Goldsmiths Undergraduate Guide 2025

Different is what we do Undergraduate Guide 2025

In this guide Goldsmiths was founded in 1891 and has been part of the University of London for 120 years.

With a history of being progressive and proud, Goldsmiths celebrates and welcomes original opinions.

We want to support you in all your differences, as your unique perspectives make Goldsmiths special. In this guide, we foreground the stories of our students and graduates.

They represent a student community that’s as diverse as it is impressive. What they all share is that they came with an open mind and will leave with skills, knowledge, connections and memories that last a lifetime.

Inspiring possibilities

3

Undergraduate subjects We offer an alternative mix of subjects with degrees in the arts, humanities, social sciences, computing, management and law

Anthropology

Law

Art

Management

Arts Management

Marketing

Business & Management

Media & Communications

Community Studies Computer Science Creative Computing Creative Writing Criminology Curating Design Economics Education

Music Politics Psychology Social Work Sociology Theatre & Performance Therapeutic Studies

English History History of Art International Relations Journalism

Find out more about these courses at gold.ac.uk/course-finder

4 What we offer

Individual learning journeys We combine academic excellence and imaginative course content to make a place where original ideas are welcomed and nurtured

What we offer 5

What we offer Undergraduate degrees You can choose from a wide range of undergraduate degrees on offer – explore the list on page 3 for all the different subject areas available. gold.ac.uk/ug/a-z Degrees with a foundation year We also offer a range of programmes that include a foundation year (or years) of study before you start your degree. They are particularly suitable if you have been out of formal education for some time, or if you’re passionate about a subject but don’t meet the entry requirements to start a degree course straight away. gold.ac.uk/ug/integrated-degrees Open Book The Open Book team works to break down barriers for anyone who thinks that higher education isn’t an option for them. The team runs drop-in sessions, short courses, and a foundation programme that has led to many students progressing to complete undergraduate degrees. gold.ac.uk/open-book

Programmes for international students In addition to our undergraduate degrees, we offer the courses below to support students who may not speak English as their first language.

Pre-sessional English Language programmes These are short programmes that you can take before your degree if you need to improve your English language skills. They last between six and 12 weeks, depending on the level of tuition you need.

International Foundation Certificates (IFCs) These one-year courses give you the opportunity to develop your English language skills, extend your disciplinary knowledge, and become familiar with UK academic culture. We offer seven pathways, each with a specific disciplinary focus, including arts and humanities, computing, design, media, music and social sciences. If you successfully complete an IFC with a pass mark of 50% or more then you will have guaranteed progression onto one of our undergraduate degrees.

BA Fine Art (Extension Degree) On this one-year course, you work independently as an artist and develop your own ideas. We offer appropriate English language development classes.

The programme is designed to lead to BA Fine Art or BA Fine Art & History of Art. Find out more about these courses at gold.ac.uk/preparation

Goldsmiths campus All undergraduate teaching and support is on one site in New Cross, South East London F

Halls locations A

Loring Hall

On campus

B

Ewen Henderson Court

5-min walk

C

Chesterman House

2-min walk

D

Surrey House

5-min walk

E

Raymont Hall

20-min walk

F

Town Hall Camberwell

15-min bus ride

G

Quantum Court

20-min train ride

London Eye Big Ben

The Shard South Bank

Tate Modern

London Bridge

Tower Bridge

G

B New Cross Gate

A

C New Cross

E

D

8 Timeline

Bold history 1970s

Former student Malcolm McLaren starts managing the Sex Pistols and helps pioneer punk culture

1891

The Goldsmiths’ Technical and Recreative Institute is founded, dedicated to improving the skills and knowledge of the industrial, working and artisan classes

1904

Goldsmiths joins the University of London

1989

1950

Mary Quant begins studying at Goldsmiths, and in the 1960s becomes an entrepreneurial fashion trailblazer

Alex James and Graham Coxon – who later became half of legendary Britpop band Blur – meet on their first day studying at Goldsmiths

1990s

The art world is dominated by the famous Young British Artists (YBAs), many of whom (including Damien Hirst and Sarah Lucas) studied here

Timeline 9

Goldsmiths has a proud tradition of academic heritage, pioneering moments and remarkable people

2013

James Blake, who studied BMus Popular Music, is awarded the Mercury Prize

2014

Graduate Steve McQueen wins an Oscar for his film 12 Years a Slave

2018

Goldsmiths Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA) opens, bringing world-class exhibitions to South London

2002

Linton Kwesi Johnson, who studied sociology at Goldsmiths in the 1970s, becomes the first Black poet to appear in the Penguin Modern Classics series

2010

Multidisciplinary research group Forensic Architecture is formed, and goes on to receive accolades for investigating human rights violations

2019

Graduate Bernardine Evaristo is awarded the Booker Prize for her novel Girl, Woman, Other

2022

BA Drama and Theatre Arts alumna and director Rebecca Frecknall wins the Laurence Olivier Sir Peter Hall Award for Best Director for the West End revival of Cabaret

2023

The Goldsmiths Prize for literature celebrates 10 years of recognising fiction that breaks the mould Goldsmiths awards an honorary fellowship to cultural icon and queer hero Bimini

10 Unique teaching

Fresh perspectives At Goldsmiths you won’t just be taught about a subject – you’ll be encouraged to challenge conventional ways of thinking and come up with your own ideas about things Teaching and learning at Goldsmiths is different.

It’s creative and contemporary, and will open your mind to think about the world in new ways.

Many academics are active researchers or have extensive practical experience in industry.

This means that degrees are up to date and relevant to the world today.

Pushing the boundaries Whatever subject you decide to study, you’ll learn in a creative way that’s focused on new ideas and unexpected viewpoints. From psychology modules on the science of magic to computing degrees that develop your creative practice, across all of our degrees you’ll get to experience interesting connections that will broaden your horizons rather than narrow your thinking.

Supportive staff You’ll be taught by academics and practitioners who are interested in you as an individual.

They will encourage you to bring your unique ideas and experiences to the classroom.

Your tutors and other staff are accessible and approachable, and you’ll often be on firstname terms with them. This friendly approach encourages the exchange of ideas and creates a supportive learning environment.

Unique teaching 11

What I enjoyed most about the degree was the flexibility I had to direct my learning and explore my interests. From my first day on the course, I felt listened to and advocated for. Throughout my learning, I was encouraged to challenge myself and provided with opportunities to pursue my interests.

Anika, from the USA BA Curating

When I started the degree as a mature student, I was worried I’d find the academic reading and writing challenging, due to being out of education for eight years. But I found the content of the BA instantly gave me the understanding of theory and practice that I was able to apply to my own life.

Andrea, from the UK BA Social Science, Community Development and Youth Work

A connected curriculum Many undergraduate degrees are linked by a connected curriculum consisting of several modules that have been co-designed by Goldsmiths students and staff.

The modules bring together students from different subject areas in scholarship and conversation, ensuring an interesting and connected transition into higher education. The modules enable you to develop critical thinking and research skills, approach a diverse range of ideas and theories, and work on transdisciplinary research and contemporary social change projects.

Making a difference There is a strong social and environmental justice focus to many Goldsmiths degrees – whether that’s law specialising in human rights, design that connects communities, or criminology that explores critical perspectives to state control. At the core of our values is the desire to be actively involved with positive change in society, and this is something we’ll encourage in you.

We want you to reach your full potential, facing your future with the confidence and questioning mind to help you contribute to a better world.

12 Unique teaching

Allison Prior to studying at Goldsmiths, Allison had been living in Rome, but was keen to move to London for university. “I liked the idea of studying in a big city,” she explains. “Goldsmiths appeared to be a creative environment and very vibrant, and I’d heard very good things about it.” She had been set on studying a business-related degree, and the idea of combining it with marketing struck while researching courses. “This degree was a good mix,” Allison says, “it encompassed all my passions equally.”

Now in the second year of the BSc Management with Marketing, Allison is learning about everything from consumer and organisational behaviour to marketing communications and corporate finance. “Probably why I like it so much is that it’s very interdisciplinary,” she explains. “It really encompasses lots of different subjects. I think it’s good that we’re taught in this way, because in terms of careers it means your options are very open.”

Allison has also been impressed by the imaginative approach to course content and teaching. “For each of our modules we have projects that are very creative and original,” she says. “We also have a lot of guest speakers – entrepreneurs and people who work in start-ups or big corporations. Just learning from a book and memorising it and rewriting it is not what I wanted. I wanted a university experience that would give me transferable skills.

