Alumni Services

Rebecca Milton

Art Director and Architecture graduate Rebecca Milton tells us about her time studying at Edinburgh, an Erasmus year in Denmark and not being afraid to take a chance.

Name Rebecca Milton
Degree Course PGD Architecture
Year of Graduation 2004

Your time at the University

Rebecca Milton

My chosen subject of study was Architecture, and after securing a place at Glasgow, Dundee and Edinburgh, I contacted three Scottish architecture offices to ask if they rated recent graduates from one over the other. Their combined opinion was that the calibre of graduate from Edinburgh University was at that time, higher.

My course was tough but very enjoyable. I found it to be a solid foundation for the world ahead. The tutors were a mix of young visiting tutors from known offices and permanent staff. The University was supportive and flexible, particularly through the Part 3 course. In my final year, I was lucky enough to win a place on the Erasmus programme to study for a year in Aarhus, Denmark. It really opened my eyes.

Tell us about your Experiences since leaving the University

Upon leaving University I took up employment with a small Edinburgh practice called Morgan McDonnell, the directors were themselves ECA graduates and had an interesting range of small to medium scale projects.

 

I quit my job, and joined the circus of Film and Television. I fell in love with the magic of reading a script and creating a world for it to exist in.

Rebecca Milton

I then joined Richard Murphy Architects, which gave me the experience I needed to complete my part three. As a qualified architect, I then went on to work for John McAslan + Partners in London, where I was the project architect of the prestigious SOAS Library redevelopment project.

Somewhere along the way, or maybe it was always there, I got an itch for something else. Something that utilised my architectural skills but wasn’t as restrictive. My path crossed with an Art Director in the film industry, also funnily enough an ECA graduate herself. She kindly let me join her for a week of work experience in her art department on a television production. After that I was hooked. I quit my job, and joined the circus of Film and Television. I fell in love with the magic of reading a script and creating a world for it to exist in. I am now working as an Art Director. I work all over the world and I love every minute of it. I travel, meet new people and every day is different.

Alumni wisdom

I can’t offer any alumni wisdom - I was never a shining example of an A-student. Maybe just listen to the little voice inside you and don’t be afraid to take a chance.

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