“Challenging, rewarding and eye opening,” is how Matt Gibbons describes his time studying MA Public History at Royal Holloway, University of London.
Matt says that the trips that he and his classmates made outside the classroom was a particular highlight of the course. “We had amazing opportunities to explore different places, like Hampton Court Palace, and see historical artefacts in person, and to meet industry specialists in careers you wouldn't normally associate with history.”
After doing his undergraduate degree at Royal Holloway, Matt’s decision to stay on for his masters’ degree was - in part - a pragmatic one. Royal Holloway was close to his home plus it meant being able to study part time and finance his degree with a part time job. He also was already familiar with the campus and appreciated the support that comes with being part of the Royal Holloway community.
On continuing his studies"It allowed continuity, especially since my undergraduate course was disrupted by the pandemic. I’ve been able to build my skills, find career opportunities and keep up with my social networks and volunteering." |
He felt secure in his decision, especially after experiencing the quality of teaching on offer. “The teaching on my course was brilliant. Each of the lecturers has their own areas of expertise and interest, which translates into a broad set of modules. You get a tailored experience learning about, for example, oral history and interviewing skills, or how museums and archives operate.”
He also praised the administrative support teams. “Student services have been brilliant for sorting out any administrative issues: timetable clashes, finding your room, and getting your ID working. And Academic Skills has been amazing, providing additional support for improving my writing and helping directly with my course. It's very helpful to have the additional resources to get work done to the best quality.”
The campus holds many fond memories for him, like the on-campus bubble tea shop, Imagine. “It's special to me because one of my friends introduced me to it in my first year, and it was the first time I ever had bubble tea. It's unique in that I can study there, I can socialise there, I can just chill out; I can do anything there, and it feels comfortable.”
Matt is, in his own words, ‘notorious’ for the number of societies he takes part in. “I’ve been a member of the Debating Society for four years, and for the last two I’ve been Speaker of the House – basically a fancy pants term for the person who runs the casual open debates every week. I’ve also written for the Orbital, the official Royal Holloway student-run magazine.” He feels that both have given him many useful and transferrable skills for future job applications, such as public speaking and writing, as well as creating a portfolio of work that he can reference from.
Does he have any advice for prospective students? “Just throw yourself into it! You only get to do this once, so take opportunities as they come.”