Goldsmiths has done a good job of that.”

One project saw Allison develop her own business idea, while for another she interviewed entrepreneurs about their experiences and challenges. More recently she had to pick one

of four contemporary marketing campaigns to critically analyse, including Uber Eats and the Barbie movie. “They were all very up-to-date campaigns, very modern,” Allison says. “You had to use different theoretical frameworks we’d studied in class to assess whether the campaign was effective. It felt like something that would actually be applicable to me in the future. I’m not just writing an essay on a marketing model that was created 70 years ago – the world has changed.”

Allison has also made the most of career clubs in her department: she’s a member of the Finance and Investment Club and president of the Women in Business Club. “It’s a new one, so it’s a lot of work to get it up-and-running,” she says. “We have a panel event next week with guest speakers, all of whom are Goldsmiths alumni, all with very different careers. The events help with networking and putting yourself out there.”

Meanwhile in her first year Allison used the Careers Service to secure an internship working for a few months with a business founder who’d created an online news platform. She’s been pleasantly surprised by the career opportunities that London provides: “It’s amazing! There are so many opportunities everywhere because a lot of big companies have their headquarters here. It’s something I never would have gotten in Italy.”

“I’ve developed a lot here,” Allison says, “both through going to university and also the environment that Goldsmiths is – how diverse and inclusive it is, and how it promotes individuality.

I think what’s really unique is its creativity, its open-mindedness, and the ability to do all of these projects I mentioned.”

“For each of our modules we have projects that are very creative and original.”

14 Unique teaching

Unique teaching 15

Kelly “I say ‘yes’ to everything! I think it’s better for your soul.” Saying ‘yes’ has been a great approach for Kelly, who has well and truly made the most out of her university experience. Whether that’s working as a Student Ambassador and getting involved with tutoring and mentoring young people, or becoming a Peer Assisted Learning facilitator to support first-year students at Goldsmiths, Kelly has discovered lots of ways to carry out paid work that has not only developed her skills and experience, but is meaningful and inspiring too.

Her return to university has opened up lots of new paths for Kelly. Before arriving at Goldsmiths she’d worked as a lawyer, but started to get disillusioned when she realised it no longer aligned with her values.

Kelly took the plunge and joined the “mindblowing” BA Sociology with Criminology degree, which she recently graduated from with First Class Honours. She’s now started a part-time Masters in Social Research at Goldsmiths, and has recently had her first co-authored article published in an academic journal, after undertaking some paid research investigating the racism directed at young Black players following the Euro 2020 Final.

Kelly is amazed she’s had the opportunity to turn her hand to so many different things. “All the stuff I’m doing – I can’t believe it,” she says. “I just feel so on top of the world.” For the past year she’s also worked part-time in the Goldsmiths IT department, and this opportunity to earn a regular wage at the same time as studying has helped Kelly gain great experience while supporting her family. “It literally saved me during the pandemic,” she says, “because I was able to earn from home, and also learn so much.”

The degree itself has obviously deepened Kelly’s knowledge and skills, too. “It’s opened me up to new literature, it’s taught me how to critically analyse, and it’s expanded my compassion, empathy and tolerance,” Kelly says. And she’s met lots of like-minded people who she describes as “lifelong friends”.

“Studying at Goldsmiths has had a huge impact on me,” Kelly explains. “Only three years have passed, but I’m a completely different person for the better.” And what is Kelly’s overriding impression of her time here? “It’s been so meaningful, really.

All of it. Meaningful connections with people, meaningful work, meaningful career change… that’s how I feel about it.”

“Only three years have passed, but I’m a completely different person for the better.”

16 International focus

Diverse and welcoming community

At Goldsmiths you’ll find students and staff from more than 130 countries, so you’ll have a very international experience

International focus 17

Goldsmiths truly embraces the global citizen.

Students coming to the university from other countries will find a thriving international community and enjoy the experience of studying in one of the world’s major cities. UK students can expand their horizons through the opportunities to travel and make friends from around the world.

Find the world in one place We are firmly rooted in South East London, but are global in our reach and outlook. We work with universities around the world, from the USA to the Philippines, and undertake research with an international focus: over three-quarters of research is rated world-leading or internationally excellent (latest Research Excellence Framework [REF], 2021).

The curriculum spans continents too.

Goldsmiths offers modules that look beyond Europe, such as current options ‘African Theatre’ for those studying performance, ‘Contemporary Arab Migrant Writing’ in English degrees, or ‘Performing South-East Asian Music’ for music students.

You will also have opportunities to spend time learning around the world. We have a wide range of exchange partnerships, and our Global Opportunities team offers funding to support you to study and work abroad. Past students have studied abroad for a term within Europe, Asia and South America. Meanwhile our Confucius Institute offers Mandarin, music and dance lessons – great if you want to learn more about Chinese culture from the comfort of the campus.

For more information about studying abroad, visit gold.ac.uk/students/go-abroad International students live in halls with UK students, and make connections across subjects, enriching the student experience for everyone.

Goldsmiths’ campus and students are characterised by contrasts. Everyone is different and feels free to express their identity yet there is an overriding sense of community and care for each other. We are all well aware of the importance and benefits of diversity, which then sets the ground for a united student body.

Arturo, from Spain BSc Economics

Support if you are an international student Goldsmiths attracts people from all over the world, both as students and staff, and the campus provides a welcoming environment where you can be yourself. We offer pre-sessional and in-sessional English programmes and classes if you need to develop your language skills before or during your studies (see page 5). There are also orientation events at the start of the academic year to get you acquainted with life in London and help you make friends.

If you require a visa, staff at our Immigration Advisory Service can advise you before you arrive and during your studies (see page 61).

There are a range of scholarships and bursaries available to international students, including the Goldsmiths International Undergraduate Scholarship, which currently supports up to 35 students every year. Find out more by exploring our Scholarships Finder at gold.ac.uk/fees-funding/scholarships There’s lots more useful information on our website at gold.ac.uk/international

18 International focus

Veera Veera moved across the world to follow her dreams of studying design. Having grown up in India, followed by several years in Dubai, she knew moving to the UK would be a big change: “Coming to London was a massive jump and I knew that I would get all these little cultural shocks… I kept myself open-minded.” She braved this new adventure for the BA Design course at Goldsmiths. Despite originally settling on studying product design, Veera felt that Goldsmiths’ unique approach was a better option. She explains: “I thought – it's London, it's design, I get to explore a really diversified community.”

Veera came to London for the first time when she started her course, having never visited the city or campus before. However, she was pleasantly surprised. She says, “it was really surprising how things around the campus and also in London are really near to everything.” Veera’s eagerness to embrace her new home helped her settle in, alongside the supportive environment she was greeted by on her course. “You don't feel like you're working under someone, you feel like you're working as part of a team,” she explains.

The support and studio culture on BA Design has been a highlight for Veera. She has learned so many new skills. “We’re introduced to textile labs, ceramics, wood, metal, digital fabrication. It’s everything you could do and anything, you just have to be yourself.” The studio environment has allowed Veera to explore her creativity: “I love my studio,” she says. “I’m in there most of the time. I look at my studio and every table has a different idea on it… it is really important for creative minds.

It just encourages you to go on.”

Veera has produced a variety of work on her degree so far, including her most recent project focused on how anything can be materialised.

“After lots of research and guidance I ended up making 200 pieces of paper that I turned into postcards,” she says. “I made one for each day after coming to London. Each postcard used different ingredients according to what happened that day… I then sent them to my family.”

Although she’s a long way from home, Veera has found living in halls for the past two years to be a positive experience. “Halls has its own culture,” she explains. “It’s important because you meet different students from different courses.” This isn’t the only place Veera has made friends: her degree offers collaboration across years, so she’s had the chance to get to know her peers, and she’s also a Student Ambassador. Having this job has helped her meet more students in the “little world” she describes Goldsmiths as. She’s grown in confidence through this flexible work and explains: “there are a lot of like-minded people, especially when it comes to Student Ambassadors. You do just connect.”

In terms of the future, Veera explains: “I don't just want to get a degree and get a nine-to-five job.”

Instead, she plans to see where things go. She’s doing a work placement as part of her second year and is keen to explore continuing in education – perhaps even doing a PhD. “I keep directions open,” she says. For now, she’s just enjoying her new home. “I’m open-minded to accept whatever because it’s a different country and culture.

Things are going to be different.”

“Designing is different than what I expected.

I thought it was going to be very technical. But it’s offering me a lot more than that.”

