I developed a sense of trust in myself as a researcher over this year, which I wouldn’t have had if there wasn’t the freedom to explore

Why are you doing an MA?

When I finished my undergraduate degree, I felt like I wasn’t completely finished with academia - final year wasn’t really the end of my degree, it was the beginning of my academic career and it whet my appetite for more research and more exploration of new ideas.

What’s the topic of your MA dissertation and why is it interesting?

My MA dissertation topic is language ideologies and the metalinguistic discussions of the language situation in Luxembourg, particularly the roles of French and Luxembourgish, in online media platforms. It’s interesting because not only does it deal with real issues affecting real people with real consequences, but, compared to the British situation, where languages (other than English) are all too often sidelined in education, politics and society in general, it’s fascinating to see languages seen as a hot topic for debate and front and centre in public discussion.

What’s it like being a postgraduate in the School of Languages & Cultures?

Being a postgraduate in the SLC is a welcome progression from undergrad. While you’re still encouraged and supported by staff and students, you’re given more room to explore your chosen area of research and more expectation is put on you to be more independent and more well-read. It really encourages a love for research and helps you make the leap from ‘student’ to ‘researcher’.

How did you find the first few months, in particular?

I won’t lie, it was difficult at first. After I graduated, I went on to teach German at a local secondary school back home for a year. Coming back to uni after being away was, in my head, going to be easy. However, that transition back to uni was at first a little intimidating because of the adjustment back to uni life and the new expectations at MA level. After a few weeks though, it all settled.

What’s been your highlight of your course?

Honestly, just having the freedom and flexibility to decide what I got to research during the year. I developed a sense of trust in myself as a researcher over this year, which I wouldn’t have had if there wasn’t the freedom to explore.

What support do you receive?

So much. Not only have I had the academic support, which I would have expected, but I’ve received so much personal support. Over the assessment period, I experienced bereavement and the whole of the SLC could not have done more to accommodate, giving me time and space to deal with my bereavement and achieve what I needed to achieve.