Bachelor of Science in Geography
Studying towards a Master of Science in Geography
While Hayden did well in geography at high school, choosing it as his major subject for university study wasn't the obvious choice initially. However, it soon became his biggest ambition.
"The University offered such a diverse variety of papers I knew I'd find my niche. During my second year at UC, I began to develop my passion for the subject and learning generally. This has given me the drive to continue with my study to the postgraduate level and beyond," he says.
Indeed, Geography turned out to be the perfect choice for Hayden, and introduced him to a range of different areas and skills.
"No matter what you enjoy, some part of Geography will spark your interest and drive you to succeed in anything you put your mind to," he says. "Geography is so broad, it has crossovers with almost any other subject. I have done management, philosophy, Antarctic studies, geology, and statistics, and have been able to apply my geography knowledge in all of these."
Having transferrable skills from his Geography courses was especially useful for the MGMT 228 Summer Study Tour to China, which also awarded him with the Prime Minister's Scholarship for Asia to fund his trip.
"I went with a group of other UC students to China for a month to study at the Zhejiang Gongshang University and visit businesses in Shanghai like Fonterra, Tetrapak, and others. This experience was amazing, it was great to be with a group of other intelligent people. It opened my eyes to Geography in China and has shaped the direction of my studies since. I plan to travel to China to do part of my thesis next year.
"I would absolutely suggest this to anyone interested. As the only Science student, let alone Geography student on the trip, I would absolutely recommend this to others from my discipline, as it brought a point of difference to the experience for myself, and others."
Back at UC, Hayden has been making the most of the student community, alongside tutoring some undergraduate Geography courses.
"I am the Vice-President of GeogSoc this year and I'm involved with many other eco clubs, as well as part of the exec for the newly established Eco Club Network. I also go to plenty of larger social events on campus.
"The student and club life is fantastic, it is easy to meet people and get involved in almost anything you'd like. The campus is also beautiful, and a great place to relax and chill with friends."
Now doing postgraduate study, Hayden plans to go even further into studying Geography and contributing to the science.
"At this stage, I am open to work in a broad range of fields," he says. "Studying Geography has opened my eyes to endless possibilities in the world, and I absolutely love this about the subject. Further down the track I would love to complete a PhD, and look into academia."