20 Studying in London

Outstanding student city

Steeped in history and culture but always offering something new, London has something for everyone

London is a fantastic global city, famous for being home to an international mix of people, and a hub for culture, the arts, business and tech.

The opportunities here are endless, which is one of the reasons it’s been voted the world's best student city for the sixth year in a row.

Arts and culture Whether you like galleries, theatre, music, sport, cinema or nightlife, there is so much to explore, and something for all possible tastes. London’s amazing multicultural mix also means that it’s a foodie haven, with incredible markets, restaurants and pop-ups featuring amazing cuisines. And there are free festivals and cultural activities happening all the time in different parts of London – it's hard to get bored here!

History and heritage London is a city with so much history. You’ll be able to walk the streets where your favourite books or films have been set, and where key political moments have played out over the ages. London’s museums are world-renowned, and many are free to visit, so there’s plenty to spur your imagination.

Green spaces You don’t have to spend your time in London surrounded by buildings and traffic. The city is full of beautiful parks (around 3,000 of them!) to get lost in, tranquil urban squares to discover, and riverside walks to amble along. There are also lots of other ways to enjoy the outdoors. Cycling is a cheap and convenient way to get around – especially using the Cycleways that link different parts of the city – and there are many open-air swimming pools and lakes to explore.

I chose London because I really wanted to be in a metropolitan area where there was always something to do and explore. And it’s really nice to have access to different museums that are free. And also be able to walk around this city – there are always free things to try.

Madison, from the USA

Voted best student cit y in the world* *QS Best St ud

ent Cities 20

24

22 Studying in London

Affordable options While studying in a capital city can be expensive, in London there’s so much choice and free culture on your doorstep that with a bit of planning and creative thinking you can find many affordable options. You'll also be able to make use of student discounts on things like travel, shopping and entertainment.

I decided to stay at home for uni because Goldsmiths is not far from where I live in Whitechapel.

Also it means I’m still able to enjoy my mum’s home cooking!

Travelling to uni you can make friends easily.

Sumaiya, from London BSc Psychology

Living at home while you study Staying at home or commuting into university is becoming an increasingly popular option, and at Goldsmiths we have lots of students who decide to do this. If you grow up in one of the world’s greatest cities it makes sense to study here, especially as it can mean saving on housing costs. As a commuting student, there are no compromises on campus life – you’ll still make friends and be welcomed into the Goldsmiths community.

Find out more at gold.ac.uk/study/studying-locally

Studying in London 23

Business and industry Choosing to study in London is like opening the door to thousands of opportunities. Whether it’s the wealth of media organisations, the start-ups that are shaping the future of tech, or the booming creative industries, the city is bursting with chances to enrich your learning through networking, placements or part-time work.

An inclusive place London is truly multicultural, home to people and communities from all over the globe. This creates an inclusive and welcoming atmosphere, where people are free to be themselves and celebrated for their individuality – much like Goldsmiths itself.

Find out more about London life at gold.ac.uk/life-on-campus/london

Journey times

Luton Airport 1 hour 16 mins

King's Cross St Pancras 37 mins

Euston 39 mins

Paddington 32 mins

Oxford Circus 31 mins

Green Park 21 mins

Waterloo 19 mins

London Bridge 9 mins

Heathrow Airport 1 hour 15 mins

Peckham Rye

Battersea Power Station

20 mins

40 mins

Clapham High Street 30 mins

Brixton 39 mins

Gatwick Airport 43 mins

Stansted Airport 1 hour 20 mins

Liverpool Street 23 mins

Shoreditch High Street 15 mins

City Airport 46 mins

Canary Wharf 15 mins

North Greenwich Canada Water

18 mins

5 mins

Goldsmiths campus New Cross Gate New Cross

Journey times to Goldsmiths using public transport.

This map is for illustration purposes only and is not to scale.

26 New Cross and nearby areas

Unique local areas

Explore authentic and alternative London life through the distinct areas local to Goldsmiths New Cross Goldsmiths is in New Cross, South East London – a place with plenty of character. It’s in Zone 2 and just 10 minutes by train to Central or East London, so it’s quick and easy to access the landmarks and nightlife of the bustling city, but there’s still lots going on locally to keep you entertained.

The area is richly creative with a higher-thanaverage proportion of independent places to discover, so it feels different to anywhere you’ve been before. It also has a large student population, and a diverse range of cafés, restaurants and shops nearby, including food from around the world – the Caribbean, China, Hungary, India, Korea, Greece, Lebanon and Turkey are all represented. There’s also plenty of nightlife nearby, including pubs, comedy venues and clubs. Local green spaces include Fordham Park and Telegraph Hill Park, which has amazing views over London – especially at sunset.

Local areas to explore London is made up of a collection of different neighbourhoods, each with a charm of their own. Getting to know different areas and finding new favourite places is one of the best parts of studying in such a vibrant city.

New Cross is in walking distance of fascinating, exciting and historic neighbourhoods like Deptford, Peckham and Greenwich. It’s also well connected to East London via the Overground, so you can travel to places like Whitechapel, Shoreditch and Dalston easily too.

Explore New Cross and nearby areas at gold.ac.uk/local

New Cross and nearby areas 27

10

minutes by tra in to Central L ondon

I was really surprised by how much of a community feeling there is in South East London. There’s so much to discover that’s really close.

Chloé, politics student

I loved exploring New Cross, there are some lovely places along the high street and around the campus.

New Cross also has great transport links to explore the rest of London.

Natasha, BA Anthropology

28 Life on campus

Distinctive campus From lectures to late-night Library sessions, all your teaching and support takes place on a single-site campus

The Goldsmiths campus is a bustling place.

Wander through the corridors and you’ll hear music students rehearsing, see art students carrying work from their studios, and read flyers for the latest events that are taking place. Its mix of contrasting quirky architectural styles creates a special place, where different experiences and ideas are shared.

The Library With areas for individual and group study, Special Collections, and an events programme, our Library is very popular with students across all subjects.

You can access reading and audio-visual materials and attend academic support workshops to learn more about things like managing your workload and presenting. If you have any questions, your subject librarian will be happy to help.

Rare green space The College Green is a favourite campus spot among students, offering a rare spot of tranquillity in busy New Cross. Tucked behind the Richard Hoggart Building, it’s the perfect place to meet friends or play sports on a warm day.

Support on campus Our Student Support Services can provide information, advice and guidance for all aspects of being a student at Goldsmiths – whether that’s wellbeing, counselling, housing and money advice; general advice and support; or setting up disability adjustments. Our Multi-Faith Chaplaincy offers support to all students, whether religious or not.

It provides activities during the week, confidential pastoral care, and spaces for prayer and reflection.

Find out more about all of this at gold.ac.uk/students Take a virtual tour and explore our campus from wherever you are at virtualtours.gold.ac.uk

As a Goldsmiths student you'll also be able to access University of London facilities in Central London.

Life on campus 29

One of my favourite parts of studying at Goldsmiths was the College Green, especially in the summer. It was a lovely place to meet with friends to socialise and relax and get in that extra last-minute revision for an exam.

Oliver Economics graduate

Campus highlights Thirty Five A stylish café at the heart of the campus.

First floor of the Professor Stuart Hall (PSH) Building The mezzanine here offers comfy seating and panoramic views of the campus.

Goldsmiths Centre for Contemporary Art (CCA) Our own public gallery hosts exhibitions and talks from world-class artists.

Benugo at the PSH This café serves hot and cold food in a spectacular light-filled atrium.

Cinema This 101-seat cinema room is used to show student work.

'The Squiggle’ This two-storey metal sculpture sits on the top of the Ben Pimlott Building and dominates the New Cross skyline.

The Refectory Catch up with friends for lunch in our food court-style canteen.

From roasts to wraps, there’s lots of choice to keep everyone happy.

St James Hatcham A former church that holds student exhibitions and creative computing labs.

Anthropology Garden A peaceful spot that includes an allotment where students grow fruit and vegetables.

Deptford Town Hall This Grade II-listed building is one of the most historic on campus, having been opened in 1905 as the Town Hall of the former Borough of Deptford.

It was acquired by Goldsmiths in 1998. It reflects the area’s maritime connections, and on its front stand four statues with links either to Britain’s role in slavery or the colonial system that supported it. This symbolic decoration raises difficult questions about how to deal with historic celebrations of those who wielded imperial power and the College is developing a programme of work to explain and interpret their modern-day significance.

Find out more at explore.gold/statues

30 Life on campus

Remarkable facilities Art

Computing

• All art students have their own studio space for the entire length of their degree, these are mixed across year levels to encourage peer-group learning.

