By Ophelia Serwaa Bonsu, MSc Development Economics

For the most part of my life, I nurtured the dream to undertake a part of my education in one of the best universities in a developed country.  After my secondary education, I could not realize this dream partly because of financial constraints accounting for the reason why I had to pursue my undergraduate studies in my home country (Ghana). I believed a person could do whatever she set her mind to so I made a conscious effort to rise above all odds to realize this dream.  This took a lot determination and hard work. 

Owing to the low standards of living and the increased income inequality in my home country I decided to undertake a career in development economics in order to be able to contribute my quota in helping to ameliorate these challenges.  I came to consider the University of Sussex because of a number of reasons.  These among others included the fact that the University of Sussex is one of the top universities in the UK, that it first in the world for development studies and so the best university to study Development Economics MSc and also because I stood a chance of pursuing this studies with a fully funded scholarship. Meaning my financial constraint was not going to be a hindrance in achieving my goals, thanks to the generosity of the Department of Economics and the alumni body.

I consider myself extremely privileged to have had the opportunity to undertake this study here. I will say the best part of my life is the part I am spending here at the University of Sussex. The quality of education provided here is second to none. What I like most about studies here is the practicality of the things taught in class.  That is applying theory to practical issues. Funny enough, though I know I would have to further my studies to the PhD level, I keep telling myself that “By the time I complete my degree, I can confidently say that I am a Development Economist”.  Academic facilities are very good. I have sufficient and convenient access to academic materials through the library and a generous number of computer clusters around campus in case I want to use an electronic resource.

I have also come to learn how to get along with people from diverse backgrounds that perhaps I wouldn’t have met in other circumstances as I have to work with others on projects and presentations. Also, Brighton is home away from home. I fell in love with this place even before coming to the UK. I think if you are going to be in the UK for just a year, then Brighton is the best place to be. It is a very beautiful city; Brighton Pier, Brighton Marina, British Airways i360 among others are places everyone should see. I haven’t been bored for a single day in Brighton as there are a lot of places a person can go to to have fun.

I look forward to more exciting experiences with the University of Sussex and Brighton.

Interested in studying a Masters in Economics at Sussex? Find out if you’re eligible for this scholarship here.