My RAU experience

Having been interested in agriculture and the rural landscape from a young age, the specialist nature of the RAU really appealed to me along with being surrounded by like minded people. Being a smaller university in a stunning rural setting made the choice to study at the RAU very easy. In addition I was impressed by the alumni destinations and further career prospects following the degree which was very important to me. 

Biography 

Professor Kiran Tota-Maharaj is the distinguished new Professor of Water Resources Management and Infrastructure at the Royal Agricultural University (RAU). Prof. Tota-Maharaj arrives with a rich academic background, having previously served as an Associate Dean (External Engagement) and Reader in Water and Environmental Engineering at Aston University Birmingham, and formerly the Head of Civil and Environmental Engineering at University of the West of England Bristol (UWE Bristol).

My RAU experience

I chose to study Real Estate at the RAU because the smaller class sizes appealed to me, allowing better relationships with both classmates and lecturers. One of my brothers also attended the RAU and so I had knowledge of all the opportunities available.  I also liked the idea of being able to interlink some rural aspects into Real Estate, as I was initially unsure on the exact area of property I wanted to go into.

My RAU experience

I studied Agriculture at college and wanted a degree which would allow me to work in the agricultural industry, with the aim of becoming a land agent.  Throughout the course we were lucky to have many guest lecturers from the industry, who were able to pass on their knowledge and were great examples of the varied career options available with a land management degree. Guest speakers offered fantastic opportunities for networking and were always available to answer our questions.  

My RAU experience

I chose to study Rural Land Management as it covered a broad range of topical subjects necessary for a land-based career. The modules varied from agricultural law and valuation to estate business management and diversification, and all captured the contemporary issues occurring within the sector.

Being accredited to the RICS made it a great course to progress directly into the industry and work towards achieving the APC and becoming a chartered surveyor.

My RAU experience

I chose to study at the RAU  because I wanted to become a surveyor and Cirencester was recommended to me by alumni.  The variety of modules allowed me to choose between all the different areas of surveying, and the small lecture and seminar class sizes allowed me to get individual help when necessary. 

Biography 

Caroline is a Senior Lecturer in Law on the Land and Property Modules in Real Estate and Rural Land Management.

She has been a Lecturer in law for a number of years, predominantly in Equity, Trusts and Land Law but also in other areas of Civil Litigation.

Caroline has a BSc, an LLM in Commercial Law, and was called to the Bar for the Inner Temple following the BVC. She also has a PhD in Law from the University of Birmingham.

In school, I always thought I would study geography. I had an interest in the global challenges that combined development, economies, and our surroundings. However, after several work experiences on rural estates, I decided to go to the RAU and follow my love of the outdoors and desire to protect our rural heritage.

I’ve worked at Dalcour Maclaren since 2013 and absolutely love it.

On graduation, I was lucky enough to gain a place on their graduate training programme. Four years later and I work with utility clients, am involved with infrastructure projects and organising access, and deal with compensation claims.

No day is ever the same and I have the RAU to thank for setting me up for such a varied and interesting career.

From a young age, I have always had a passion for property. At first, I developed my residential knowledge from helping out with family property developments. However, I wanted to support this with academic theory, and studying BSc (Hons) Real Estate at the Royal Agricultural University, enabled me to do so. The course combined residential and commercial theory, which appealed to me and assisted me to build a firm foundation for my career in the property industry.