• Specialist rooms and equipment enable students and academics to create work and collaborate.

• There are many specialist practice areas that complement traditional art disciplines: casting; woodwork; metal; ceramics; constructed textiles; fine art printmaking; graphics and time-based media; photography; print and dye; stitch and fabric and 3D printing.

• Each practice area is staffed with experienced technicians to support students.

Design • Studio space is provided to all design students, and they are encouraged to use this to build a studio culture of collaborative practice and peer-to-peer learning.

• The Department of Design has its own dedicated practice labs, staffed by experienced and supportive tutors.

• Labs include: a ceramics area; moulding and casting workshop; wood workshop; plastic fabrication lab; textiles lab, with facilities for sewing, digital embroidery, screen printing and vinyl cutting; metal workshop; digital fabrication lab, including laser cutting, 3D printing, scanning and CNC routing/ milling machinery.

• The digital fabrication and physical computing labs are housed in a converted 19th-century church.

• There is a sonics immersive media laboratory, with industry-standard sound, lighting and video technologies and a motion capture suite for explorations with virtual reality.

• There is a User Experience Lab to conduct studies in a range of digital spaces.

• Six Computer Labs are used for lectures, with access to a range of state-of-the-art software.

Psychology • Psychology’s fascinating research requires a lot of specialist equipment, such as EEGs, brain stimulation suites, mobile neuroimaging tools, and eyetracking technology.

• The Infant Lab, which studies the cognitive development of babies and children, uses infant EEG and ‘tickling light’ tactile sensors along with other equipment to help understand young childhood behaviour.

• Undergraduates often assist with research, and there are many opportunities to take part in studies and experiments.

Life on campus 31

Depending on which subject you choose, you may have access to industrystandard equipment and dedicated spaces to help develop your skills and creative practice Music • Students benefit from a suite of practice rooms, fully equipped PA rehearsal rooms, and performance spaces with Steinway pianos, as well as access to other performance spaces internally and externally.

• The Music Technical Office is open six days per week, with an equipment store stocked with instruments, keyboards, frontline and backline gear. Technical staff are available to assist and support students with technical needs and projects.

Media & Communications • Teaching is primarily in the purpose-built Professor Stuart Hall Building, where you’ll find industry-standard production facilities.

• Depending on your course, you’ll have access to over 100 professional camera and audio kits.

• Film and television facilities include 20 edit suites, a TV studio, audio post-production suites, and a calibrated screening room.

• We also offer photography studios, darkrooms and a digital print lab, digital radio studios and edit rooms, animation rostrums, illustration studios, and nine digital media labs.

Theatre & Performance • The Goldsmiths Music Studios was established by Grammy-nominated record producer, Mikko Gordon, and features three large recording spaces with natural light and variable acoustics, a main control room based around a 48-channel vintage Calrec console, and an MTA 980 Console that previously belonged to Radiohead.

• The Electronic Music Studio features a collection of vintage and historic instruments, amplifiers, tape machines, synthesisers and microphones in the setting of a state-of-the art contemporary digital facility.

• Dedicated facilities include six studios, and costume and scenography workshops.

• Our George Wood Theatre recently had a multi-million-pound refurbishment, and holds flexible seating for up to 140, plus industry-standard lighting and sound equipment.

• The department also has a media lab with a bespoke recording booth and video- and sound-editing facilities.

32 Life on campus

Life on campus 33

Susan Drama and Theatre Arts graduate Susan spent a lot of time in the costume workshop during her studies. Although she opted to focus on acting in her final year, Susan specialised in costume during her second year.

“There are always fascinating things around the room that people have been doing,” she says.

“There are sewing machines and massive desks where you do the paperwork and woodwork – there’s whole areas just for spray painting! I think it’s really cool.”

One of the positives of the degree for Susan was that she could try out different specialisms within theatre, meaning that she graduated having learned about directing and acting, but also technical aspects like costume design, sound and lighting.

“When I was studying costume, I got a really indepth view. I would record myself and post it on social media, and people thought I was doing a fashion degree – that’s how good it was.”

Susan’s favourite place on campus was the College Green, just outside the theatre department. It provided her and her classmates with a space to relax between lessons and rehearsals. “We’d have food, and there’d be people playing football or playing catch. It was a really nice place to chill out.”

She adds: “From the first time I came to Goldsmiths I just really liked the community. And I really liked the vibe. Because you have everything you need around you.”

“There are always fascinating things around the room that people have been doing... I think it’s really cool.”

34 Life on campus

Saugat After an early career in the Royal Air Force (RAF), Saugat decided it was time to start a new chapter. He applied to do computer science at Goldsmiths through Clearing after having considered university for a few years. As he’d never studied this subject before he was offered a place on the Foundation Year in Computing, and he successfully progressed to the BSc Computer Science degree. Saugat feels that coming as a mature student with work experience has benefitted him: “I think you take things a bit more seriously,” he explains. This has driven him to embrace every opportunity – both academically and socially. “I came with an open mind because I’d been away from education for a while. I took things as they came. I tried to not have too many preconceptions.”

Studying computing, a completely different subject from his previous sports BTEC, means Saugat has had a lot learn. Despite being initially unsure of studying on the Foundation Year before his main degree, he says: “I really enjoyed it, it’s got a small cohort and we were all really good friends.” With the basics under his belt, he’s now applying these skills to his BSc, which he’s found to be very varied. “It’s always something different,” he explains. “I don’t know if it’s the same at other universities, but because Goldsmiths is a creative university, they try to make our modules and code work as creative as possible.” Saugat’s next steps on his course include considering a placement year: he’s currently looking for different opportunities with support from his department and the Careers Service.

But Saugat’s university experience extends way beyond the classroom – he’s also a Student Ambassador. This job allows him to work on

various tasks and roles across Goldsmiths, from promoting the university at Open Days to regular work in the IT department. “When I started, I didn’t know what kind of opportunities it could offer, such as different roles or off-campus work.”

These diverse experiences have helped Saugat to develop a range of new skills and have allowed him to be himself. “I’ve found I'm quite extroverted – I like going out to events or even hosting,” he explains. Discovering this has expanded his career options, and he hopes these skills will help him secure a role in the tech sector or even further afield after graduating.

After living in halls for his first two years, Saugat now lives in a shared house with some friends he made on the Students’ Union football team. He joined the society during his Foundation Year and has even been team captain. “Football has a great social aspect,” he says. “It changed my whole university experience.” He advises it’s important to get involved in extracurricular activities and clearly enjoys this side of life on campus.

Saugat’s varied experience while studying at Goldsmiths has already changed him for the better: “In terms of impact, it’s opened up a lot of new opportunities that I wasn’t always aware of.”

This has included developing a more open mind.

“Without coming to Goldsmiths, I wouldn’t have met so many different groups of people,” he says. “It opened me up to a lot more diversity, and at Goldsmiths, it just works.

Everyone can be themselves.”

Life on campus 35

“Coming to Goldsmiths has worked out really well – from working, to the course, to enjoying football. Maybe being a bit older I appreciate it more.”

36 Campus life

The Students’ Union The organisation is available to support and represent anyone who needs it while they’re studying. Everyone who joins Goldsmiths automatically becomes a member of the Union and has access to its services. These include: • Student-run societies, covering everything from film making to fashion, and politics to poetry

• Student-run media: a magazine and radio station

• A café, and a bar with pool tables and a balcony

• Sports clubs, including teams that compete locally and nationally, and those that meet for fun and fitness

• Social events held during the day and evenings, including club nights

• Campaigning on issues such as housing and anti-racism on campus • A confidential, non-judgmental advice service • Representation for students in dealing with the university Follow the Goldsmiths Students’ Union across all platforms at @GoldsmithsSU or visit their website at goldsmithssu.org

Section title 37

“You already know what your passions are – you run with your passions. The rest slots into place.”

Kocoa Each year, Goldsmiths students vote to elect sabbatical and part-time officers to the Union.

The latter are volunteers who support and represent the interests of specific groups of students. Third-year Kocoa Brown is one such volunteer – she has previously been the Mature Students Officer and Women’s Officer, and has organised music events for the Union. She’s now the Student Community Leader for her academic department, which has furthered her love of inclusion. “Being involved makes you feel great,” says Kocoa. “You already know what your passions are – you run with your passions. The rest slots into place.”

Kocoa grew up in nearby Lewisham, and always had a desire to come to the university, although as a Black girl finishing school in 1976 she says that wasn’t even a conversation anyone had with her.

