Studying both history and politics is a particularly interesting combination

I hadn't had the opportunity to really cover ancient, medieval or early modern history at school and I thought Sheffield had the best options to explore the periods I was most interested in.

Thomas Cather

BA History and Politics

Why did you choose to study at Sheffield?

I chose to study history at Sheffield after visiting the city outside of an open day and discovering how perfect of a city Sheffield really is. After seeing the city, I then researched the course and saw how great the variety of modules offered were. I hadn't had the opportunity to really cover ancient, medieval or early modern history at school and I thought Sheffield had the best options to explore the periods I was most interested in.

Has your experience so far been what you expected?

When I was applying to university, it would have been impossible to predict the situation that studying would be in when I arrived. However, I thought that Sheffield did well at offering a blended learning experience in the first term of year one, offering face to face seminars in certain modules. This was more in-person teaching that any of my friends at other universities were receiving at the time. Since then, I have been enjoying the level of independence we are allowed when working on assessed work, and the resources available across the university. The modules have also offered the level of depth when exploring time periods that I expected and hoped to be able to pursue.

What do you particularly enjoy about your degree programme?

This year I have enjoyed all of the in-person seminars we have. I like to be able to talk to other students and properly meet the professors teaching us, as I find it much easier to learn that way. All of my history professors have been engaging, welcoming and (of course) extremely knowledgeable about the subjects they have taught us. I love the fact that they can answer almost any obscure or niche question about their preferred periods without any hesitation.

What modules are you studying this year? Are there any modules that you have particularly enjoyed during your degree so far and why?

This year I have only been studying one history module as I am on a dual-honours degree, namely Heroes, Saints and Warriors in Early Medieval Britain. This has been by far my favourite module so far at university as I am most interested in historical 'mysteries' and this period is full of those. With there being very little surviving written evidence about the early medieval period, this module is all about interpretation and critical analysis of sparse, and often very challenging sources. This means that it feels as if we are really thinking independently when discussing within seminars and writing essays. This is exactly what I wanted when I chose to study history.

If you're a dual student, what do you enjoy about doing a dual degree?

Studying both history and politics is a particularly interesting combination as the two subjects are incredibly closely linked. The skills between both are directly transferrable as they require thorough analysis of written works and interpretations about the impacts and consequences of events throughout time.

What do you like about the University/living in Sheffield?

One of my favourite things about the university is the Students Union. The building feels like such a hub of activity where you can go for almost any purpose, whether it's for a coffee with friends, as a study space or going to the Foundry at night. I like how central it is in the city and within the campus as a whole. I also love how green Sheffield is as a city, with lots of parks and green spaces. I live right next to Bole Hill so I get to take full advantage of this. It feels like everywhere is only a short walk away meaning that there is very little need for using public transport or cars to get around.

Would you recommend studying at Sheffield to a friend?

I would definitely recommend studying at Sheffield to a friend and have done to my friends at home who took a year out. Some of them are freshers here now. It seems like the most welcoming city to a new student and is great for most courses.