome world. I am a so-called “second generation migrant”, as I was born and raised in Milan (Italy) by Egyptian parents. Due to this background, I have always had a special connection to the phenomenon of migration. I felt a particular empathy towards migrants and I had a passion for helping them. Growing up, I would see the challenges my parents faced.

But before I would be able to do anything, I had to increase my academic and cultural knowledge about migration. Amongst the infinite possibilities that are available today, EUR offered me the best opportunity: a specific master programme that covers the vital topic of migration in today’s society. I had to seize the opportunity to follow this programme. So far, this master programme has exceeded my expectations. The professors who have taught the courses  possess an extremely high level of expertise. Critical thinking is one of the many things I have learned this year. I learned not to take things for granted, but to assess for instance a notion or a news article on a deeper level. The best example is the concept of integration. We hear this word continuously and therefore we should ask ourselves: what does it actually mean.

Lastly, this master  programme has stimulated me to build bridges rather than walls.

"I have enjoyed learning from all of our engaging professors and gaining a deeper theoretical and multifaceted understanding of the issues within the field."

After completing my bachelor degree in Political Science from York University in Toronto, I was ready for a new challenge and decided to move abroad. This coincided with the influx of arrivals of asylum seekers in Europe in 2015/2016 and prompted me to gain a keen interest in migration. Eventually, this interest led me to the position of Migration Programme Assistant at the Canadian Embassy in Berlin where I learned a lot about the particular migration landscapes of Germany and Canada. However, I still wanted to gain a better understanding of what influences migration flows and how governments respond to migration and diversity.

This impulse, together with my fascination for multilingual diversity and multiculturalism based on my experience being raised as a francophone Canadian in an anglophone community, the Master programme Governance of Migration and Diversity seemed to be a perfect fit!

When friends and family ask me about my year, I always tell them I am super busy but I am really enjoying it. The GMD master programme is demanding but I continue to be very motivated. I have enjoyed learning from all of our engaging professors and gaining a deeper theoretical and multifaceted understanding of the issues within the field. Everyone is very passionate about migration and diversity, which creates a great dynamic in the classroom.

In the future I would like to play a role in developing critical policies and delivering excellent programmes which will generate a positive impact. I would suggest this programme to any motivated student with a passion for learning in an international context and a strong desire to affect change in the field of migration. I am sure they would find it as rewarding as I do!

"A huge draw to EUR is the large international community, and the Clinical Psychology master's track provided many platforms to meet and interact with other students from diverse backgrounds."

When I chose to study the Clinical Psychology master track at EUR, I had high hopes that the course would not just expand upon my existing knowledge base, but offer a multitude of opportunities for both personal and academic growth. Thankfully, the course did not disappoint – I regularly felt challenged in new and exciting ways, with self-reflection being promoted at every corner, ensuring I was never bored. For me, one particular highlight of the course would be the Severe Mental Illness in Urban Context module. These classes placed the scientific status quo of clinical psychology under a more critical lens, tearing down perceptions of what is taken for granted in the field, in a way that I would never have expected to be addressed academically.

The staff at EUR also offer incredible support whenever you need it; especially whilst writing my thesis, my project supervisor was always eager to share resources and explore ideas collaboratively. Furthermore, I really valued opportunities to meet with other research team members, to discuss our projects and share our own perspectives with each other. A huge draw to EUR is the large international community, and the Clinical Psychology master track provided many platforms to meet and interact with other students from diverse backgrounds, which I was grateful for.

This course enabled me to put many skills relevant to working in mental health into practice, from utilising a variety of CBT techniques, to performing exposure therapy (with live spiders!). I feel that I have come away from this degree not only with a deeper understanding of psychological disorders, but I have also learned so much more about myself, and developed a skill set that will serve me well in future endeavours. Ultimately, I couldn’t be happier with my decision to study Clinical Psychology at EUR, and I have many great memories of my time here.