With Student Engagement Week rapidly approaching, and this semester rushing by, we thought it would be a good chance to pause and take stock, so we asked one of our Humanities alumna, Azmina, for her top tips to new students on getting the most from your degree:
Whether it’s English Literature, History or Modern Languages, the department of Humanities will be your home for the next three years. Among the walls of the Grade II listed building or a brand new state of the art campus, you’ll be intellectually nurtured, protected and prepared for the world ahead. So what can you expect and how can you make the most of it?
Tutors
They are your umbilical link to your subject. Your tutors are experts in their field so listen to them very carefully. Discuss the curriculum with them, enquire about the research they’re doing and what impact this is having on the real world – this is where the humanities truly matters. Dr Helen Glew’s work explores the history of women in employment and human rights, whereas Dr Petros Karatsares sociolinguistic work focuses on public engagement with those from Greece, Cyprus and Albania. The department really is wide ranged and the more you engage with them the more you’ll enjoy your subject!
Reading
Essential reading is the foundation to your degree, it’s your key to understanding your subject and why it is important. Secondary reading however, will provide you context, more opinions and wider research thus expanding your understanding of the topic. Make note of the secondary list provided or contact your academic librarian to find the latest publications; it will stand you in good stead for coursework and examinations and give you an overall edge as a student.
Opportunity knocks
The Humanities values interdisciplinary work; meaning work which can overlap into different fields, and the department is always open to new ventures. The previous MA Creative Writing programme started The Wells Street Journal, an online literary anthology open to all creatives and still running today. The Regent Street Cinema adjacent to Regent Campus regularly holds film festivals and events, like the ‘Monday Classic Matinee’ showcasing old Hollywood movies and the upcoming London Indian Film Festival which will celebrate South Asian cinema. So if you have a passion for something, put it forward!
London Calling
One the greatest thing about the department is its location and access to important cultural landmarks and organisations. The National Archives, British Library, Tate Modern, and Bishopsgate Library are some of the few places the English department have been known to incorporate. The History interns have worked at the Imperial War Museum and House of Lords Record Office. So make good use of the location you are in, speak to tutors about the best places to visit and soak it all in. Good luck!
Thanks Azmina!