She worked as a singer and musician as well as with young people before she finally began a BMus Popular Music degree at Goldsmiths. But Kocoa sees many positives to coming to university as a mature student, with all the experience she has gained. “I’ve done it the other way around, but in a lot of ways I’m really glad, because otherwise I would have been fixed in somebody else’s perception of how I should play and how I should perform.”

Kocoa is proud of her radio show Aspirational Women, which was launched on student-run station Wired and has since moved to the radio arm of NX Records (the label run by the Department of Music and Accidental Records).

“I like to promote women. There are women around you that might surprise you by what they do and can do. I’ve got a nice little listenership.

I thought it was going to be all women but I have men as well. They add something incredible to the conversation too.” Kocoa is also on the verge of finishing ‘Aspirational Women’ – the book.

Her desire to keep learning, performing, and welcoming new opportunities makes Kocoa an inspirational woman – not just for the universitywide students she represents, but also the people on her course. “I’ve got really good relationships with the younger students and they’ve embraced me. There’s a beautiful exchange and everybody’s open. It’s wonderful because that’s how we stay relevant – that’s how we stay vibrant.”

38 Accommodation

Fresh start Make bold moves towards independent living while you’re studying: whether you pick our halls of residence or elsewhere we’re here to support you Studying in an extraordinary city like London is an unbeatable experience. And it’s even better when you know you’re living somewhere convenient, safe and affordable.

Accommodation at Goldsmiths We have a range of accommodation options – from halls of residence on or near campus, to more independent living that lets you mix with a wider London student population. Our Campus Support Officers and Residence Life team help ensure that, whether you’re living in halls or at home, everyone is supported and can get involved in our lively and friendly community.

Halls of residence There are around 1,400 rooms available in our halls of residence – either around New Cross, or a short bus or train ride away, enabling you to live in different areas of London.

Our accommodation is self-catered, and usually made up of single en suite bedrooms within shared flats. Some studio flats and accommodation for couples (if both people are full-time students) are also available. Halls of residence are either managed by Goldsmiths or in partnership with a private provider.

Your rent includes all electricity, water and heating bills, basic possessions insurance and internet access. For 2023-24, the weekly rent ranged from £167–£354.74

All residents have access to out-of-hours support via our Campus Support team, helping provide a friendly and welcoming living environment.

We guarantee an offer of a place in halls to all international students in their first year, as long as applications are made by the advertised deadlines.

On pages 6-7 you can view the locations of our halls of residence. Explore them all at explore.gold/halls Privately rented homes and private halls Want to maintain your independence? Renting privately can be a good option because you can decide where to live and who you share with.

New Cross is a transport hub, so if you rent here you’ll not only be close to campus but also well connected to other parts of the capital. The areas around Goldsmiths are on the more affordable scale of London housing, with many rental opportunities available. Many Goldsmiths students rent together in areas nearby – with popular spots being Brockley, Deptford, Peckham and Camberwell.

There are also privately managed halls near campus. As a Goldsmiths student you’ll have access to the experts at the University of London Housing Services (ULHS) who can support your private accommodation search.

Residence life Resident Experience Coordinators (RECs) are specific to halls of residence and run student-led social activities that help create a sense of community among residents.

Supporting your independence Your safety and wellbeing are very important to us, and we have a sector-leading team that offers pastoral support to students at Goldsmiths.

To ensure round-the-clock support for students and residents in our accommodation, our Campus Support Officers (CSOs) provide friendly, out-ofhours support. They will be your first point of contact for absolutely anything, seven days a week.

If you’re stressing over an essay, concerned about a friend, or just having “one of those days”, you’re welcome to call the CSOs, request a call back, or drop by and see them. They are always up for a chat and a cuppa regardless. They also organise events and facilitate flat meetings to help create a sense of community among residents.

Your CSOs are based in the Loring Management Centre and can be contacted daily, and generally in the evenings.

Find out more at gold.ac.uk/accommodation

It can be scary moving to a new city where you don’t know many people. The REC events provide the perfect opportunity to make new friends, which in turn helps students to feel more comfortable and relaxed.

The RECs try to host a variety of events each month to offer something for everyone.

These include film nights, craft events, trips to museums, nature walks, free breakfasts and so much more. The events are the perfect way to destress from the pressures of studying and are a great way to get to know the local area and see the different things London has to offer!

Evie, Residence Experience Coordinator

40 Getting ready for work

Exceptional skills and enterprising minds Get ready for work and career success Maybe you’re starting university with your heart set on a particular career. Or perhaps you’re open to the possibilities ahead of you. Whatever your situation, we have everything in place to inspire you about and prepare you for the different routes your future could take.

The Gold Award You’ll have the opportunity to complete The Gold Award, a personal and professional development programme. It’s designed to help you identify your skills, gain new ones, and take part in activities and experiences that will enhance your employability.

Careers Service Whether you want to gain new skills, get expert advice or find a job, the Careers Service is here to support you from day one. You can access one-to-one career consultations, get your CV checked, practise your interview technique, attend workshops and events, explore volunteering and internship opportunities, and so much more.

Student Ambassador scheme If you want to gain work experience that fits flexibly around your studies, becoming a Student Ambassador is a great option.

You’ll earn a competitive hourly rate, get to work across a variety of activities, develop your skills, and meet fellow students who could become lifelong friends.

Getting ready for work 41

Top 3

university in the UK for produci ng business fo unders

The top five industries that Goldsmiths alumni work in 1

Arts

2

Education

3

Media, communications & publishing

4

Healthcare & wellbeing

5

Digital & technology

Some of the top employers of Goldsmiths alumni 1

BBC

2

NHS

3

Sony

4

Tate

5

Google

This data has been aggregated based on updates provided by alumni (2022).

Freelancing and starting a business Goldsmiths is a hive of creativity and entrepreneurial spirit, so it’s no surprise that we’re ranked top three in the UK for producing business founders (Hitachi Capital Invoice Finance study, 2021). If this is something you’re considering there are many ways we can help you develop your enterprise skills – including providing access to programmes to develop a freelance business, supporting you with business plans and accessing funding, to running workshops and events that will prepare you for enterprise competitions, working for yourself and taking your business to the next level.

Industry connections Many Goldsmiths degrees contain industry placement options, and through the Careers Service you can also access different internship opportunities. These are a fantastic way for you to develop skills, gain work experience, and build a network of professional contacts.

You can also get inspired by people working across different industries via careers fairs, networking events and industry panels that we run, where you can hear from professionals working in a variety of sectors.

Find out more about careers support gold.ac.uk/careers

42 Getting ready for work

“I honestly can’t express enough how valuable being a Student Ambassador is. It’s such an opportunitygrabbing experience.”

Getting ready for work 43

Mariejoy Before visiting Goldsmiths for the first time, Mariejoy had been to two other London universities. “But as soon as I got off the train at New Cross, I could definitely feel the difference straight away,” she explains. “I really liked the atmosphere, the aura and the community. The vibe at Goldsmiths was different, I just loved it! I knew that it felt like the one.”

Since then, there’s been no looking back for Mariejoy, who enrolled onto the BSc Management with Marketing degree despite never having studied the subjects before. “I came to the course with fresh eyes and a fresh mind,” she says. “From the very start the people on the degree were so nice – everyone was so friendly and had an open mindset about wanting to get to know each other.

It was really easy to make friends.”

Mariejoy is now in the second year of her degree and has been working as a Student Ambassador for around 18 months. “I honestly can’t express enough how valuable being an Ambassador is,” she says. “I always tell everyone! It’s such an opportunity-grabbing experience.” She has worked at Open Days, run campus tours, visited schools to deliver presentations about university life, and much more. “The skills you get are so important – teamwork, communication, and leadership skills. It’s also the best type of job to have if you’re a student,” Mariejoy explains, “because you’re working part-time and you get to pick the hours and days you work, so it fits around your schedule.”

“Also the Ambassador scheme is a perfect way to make friends from all courses, including friends from different years,” she says. “That really helped me when I was deciding what modules to pick and when I was doing assignments – they gave me good advice.”

Mariejoy has made great use of the Careers Service: she secured an internship and has attended events where she’s been able to meet with different companies and recruitment agencies to hear about the various opportunities available.

“The internship was a very eye-opening experience, it really got me out of my comfort zone,” she explains. In terms of plans for the future, Mariejoy wants to stick to management – particularly in events or project management, where she can make the most of her organisational skills.

