Student Profiles

Studying History at MMU has surpassed my expectations in every way. I have been given the opportunity to broaden my historical awareness in a variety of different time periods; from ancient cultures and myths of the Medieval period, to the clash of civilisations between Islam and Christianity, right up to Donald Trump and Brexit. This variation has consistently challenged my historical skills and awareness, and as a result, I have a much deeper understanding of the world we live in today. It is this variation that has made the course most enjoyable, as the topics differ greatly from each other, and have shaped me into the rounded historian I am today.

My favourite module, without a doubt, has been the Reel Histories documentary filmmaking module. I have gone from having never picked up a video camera, to being highly proficient in the entire process of documentary production, and I currently work with FuseTV as Head of Documentaries because of this module. I have been lucky enough to continue documentary production for my dissertation, surpassing the usual workload and skillset of the traditional written piece. I never thought I would be making documentaries as part of a history degree, but I honestly believe this is one of the perks of studying at MMU, pushing you out of your comfort zone and feeding in to your creativity.

This course has given me a deeper understanding of the world we live in; alongside refining skills such as written and verbal communication, and time management. I have achieved things that otherwise wouldn't have even crossed my mind had I have gone to a different university, or no university at all, one example being documentary production. This course has shaped my future massively and I now strive to pursue television production as a career, something I had not even considered before university.

One opportunity that will stay with me for life was the all-expenses-paid trip to Utrecht, where we joined up with the media students at Utrecht University and produced podcasts. The workload to leisure time balance was perfect and I feel as though I fully utilised that opportunity to form close relationships with other students from MMU who attended, alongside the Dutch students. I couldn't think of a better way to end second year and will remain a defining experience of my time at MMU.

Studying in Manchester is an experience in itself. Not only is it one of the most beautiful cities, but never have I felt more at home, anywhere! There are limitless opportunities for work and play, with events for all music tastes, and jobs for all sectors. I grew up in Birmingham, moved to London, then to Manchester, and Manchester is where I will stay, indefinitely!

Being a history student at MMU is both challenging and rewarding. My course has struck the perfect balance between contact hours and own time, and if you plan correctly, the course will be almost exclusively enjoyable - mind the stress!