Hi, I'm Daniel and I'm from a small rural village in South Tipperary on the Kilkenny and Waterford border.  The village is situated about two hours by bus from Limerick City.  Here in UL, I'm studying for a BA in Economics and Sociology.  When deciding on a course after secondary school, I was interested in business, politics and social research.  The range of degree options and choices that were on offer in UL was what first caught my eye.  The option allowed me to mix a degree with both business (in the form of economics) and sociology.  This was important to me as I did not want to enter into a degree dedicated solely to one area, but rather I wanted a diverse degree that gave me different options to study within it.  This was the main reason I choose UL over other institutions.

The course divided eually between both disciplines of economics and sociology.  The course load is four modules per semester with a few projects to do throughout the year - and of course final exams.  I really enjoy the differing perspectives given from each discipline, and the twin areas of knowledge that you gain.  As a student in UL, the biggest aspect of my student life is the Clubs and Societies.  They are numerous in their amount and various in their activities.   They are an important part of making friends and continuing friendships.  Also they are a source of enjoyment and opportunity to learn new skills and sports.  Team work and organisational skills are formed as clubs work on events and general day-to-day activities. 

My cooperative education placement as a volunteer in Africa was one of the best experiences in my life to-date.  I worked in the hospital system in Ghana, a sub-Saharan African country.  I jumped at this chance and it was greatly rewarding.  The environment and placement wwere extremely challenging but overall it was invaluable.  The diverse nature of the work and the culture allowed me to develop personally and expand my perspective and experiences greatly.  Also the variety of the work allowed to to feel like I was doing something truly hands on.  The work itself was varied; it consisted of office related duties such as writing reports and correspondences for management within the hospital.  The developmental nature of the health system in Ghana allowed me the opportunity to travel to meetings, conferences and other African hospitals.  This left me with a clear understanding of the health system and how it works there, and of the country as a whole.