When describing Goldsmiths, Mariejoy says it is “full of opportunities”, and credits the place with changing her mindset. “Goldsmiths has definitely made me more responsible. I feel more mature, and that I’ve gained confidence working as a Student Ambassador,” she explains. “My advice to anyone thinking of studying here would be to take every opportunity you can. And put yourself out there – join clubs and societies if you have time for them, do the Student Ambassador scheme, and try and have a positive ‘yes!’ approach to everything.”

44 Inspiring stories

Remarkable alumni 80 %

Our alumni go on to pursue all kinds of career paths and each journey is unique At Goldsmiths we support independent thinking – so whether you want to work for yourself or climb the career ladder, we can help you achieve your goals. You can find your niche, your passion, and your unique future path. Our incredible alumni have done just that, becoming the enterprising and trailblazing professionals they are today.

We asked some of our alumni about life after graduating. Read their amazing stories to inspire you to think as widely and creatively about your future as possible. *Graduate Outcomes Survey, 2022

of Gold smiths studen are in h ts ighly sk illed after th ey grad work uate*

Don’t worry about having to stay on the same rigid path – there are so many directions you can take after university. Just follow your heart. You’ll know what feels right for you.

Michelle, Goldsmiths graduate and business founder

Inspiring stories 45

“Growing up in my area, uni wasn’t somewhere that people would normally go.”

Hamza Becoming a bold leader

Hamza has achieved more than he ever expected since studying a BA Politics degree at Goldsmiths.

In 2022, aged 22, he became the youngest Lord Mayor of Westminster, and the borough’s first Muslim Lord Mayor. “Not in my wildest dreams did I think I’d be Lord Mayor,” says Hamza.

“It’s changed up the whole system.”

His role – which finished last year – involved representing the achievements of Westminster and its diverse communities, and attending civic and ceremonial events. “I was able to go to places where people like me wouldn’t usually be able to go,” explains Hamza, who grew up on a council estate in the borough. “One week I was in Buckingham Palace, speaking to King Charles.

It was lot to take in.”

Hamza used his platform to have “tough conversations” with the people he met about the huge levels of inequality in Westminster.

He advocates for a youth work charity, and regularly visits schools to inspire the young people he meets to dream big. “I want to ensure that they get a solid chance in life, no matter where they live, or who they are,” Hamza says. “Growing up in my area, uni wasn’t somewhere that people would normally go.”

Thinking back to his own university days, Hamza says the Goldsmiths politics degree really appealed because of the module choices.

“There were other London unis where I could have studied politics but I thought that Goldsmiths was a bit more ‘out there’ and more creative,” he explains. “So Goldsmiths was always my first choice. I also liked the fact that there was a friendly and open atmosphere.”

During his degree, Hamza was also a Labour Party Councillor, so he juggled these duties alongside his studies. “Sometimes I’d finish uni and then come straight to Westminster City Hall for meetings, or do casework for residents in my ward,” he remembers.

Hamza’s term as Lord Mayor finished last year and he has returned to his Councillor role. Thinking about his future plans, his priorities remain people focused. “I want to keep linking things back to the communities that need a helping hand,” he says.

“I’m still going to be advocating for young people and fighting their corner.”

46 Inspiring stories

Korinna Trail-blazing change through an enterprising mindset

Entrepreneur and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Korinna has been in business since the age of 15, but her focus on creating real social change through her work developed while studying a politics and economics degree at Goldsmiths.

“You just can’t avoid wanting to make change – that hunger is there to be like ‘we can make a difference!’”, she says. Korinna embraces this spirit to this day as CEO of Shadow to Shine, a charity that works to help young people from disadvantaged backgrounds find work experience and develop employability skills. She is also CoDirector of Hype & Genius, which relaunched in 2023 to empower young ‘geniuses’ to reduce exploitation in the creative industry.

Korinna’s own experiences were like those of the young people she works with today: “I’m from a council estate; none of my family had been to uni.”

However, she felt comfortable at Goldsmiths and embraced the extracurricular opportunities she found while studying. Korinna became a Student Ambassador. She loved the experience, saying: “Being a Student Ambassador kick-started my career.” One of her Ambassador roles involved working with Goldsmiths’ Development and Alumni Office, eventually leading to a full-time role after graduating. She was encouraged by her manager to take part in a graduate scheme, but entrepreneurial Korinna had another calling. Inspired by self-made entrepreneur Becky Fatemi, Korinna decided to pitch her business idea to her.

Korinna bravely quit her job and collaborated with Becky to co-found Shadow to Shine. Four years later, Korinna and Becky are still working together and Shadow to Shine has helped over 300 young people. The positive change Korinna’s business creates still amazes her: “When I see a young person and they’ve gone from no confidence – and maybe getting in trouble with the law – to starting their own brand, it’s major.”

Korinna hasn’t stopped there. Her desire to create social impact has extended to two more inspiring businesses. Korinna is one of the co-founders developing a new app called Black Book, to help people who may not have work experience – but still have talent to share – showcase their work.

“We’ve created a platform that is essentially like a disruptive tool to find creative talent,” she explains.

The app is currently in its pre-launch phase, but the exciting project has already caught the eye of celebrity investor Maya Jama, and Korinna hopes it will help change how young people find work in the future.

Inspiring stories 47

Last but not least, Korinna is working on a brand new project called NeuroDoes, which aims to help neurodiverse Black women connect and support each other. This project is close to Korinna’s heart: “I found out that I was neurodiverse when I was 23. So, I went through uni without knowing this – we’ve created this platform to enable other neurodiverse women to thrive.” It’s another example of how Korinna is making positive social change for a better future. While her career may not directly relate to her degree, Korinna attributes her focus on business with a social purpose to her time at Goldsmiths. She explains: “As long as you can hold onto that Goldsmiths spirit of ‘let’s make a change’, then I can see why Goldsmiths grads become CEOs and business owners. You look around the world and think ‘I don’t like any of this’ – so if you don’t want to work anywhere, the only option really is to just create your own opportunities.”

“I can see why Goldsmiths grads become CEOs and business owners.”

48 Inspiring stories

Inspiring stories 49

Johnny Applying distinctive skills to an alternative career

“I look back on Goldsmiths as a life-changing experience,” explains Johnny, who graduated from an English literature degree in 2014. “I’m really happy and comfortable with who I am today, but I wouldn’t have ended up as this person had I not gone to Goldsmiths.” Johnny puts this down to meeting so many people who had artistic, musical or societal interests, and who opened up the possibility of thinking in different ways. “It was the best thing I could have done in terms of expanding my world view,” he says.

This led him to his current position at football culture publisher, VERSUS. Following a role as Brand Partnerships Director, he was promoted to Head of Partnerships. “We work with everyone from Nike to Adidas, and Dr Martens to Visa, when they have a product coming out or a big brand story they want to tell,” explains Johnny. “We have a young, diverse, progressive football audience that these brands want to speak to. So my job is trying to connect the brands with our audience in interesting ways – through making a film, photoshoots, written editorial, events, podcasts… a whole range of things, really.”

Johnny has been at the forefront of widening the reach of VERSUS beyond the commercial, recognising that there was an opportunity to explore how football intersects with wider culture and society, and where the possibilities for social impact lie. “In 2020 you suddenly had the murder of George Floyd, which sparked the biggest global civil rights movement of all time,” remembers Johnny. “At VERSUS we suddenly found ourselves at the forefront of the conversation around football and race. And as the year went on, we then used

that as a platform to talk about football and sustainability, access to football for the LGBTQ+ community, and women’s football. Once we made that pivot we’ve also been very successful commercially, because of course when it comes to brands they want to have that socially conscious angle to the work that they do, and VERSUS feels like a natural home for that. I’m only 29 years old, so it might be a grand thing to say, but I look at what I’ve done at VERSUS and the impact we’ve been able to have on football culture in the UK, and it’s well beyond my wildest dreams. I’ve achieved much more than I ever thought I’d have been able to.”

Alongside his day job, Johnny also has a “side hustle” managing Mercury Prize and MOBO Awardnominated Lewisham music artist, Novelist.

They first connected when Johnny was working at Boiler Room, and a few years later Novelist approached him for representation. “I’ve ended up in this position where I now have one foot in music – which I love – and the other foot in football and the culture around it,” says Johnny. “I truly believe that career-wise I couldn’t have it any better.”

“I wouldn't have ended up as this person had I not gone to Goldsmiths.”

50 Inspiring stories

Daryl Discovering different ways to help others

Community and youth work graduate Daryl was a local mature student looking for a way to give back to the nearby area. “I grew up attending youth clubs when I was young,” he explains, “and I realised the impact that youth workers had on me as a person”.

