Tell us about your time at ECA
Before applying to the programme, I had spent over ten years building up a portfolio that focused on creative engagement within healthcare and education, and I wanted an opportunity to develop my research skills within a postgraduate course. I knew that I didn’t want to go back into a predominately ‘Arts’ environment, and I had always been interested in the role of different environments in supporting people's health, so I thought that a programme in Landscape and Wellbeing would allow me to tap into my eclectic skill set.
I was particularly attracted to the multidisciplinary nature of the programme, and the fact that we could sample different electives from different schools allowed me a broader perspective of how I could use my subject when going back into professional practice. I also relished the opportunities we had to access site visits to places like Maggie’s Centres and different hospital grounds. These experiences put into context the potential benefit of what we were learning for people’s health and wellbeing.
Having previously completed my undergraduate degree at ECA (many moons ago), I knew that the Edinburgh School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture (ESALA) within ECA had an excellent reputation. This made me feel a lot more secure in making a considerable change and returning to education.