University College London (UCL)

History BA (Hons)

UCAS code: V100

I studied a variety of modules encompassing ancient, early modern and modern history:

• The Practice of History (Year One)
• European History since 1945 (Year One)
• Britain and the Wider World, C. 1878-1980 (Year One)
• The Greek World, c. 800-386 BC (Year Two)
• The Making of Modern America, 1920-present (Year Two)
• History of Latin America c.1830-c.1930 (Year Two)
• British History, 1689-C.1860 (Year Three)
• Colonial and Revolutionary North America, 1607-1787 (Year Three)
• Great Britain and the American Colonies (Dissertation Topic)

It was certainly a big step up from A-level! The course was delivered via lectures and smaller group seminars, which contained a mix of students from across all three years of the degree. It was somewhat intimidating at first to be sat in the seminars as a first-year student alongside third- and fourth- year students who were academically and intellectually battle-hardened!

We were expected to complete regular essay assignments for each module (between 2,000-3,000 words) and undertake regular independent reading for the seminars.

After a fairly relaxed first year (the end-of-year exams accounted only for 2% of the total degree classification) the workload and pressure increased markedly in my second and third year.

I particularly enjoyed the final year dissertation topic seminars. Attended by a very small group of students, I was taught by the brilliant Professor Stephen Conway, whose teaching style greatly suited my style of learning. My final dissertation topic was written on the American Revolutionary Wars and the Saratoga campaign.

Engage more with university life. Aside from attending lectures and seminars, I didn’t take advantage enough of the student societies and events on offer.