While studying he found that “the prevalent approach for youth workers is that it’s a journey – you’re bringing others up to where you are”. From group work sessions to supportive lecturers, Daryl learned a lot on his course. Daryl says this was enhanced by the placements he was given, with field work experience helping him to figure out what he wanted to do. He says: “The placements gave me an enlightened look into how community and youth work organisations are so varied.” Since graduating in 2017, Daryl has focused his career on youth work, and is now working in the community, helping in different ways including volunteering and planning workshops. Having previously worked as a Senior Youth Supervisor at The Blue Youth Centre in Bermondsey, a local organisation offering a safe and fun space for young people, he’s looking to continue helping young people – particularly those involved in youth offending.

Daryl also occasionally gigged in New Cross and nearby while studying, and has continued every now and then since graduating. He recommends being an active part of the cultural scene: “For those who are coming into New Cross, they’ll be spoilt for choice. I’ve had no need to move out of this area, because I’ve got everything I need here.”

Daryl’s creativity doesn’t stop there, he’s also a keen cook and robot builder! Both of which

he’s combined with the skills he learned while studying to make an impact in his work. Daryl has competed in Robot Wars style competitions with his homemade antweight (weighing 150g and under) robots, and he’s taught the young people he works with how to make them too. He explains: “It’s a novelty, but also it’s a good way for young people – particularly those who have a less than privileged background – to get into STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects.”

This ethos of giving back and helping others was a big part of what Daryl took from his degree.

“The key word is community,” he says, “and community always comes together to make sure that everyone feels supported.”

“The placements gave me an enlightened look into how community and youth work organisations are so varied.”

Inspiring stories 51

Sarah Rare insights into the real world as preparation for work

“University was actually better than I’d expected,” says recent graduate Sarah. “I thought it would be really scary. But Goldsmiths was unique – it blew my mind. The lecturers were very down-to-earth and supportive. It was amazing!”

Sarah studied an undergraduate psychology degree, specialising in management modules in the third year. This combination of subjects had fascinated her for a long time, and she found that motivation came easily because she was passionate about what she was learning. “When I woke up in the morning it wasn’t a drag or a burden. I enjoyed my subjects, I enjoyed reading, and I enjoyed the coursework – because it’s something that I love,” she explains.

Sarah got to learn about psychological theories, but she also appreciated the practical focus of the course. She saw things “coming to life” in the real world by getting involved in PhD student studies and research projects, and via opportunities to work on live issues and develop solutions collaboratively.

In her third year she did a module on organisational behaviour health, and one of the assignments was to solve a problem faced by a genuine company. Sarah explains: “Based on what we had learned in our lectures, we had to think of solutions and present them to the organisation. It was a real company, real people, a real challenge they were facing. Just that simple essence of understanding that what I was learning could be applied to real life really prepared me for the world of work.”

“Goldsmiths was unique – it blew my mind.

The lecturers were very down-to-earth and supportive.”

Sarah now works for a large investment bank in the regulation department. On the side she also runs a blog and Instagram account sharing advice and tips for job interviews, internships and careers.

Sarah remembers her time at Goldsmiths fondly.

“There was a lot of collaboration,” she says, “and I think working with different people you’re able to see things from a different perspective and come up with better solutions.”

This culture of fellow students actively participating in the university experience also extended to meeting people socially. “I found that, at Goldsmiths, it was easy to make friends,” Sarah explains. “It’s something I think everyone should bear in mind – the culture of the university they want to go to. It plays a big part in your experience. And I really love the culture of Goldsmiths.”

52 Inspiring stories

“I now have a much broader set of perspectives and tools through which to look at the world.”

Inspiring stories 53

Checan

Alternative thinking for positive social change

“What motivates me is the potential to have a positive impact on people’s everyday lives,” explains Checan, who completed a BA Politics degree in 2014. He has certainly done that since graduating. He was a Strategic Communications Manager in the Cabinet Office during the Covid pandemic, running the marketing campaign for the UK’s furlough scheme, and working on global vaccine confidence with organisations like the World Health Organisation and United Nations.

Checan credits Goldsmiths with encouraging him to break out of conventional ways of thinking. This catalysed his interest in international studies, and the experiences of countries beyond the UK. “I now have a much broader set of perspectives and tools through which to look at the world,” he explains. These skills have been regularly put to use in his working life. As part of the Cabinet Office role he was posted to the Western Balkans, delivering campaigns on issues such as election turnouts – so his cultural understanding and ability to see things differently has been invaluable. “I’ve had to sometimes quite quickly adapt things for different contexts,” says Checan. “Being able to think critically, take insights from different audiences around the world, and turn that into something you can action has probably been the most important skill in my career. Feeling like I could contribute ideas, lead projects, and brief ministers and ambassadors has also been really useful experience to build on.”

Checan is now working at the Wellcome Trust – one of the biggest global health foundations in the world – in another strategic communications role. “A lot of my work is about trying to link

what Wellcome is doing on things like infectious disease, or their massive discovery research programme, and think about the communications engagement and influencing objectives within that,” he explains. There’s a focus on advocating for government and those in power to make sure that health outcomes are fair across the world, and encouraging the engagement of researchers from underrepresented regions globally. “We’re also trying, in the post-pandemic world, to make sure that countries are better prepared for outbreaks of infectious disease, and we’re thinking about how that interlinks with the climate as well – making the link between climate and health more visible for people.”

The politics degree made Checan more of “a person who likes to challenge things and spot opportunities, and change the way things have been done” – an approach that he’s bringing to the role at Wellcome. “It’s great to be that conduit to really turn things on their head and ask why we’re doing things in certain ways,” Checan says.

“Are there alternatives to best be inclusive and equitable, and to make sure we’re global in our approach?” He feels more confident to make these positive changes thanks to his experience at Goldsmiths.

54 Inspiring stories

Sara

Being empowered to be creative

Sara has been writing stories since she was a child and finished her first novel aged 15. She’d originally considered doing a creative writing degree at university, but in the end opted to study comparative literature. “I think the basis for writing is studying and comparing loads of different texts,” Sara says, “so the degree really helped with my writing”. “I felt a real connection to Goldsmiths,” Sara remembers. “It had a studenty buzz and a creative atmosphere, and the lecturers and tutors were very open to exploring new ideas. I think that made me more of an open-minded person.”

After graduating in 2014, Sara undertook a paid traineeship with Spread The Word, a writer development agency based in London. “It was a scheme for people of colour that wanted to be writers or get into publishing,” she explains, “and me and two other people got funding to create our own online magazine”. Sara developed key skills in editing and running a regular publication, and she also undertook work experience that created useful professional connections.

“After that I got a job as an Editorial Assistant at HarperCollins within the Mills & Boon imprint, which is the UK’s number one publisher of romance fiction,” says Sara. “I think usually in that role you’d mainly be doing admin, but because they publish so many books I ended up editing and having my own authors within six months. I really developed my editorial skills.”

While working there, Sara was also writing a book, having enrolled in an evening class at Faber Academy to spur her on. She was soon signed by an agent, and then got a two-book deal at Penguin – the same week she was offered a job there! “I went to Penguin Random House children’s books, which was always my dream job,” Sara explains. She progressed from Assistant Editor to Editor within a few years: “I was juggling my job – where I was working closely with authors on their books – with writing my own novels.” Sara’s first book, ‘The Mismatch’, came out in 2021. “Seeing it in bookshops was an amazing experience,” she remembers. Her second novel – ‘People Change’ – was published in 2023.

Sara recently made the decision to go freelance to concentrate on writing her third book. She balances this alongside freelance editing work for clients including Penguin and individual authors.

“It’s a good way to get an extra stream of income,” explains Sara. “I also do speaking events – like workshops on how to write romance fiction, or advice for aspiring authors. I’ve got loads of different things going on.” Another example of this is Token magazine, which Sara started several years ago and continues to run. “I thought I’d do an open call-out for underrepresented writers and artists to send their work in, and I got around 100 submissions. So I created my own magazine!”, she explains. Alongside this work, Sara will soon be returning to Goldsmiths to study for a Masters.

Thinking about the future, Sara’s main focus will be her writing. “I’m at the point where I’d like to be a more prolific author and have a real career out of writing books,” she says. This ties into the advice she’d give to anyone thinking of coming to Goldsmiths to study: “Give yourself the permission to think big and want to do as many things as you can! Goldsmiths is the perfect place to go if you’re a creative person. I really loved it and couldn’t imagine going anywhere else.”

