SEBASTIEN PAYAN DISCOVERING A PASSION FOR RESEARCH

Sebastien Payan had already been working in addiction for 10 years before starting his master’s in Public Health Addictions. Having a professional background behind him before starting his studies enabled him to dig deeper into the work he had been doing previously, as well as discovering a passion for research.

Returning to study as a mature student was initially daunting for Sebastien. “I was scared about going back to university after so long,” he admits. “I was worried about what it was going to be like and how I would cope being in a city where I didn’t know anybody. I was worried for nothing – right from the start, the international team supported me. They helped me with visas, and someone even came to meet me at the airport when I arrived. They alleviated a lot of stress – it’s a good feeling.”

When deciding where to study, Sebastien knew that he wanted to prioritise a suitable course over it’s location, therefore he decided to make the move from Canada to the UK. “I was born in France, but I’ve lived in Canada for the last 15 years,” he explains. “Choosing to study at Liverpool John Moores University was an easy decision for me, though. The combination of addiction and public health is something I hadn’t seen offered in many universities, so LJMU really stood out.” Our MSc Public Health Addictions course is one of only a handful of its kind in the UK.

“I had a really good feeling about studying here from the start,” Sebastien adds. “I went to some of the webinars, and it enabled me to get to know a bit more about the teachers at the university. The webinars on offer are really useful to get a bit more confidence before starting. They allowed me to read up on some of the academics’ work and it was interesting, which ignited my passion for research. There was also a lot of support around writing essays and referencing properly – I had forgotten about all those things, so it was comforting to know that so much support was there. I could ask questions and attend workshops; I felt supported and confident, so I thought – let’s do it!”

The research element of the Public Health and Addictions course was something completely new for Sebastien, and he worried he wouldn’t be able to cope with this different mode of studying. A research degree enables students to explore a topic in-depth, which can feel like a large change from an undergraduate course. Thankfully, there is so much support available for students at LJMU. Research supervision is provided by an academic with specialist expertise in the relevant area of interest, who will also offer support in the form of advice, guidance and feedback.

“I discovered a passion for research that I didn’t know I had! I’m excited about it and it’s just spurred me on to keep learning. I love the academic approach of doing your own reading and research, controlling your own development, asking questions and pushing yourself – all within the setting of this great university. In terms of employability, I think showing that I can manage a research proposal and all the skills that come with that is going to open a lot of doors for me in the future.” And that is what happened. With his experience in the field and in research, Sebastien was able to return to Vancouver after his studies to his previous team, to take a leadership role and share his new knowledge with his colleagues.

Overcoming Obstacles

Choosing to study a postgraduate qualification can be a big step. However, for those facing challenges outside of their studies, choosing to continue their studies can feel like a tougher decision. Here we speak to students who have overcome various obstacles to flourish as postgraduate students here at LJMU.