Hannah Dunn

I knew I wanted to be a designer when I left school. Although I had the grades to go to university I decided to do a HND at college in Product design. This allowed me to take the time and definitely make sure I was making the right decision to go to university. I chose Northumbria because of the facilities they had available in the Design School. The four year course allowed me to explore a wide variety of design so I was much more employable after. I took a year long graduate internship in service design after I graduated which opened so many doors to me.

What are you doing now?

I now work as a Service Designer for the Scottish Government.

What was it about Northumbria that made you decide to study here?

The facilities that the Design School had. The interest the lecturers had in design. Location to Edinburgh, I was able to go home very easily when needed.

What was it like studying at Northumbria?

I had very few lectures and  it was mainly all hand-ins were project-based. We had a mix of projects presented to us by lecturers and external parents coming in and working with us. Feedback on the whole was constructive but design can sometimes be hard to grade as people have preference in style.

How connected was your course with industry?

The course was well connected with industry. 2nd and 3rd year are placement years so you get the chance to go out and experience design in the real world.

What was the best thing about your course?

The best thing about the course are the people you meet. You know everybody in your year and they become a great support network.

How did studying at Northumbria help you achieve your career goals/ give your career an edge?

Studying at Northumbria gave me a wider-variety of skills that I could use in different situations for my career.

Which skills/knowledge did you learn on your course that you use most now throughout your career?

Critical thinking and being able to tell a story. Story telling is an important part of my job now and helps people better understand what and why you are doing.

What did you enjoy most about your time at Northumbria University?

I enjoyed having access to all the facilities and now realise how lucky I was to have access to them now that I don't.

What advice would you give somebody who is considering studying at Northumbria?

You will have a great time and the University is located in such a great part of the country and you can easily explore the surrounding places.

How would you describe your time at Northumbria in three words?

Life long friends.

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