“The lecturers and tutors were very open to exploring new ideas.”

56 Inspiring stories

“Studying at Goldsmiths gave me the confidence to believe that I could start a company.”

Inspiring stories 57

Michelle Developing an entrepreneurial mindset

After experiencing a lack of support at secondary school, Michelle was a little nervous about starting at Goldsmiths, particularly as a mature student who hadn’t been sure that university was right for her. “But I came to Goldsmiths with an open mind, and the lecturers were so supportive – I felt like they really cared about me as a person,” she explains.

At first it was just me, but now I have around 60 cat sitters working for me. Most of them are university students, some from Goldsmiths!

It’s the perfect student job.” The business is continuing to go from strength to strength and Michelle will soon be adding a new service, ‘CATAXI’ – an app for booking vet drop-offs and pick-ups launching this year.

Michelle found herself growing in confidence during her education studies degree. “At school I would tend to blend into the background,” she remembers. “I was quite shy – I never used to put my hand up or ask questions. But at Goldsmiths I felt like I could really do that, and I found myself joining in discussions.” Part of that confidence came from feeling at home. “I felt completely comfortable, like I wasn’t being judged,” Michelle explains. “It was very inclusive, very open.”

She also made some great connections with other students: “From day one I met some people who’ve become my closest friends.”

An unintentional effect of Chatty Cats is that it has brought together like-minded people. “I’ve created this amazing community of cat lovers, from the clients to the actual cat sitters,” explains Michelle. “I even created a podcast as a passion project during the Covid lockdown, The Catmaste Chronicles, focusing on how pets contribute to our wellbeing. It took off really well, and was one of iTunes’ top 10 podcasts in several countries for a while.”

During her studies, Michelle undertook catsitting jobs to earn money in a less hectic environment than the retail and bar work she’d done previously. “I was able to bring my laptop and uni books with me and get my assignments finished, and spending time with the cats was really therapeutic,” she says. This experience gave Michelle the inspiration for the business that she set up following her graduation in 2017. “I’d always had this entrepreneurial fire inside of me, and I’d always wanted to start a company,” says Michelle.

“The cat-sitting was really taking off, and I had a lot of clients, so I started Chatty Cats Care.

Michelle has only positive things to say about the impact that Goldsmiths had on her and her business. “I had a lot of self-doubt before university,” she remembers, “and I had no idea that I could ever achieve something like this.

Studying at Goldsmiths gave me the confidence to believe that I could start a company and make it successful, and I’ve been able to apply a lot of the things I learned there into running my own business, which has been really beneficial.”

58 Inspiring stories

Grace

Making unique networks for career success

English graduate Grace came to Goldsmiths partly because she was “desperate to come to London”, having grown up in rural Cornwall. She threw herself into the student nights and culture of the capital, and enjoyed the step up from further education. She says: “At secondary school and college it had felt like you were learning to be good at exams, rather than learning to think independently and critically, which was fostered at Goldsmiths.”

A defining moment came when Grace took a creative writing module in her third year.

Her seminar leader had just published a book, and encouraged Grace to get in touch after graduation if she needed any advice. “I did, and she approached her publishing contacts for me,” Grace explains. This set the wheels in motion for a series of roles at several publishers, and – just 10 years after graduating – Grace is Deputy Publicity Director at Little Brown Book Group, and recently worked as Acting Director of Literary Publicity as maternity cover.

Grace acknowledges that publishing can be quite an “opaque” industry in that it’s sometimes tricky to know about different jobs until you get a foot in the door. So what does she do in her role?

“Basically, I’m a publicist for books and authors,” she explains. “This could include dealing with the press – trying to get book reviews, lining up author interviews, and getting features written – or working with the broadcast media, trying to get the author on TV or radio. There are also loads of wonderful book bloggers and influencers out there.” The industry has changed a lot in recent

years with the rise of social media, including #BookTok on TikTok. “Our company has had some massive bestsellers just from having books go viral on there,” she says.

Grace also lines up author events and accompanies authors on publicity tours where they might speak at international literary festivals and appear on popular television programmes.

She’s represented authors including Celeste Ng, Ronan Farrow (who wrote ‘Catch and Kill’, the exposé of Harvey Weinstein), Delia Owens and Armando Iannucci.

“Work experience – or getting to talk to people in industry – is so important.”

When thinking about advice for anyone considering coming to Goldsmiths, Grace emphasises the importance of making use of the Careers Service, and doing as much work experience as you can – as it’s one of the best ways of figuring out the path that would best suit you.

“Work experience – or getting to talk to people in industry, and learning what different jobs entail – is so important,” recommends Grace.

60 What next?

What next?

Find out more Check gold.ac.uk/course-finder for detailed information about our degrees and entry requirements. There’s also lots of advice about choosing your next steps in our Guide to University at gold.ac.uk/ug/goldsmiths-university-guide There are many ways to get in touch with questions, including by live chat. gold.ac.uk/study/contact Visit us We typically run undergraduate Open Days in the autumn term (September–November) and in the summer (June). Please check the website for dates and for other ways you can look at our campus, including via our virtual tour. gold.ac.uk/open-days

Apply Full-time degrees: All students, whether from the UK or overseas, apply online through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS). You can apply to a maximum of five higher education institutions. ucas.com You will also need to supply the following information: • Institution name • UCAS code – this differs by programme; you can find this information on each degree page of our website Part-time degrees: These are open to students from the UK, and those who do not require a visa to study in the UK. Apply directly by clicking the ‘Apply now’ button on the relevant degree page of our website at gold.ac.uk/ug/apply

What next? 61

Fees The fees, per year, for full-time undergraduate degrees in 2024-25 are:* • £9,250 Home (UK and most Irish students) • £19,640–£27,500 International (this includes EU students) The fees for International Foundation Certificates in 2024–25: • £16,820–£17,830 *Please note, some fees are still to be confirmed at the time of printing this Guide.

The latest information can be found at gold.ac.uk/ug/fees-funding Scholarships and bursaries We offer a range of scholarships, bursaries and fee waivers for students. These offer additional financial support for your studies, and they don’t have to be paid back. You can use the handy Scholarships Finder tool on our website to see what you may be eligible to apply for at gold.ac.uk/fees-funding/scholarships

Visas and immigration The Immigration Advisory Service (IAS) at Goldsmiths provides UK visa advice and guidance to all international students for the full cycle of their studies – from pre-arrival in the UK to graduation. This includes help obtaining a Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) to make a valid student visa application from overseas and in the UK, and advice on applying for post-study UK visas.

Find contact details and more online at gold.ac.uk/immigration

62 What next?

Printed by Gemini Print Ltd. Original design by the Communications, Marketing and Recruitment team at Goldsmiths.

Portrait photography © Julia Schönstädt schonstadt.com, © Nathan Clarke nathanclarkephotography.co.uk and the Communications, Marketing and Recruitment team at Goldsmiths.

Thank you to the other photographers, artists and designers whose work is shown.

Images in this publication of current students and alumni have been taken with their permission.

If you have any concerns about an image in this publication, their use, and your rights, please email cmr@gold.ac.uk Images p9 Linton Kwesi Johnson © Peter Verwimp. p22 Parakeet photo by Nik on Unsplash. p23 Barbican photo by Russ Martin on Unsplash. p23 National Theatre photo by Samuel ReganAsante on Unsplash. p25 Canary Wharf © mattbuck, p25 The Gherkin © CEphoto, Uwe Aranas. All licensed for reuse under creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

The campus boundary on pages 6-7 is approximate.

Please note that some of the facilities listed may be subject to booking, availability or only available to students that are taking certain modules.

Equality and diversity Goldsmiths is passionate about advancing equality and celebrating diversity. You can find out more at gold.ac.uk/equality-diversity

Disclaimer We have made every effort to ensure the content of this publication is up to date as of January 2024.

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You can read our most up-to-date disclaimer at gold.ac.uk/disclaimer We hope that you will apply to study at Goldsmiths, and in the event that you are offered a place of study, acceptance of your offer will form a student contract. Before you accept any offer, you should read the offer together with the documents that make up your contract (usually provided with the offer letter), which can be found at gold.ac.uk/ governance/students/student-contract © Goldsmiths, University of London 2024 The copyright in these pages belongs to Goldsmiths, University of London, and all rights are reserved.

Term dates Autumn term: 22 September – 12 December 2025 Spring term: 12 January – 27 March 2026 Summer term: 27 April – 19 June 2026 Check the latest information at gold.ac.uk/term-dates