What Julia says about the Master's in Global Development, Population and Economic Change

Julia from Germany

About the programme and the teaching style 

How did you find out about Lund University? 

"I wanted to study in English because I really enjoy the language and I thought it would be nice to have an extra challenge besides just studying. At the time that I was doing some research for potential universities, I was volunteering in the UK and I initially thought of staying there to study. But it was quite expensive already before Brexit and especially afterwards. I started to consider alternatives outside Germany, as there were not so many English-taught programmes there. I started to look for places where I could study for free as an EU citizen and I came across Sweden!

I started researching all the universities teaching in the field of Economics, History, and Social Development and found this Bachelor’s programme in Economy and Society that sounded quite nice! It was also very new – I was only the second cohort since it started! I applied and put Lund as my first choice but I didn't think I would get it because it seemed very competitive. I was very happy to find out that they accepted me! I then stayed at Lund to pursue my Master’s."

Why did you choose this programme?  

"The programme is a very natural progression from my Bachelor’s. It is very much related to the field of economic history and economic development. I was initially thinking about either going in the direction of sustainability because I found it interesting too or continuing on the economic track. However, through my Bachelor's thesis, I got very interested in institutional equality and institutional economics. I found that within this programme, I could pursue this path while also gaining more quantitative tools that I did not get in my Bachelor’s. I thought it would be a nice combination!" 

What do you think about your programme so far? Does it live up to your expectations? 

"I would say it does! Similar to my Bachelor’s, it’s a learning experience focused on individual learning but also group work. It is not so much just about sitting and listening to a lecturer. It is quite a research-heavy and academic programme where you feel like you are learning from the department about what they are researching, what is relevant now and how to connect this to more general theories. It also prepares us for the field of academic research which is what I was expecting, a sort of continuation to my Bachelor’s programme."

What is the best thing about your programme?  

"Definitely the people! At the Master’s level, you can see that people picked this programme because they were really interested in it. We have a lot of students who recently finished their studies in Economics and are interested in seeing the links to social sciences and History, instead of just looking at graphs and economic models. People from all across the world bring in different experiences even if they come from backgrounds other than Economic History. A friend of mine studied International Trade Development and they bring perspectives from a different angle than someone who studies something related to Socio-Economic Development. This brings a lot of discussion entry points and insights from different fields."

Why should prospective students choose this programme? 

"If they are interested in research and learning, not just acquiring quantitative knowledge, but really going in-depth into a topic, this programme is for them! You will be placed among an international cohort, teachers are usually researchers in the field and they are passionate about what they are doing."

What is your favourite course and why? 

"I have not studied a lot of courses so far as it is only my first semester, but I chose this Master's so that I could specialise in the three tracks effectively. I had one course in Regional Development which was about how regions develop in relation to each other and that was pretty cool! I chose Economic Demography as I really enjoyed the Demography course in my Bachelor's."

What do you think of the teaching style? 

"I like it! I sometimes only had two or three lectures a week. At the very beginning, compared to high school, I was not expecting all the independent learning, but this is what makes you learn better. You focus on the things you're interested in while doing the readings on other topics. Then you get to pick a little bit from everywhere and build your knowledge yourself with the support of the teachers. I enjoy it compared to what I know in Germany where you sit in the lecture and listen for eight hours!"

Thoughts on being an international student at Lund, spare time and advice for incoming students  

What it is to be an international student at Lund University?

"Since there are so many international programmes, you are surrounded by people from all around the world, not just from your programme but also in town more generally. Student life is also thankfully catered towards us international students, not just Swedes, which I very much like. For example, everywhere you go, people are willing to speak in English. Though sadly this is detrimental to my Swedish learning skills! In any case, you feel very welcome and you don't feel that there's a societal barrier to you arriving in this country."

What do you do in your spare time? Are you involved in any extracurricular activities? 

"Last year, I was part of the board of UPF, the Association of Foreign Affairs, and I worked in that Student Association as editor and chief of the web magazine. It was great also to meet a lot of international people and get some hands-on skills. I am quite sentimental about it now as it was a very great time to be part of student life like this! Otherwise, it’s mostly the classics: hanging around with friends, reading, and exploring the nature of Skåne, which I very much like."

Do you have any advice for other students who are considering coming to Lund? 

"My advice would be to start learning Swedish as soon as possible, try to not rest on the fact that everyone speaks English like I did for one and a half years. Rather, try to actively learn because as open and welcoming as Lund is, there is a definite benefit to being able to speak Swedish, especially if you start looking for a job at some point and it's very valuable to experience even more of Sweden. So that would be my main tip! Otherwise, be open and ready to meet a lot of exciting people from different backgrounds and learn about different cultures!"

What surprised you the most about Swedes? 

"Before coming, I heard that they are quite reserved but in reality, they're all so kind! People would usually stick to their little social bubble and you might think that it is hard to get in. But people are genuinely nice and relaxed, everyone is kind and tries to help. I think that was what pleasantly surprised me despite this idea that they only stay among themselves."

Future plans and career preparation 

What are you planning to do after your studies?  

"I'm currently thinking about what I'm going to do. I'm considering continuing my education after my Master's year, as it's a very academic field. I am also open to doing a PhD but otherwise, my general idea is to stay in the region around Malmö or Copenhagen. Perhaps working in research with some international organisation or a think tank – there are a few in Copenhagen which I find very interesting!"

To what extent does your degree programme prepare you for a career in your field? 

"I think the programme prepares me well for research-based work which I enjoy a lot. It is a very academic field, and the programme opens the way for PhD studies or work in think tanks!"