Jonathan - PhD in History

Why did you choose the University of Edinburgh?

During the final year of my undergraduate I was facing the puzzling prospect of where to do my postgraduate study. The University of Edinburgh, and the History Department in particular, immediately appealed to me because of the high quality of research and varied courses that were on offer. The city itself was somewhere I had never been before and since moving here have never regretted.

What attracted you to this programme in particular?

The MSc in American History seemed especially rich and was the only history-focused course, i.e. not American Studies, that I came across in the UK. I also sensed how collegial the staff since their topics and expertise not only covered the entire period but also overlapped in many ways. By doing I masters I was hoping that it would give me enough grounding in American history, since I had not studied much until that point, to pursue my PhD which is related to the field. I found the courses on offer as well as the general historiography course a great benefit as a result.

What have you enjoyed most about your time here?

One of the biggest bonuses about coming to study my masters at Edinburgh by far was feeling at home in the department. Coming somewhere new for the second or third time in your studies can be daunting but within the first few weeks I really started to feel welcomed amongst the older PhD students as well as the staff. They made the experience far less challenging and quickly become of the most supportive environments I’ve been lucky enough to enjoy. 

What are your plans for the future?

I am currently still in Edinburgh and still enjoying my home at the department with studying my PhD. I feel I have come a long way over the last few years and will continue to do so whatever the future holds given the friendly, supportive, and wonderful atmosphere here.

If you could offer any advice to new or current students what would it be?

Do not hold back in following, and perhaps most importantly, sharing what is most interesting to you. Everyone I know here is keen to develop new ideas, interpretations or foster creative approaches. There is no wrong answer only silence. So take advantage of this especially in a University so encouraging of free-thinking.

The University of Edinburgh, and the History Department in particular, immediately appealed to me because of the high quality of research and varied courses that were on offer.