My favourite part about living and studying in Birmingham has to be the diversity of cultures and the comfort this brings. Having come from a small town in Dorset I was worried about moving to such a big city and how I would settle into both living and studying. I was, however, welcomed into Birmingham with warm hug and have met people from all over the world who have introduced me to a range of new activities and I have equally introduced them to the unique ways of life in the countryside of Dorset. For this reason, my favourite thing to do in the city is to explore!

The library is what has surprised me most about being a student at Birmingham. Having previously studied at a relatively small University in the UK which held little by way of library resources due to funding limitations, the main library on campus at Birmingham is a History student’s dream. Whether you prefer an online e-book or the physical copy, the library has it all! If you find a book which the library does not have access to then they will happily organise an inter-library loan for you to get access to the resource you require. The world really is your oyster when it comes to the library services at Birmingham.

The course has taught me that you really do know nothing, but in a good way! There is no one set way to study history as it is a constantly evolving subject and understanding how to work in this minefield is what the course at Birmingham is brilliant at preparing you for. You learn how to critique perspectives once valued as being pioneering studies while learning how to build upon existing frameworks with new concepts in order to find your own voice in history. The development of this unique skill through the course significantly prepares you for a career as an exciting and dynamic historian who can easily adapt to the fluidity of history.

There have been many highlights to the course but if I had to pick one it would be the core module for the Contemporary pathway, Critical Histories of the Present. Each week provides a different topic and approach to understanding the contemporary period and the methods in which one can be critical of the present narrative. This module is also completely seminar based allowing you to bounce ideas off the people in your group and with the specialist lecturer, creating a really stimulating, and at times mind blowing, environment.

Having previously studied History at a much smaller University in the UK, the course on offer at Birmingham stood out to me for many reasons. Firstly, the History course at Birmingham is incredible. The ability to work alongside world leading researchers in your area of study, sharing ideas and experiences, is an amazing experience and one I feel grateful to be taking part in. Secondly, due to the size of the University as a whole, the course is incredibly diverse in the modules it is able to offer meaning you really can pick and choose what and how you study with the ultimate aim of progressing in your desired specialism. Through this, the History course at Birmingham allows you to experiment whilst supporting you at every opportunity, from providing specialist advice to merely seeing a friendly face around campus who understands your goals and aspirations. The University also holds tremendous funding opportunities to allow every student to become part of this large ‘History’ family, regardless of your background. Receiving the CAL Scholarship allowed me to make the jump and I am so glad I did.