Meet our Humanities students

Studying a PhD has opened many doors for me already and I’m not even halfway through it as of yet. I’ve attended the political studies association conference, visited several historical archives and am completing an SGSSS internship this summer.

Among the highlights of this journey has been the opportunity to engage with cutting-edge research and participate in academic conferences, which has significantly broadened my academic and professional network.

I have found the community at Strathclyde to be second to none: between our students, faculty members, and administration teams, I have always been grateful for the time, attention, and advice I have received throughout my journey as a student at Strathclyde.

I can confidently say that if you're seeking an exciting and dynamic program with a fantastic academic team, along with the opportunity to meet and study with like-minded peers from various countries in one of the greatest cities in the UK, you should definitely apply!

I have gained a deep understanding of the historical context and evolution of diplomacy and international security. Through in-depth analysis of historical events, treaties, and conflicts, I have acquired a comprehensive knowledge of the factors that shape diplomatic relations and global security today. This knowledge allows me to approach current issues with a well-informed perspective, considering the long-term implications and historical precedents.

The course has been crucial in developing key skills that are commonly used in the workplace. Organisation, independent research, communication and teamwork are common in employer’s expectations and it is through the Diplomacy and International Security course that I have been able to develop them. Using examples from this course that demonstrate my aptitude in the desired skills to employers has been central to my success in securing employment after I graduate.

I graduated with Distinction. Even though it was a simple one-year course, I realize what it means to my whole life. This journey is a symbol, gives me extra confidence, and reshapes my thinking model as well.

The MLitt allowed me to think about different styles of communication in research and how developing skills in one area might transfer to another.

I would also say that the freedom to be creative has been a great boon too. You are very much encouraged to “own” your PhD project and make decisions you feel will benefit the work and this means a great deal of flexibility is afforded to you.

I was a Programme Representative for MSc Diplomacy and International Security. In this role, I acquired various practical skills, such as gathering feedback, communication and organisation skills, and learned how to build collaborative working relationships, gaining the trust and confidence of my peers.

I enjoyed the multidisciplinary approach to the course as not only did this give students more freedom over their learning, it also made class and group discussions more interesting and informative as students were able to bring different perspectives from other modules and backgrounds into their analysis.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of my course were the classes, where my lecturers encouraged us to put forward ideas and opinions at a more in-depth level than during my undergraduate degree. This made the classes interesting as hearing the arguments and opinions of other students encouraged each of us to consider different perspectives and develop a greater understanding of the topics that we were discussing.

Your historical knowledge and awareness will increase significantly and you will develop a range of skills that will benefit you in the future. The facilities and academic resources available are amazing and will not only support you throughout the course, but will also help you to make the most of your Strathclyde experience.

Honestly, I love that the Strathclyde research community is generous when it comes to sharing knowledge. People are always happy to help and suggest/advice on where to find what you’re looking for.

I really was amazed by how professional and organised the online platform was. I also liked the talented teachers and their respectful attitude towards students. I also admired how passionate they were about their specialist subjects. I felt that they wanted us to do really well in the programme and enjoy our studies.

The fact that the course was offered as a multidisciplinary MSc really encouraged me to step out my comfort zone and study courses offered by different departments...Taking classes from multiple disciplinaries allowed for me to expand my knowledge and consider debates from different angles.

I heard about the University of Strathclyde when I was in high school. At that time, I learned that many of the majors and courses of Strathclyde are ranked high or even top in the UK, especially business and humanities & social sciences programmes. Therefore, when I learned that I had the opportunity to apply to this university, I did not hesitate to seize the opportunity.

TESOL provides me with a brand-new view about education nowadays, including the tools of teaching and the methods of teaching. Learning more about education around the world inspired me to choose the subject.

If you want to take this course, my advice is to lay a good foundation and learn English and mother tongue well before you start taking this course. Because you have to switch between the two languages a lot in class.

Take a more active role in discussion during the tutorial and don’t be afraid to communicate with professors. Most of the time, when I was struggling on things, a short chat with a teacher can help me greatly.

I applied to Interdisciplinary English Studies as I am genuinely interested in how novels are shaped by society and vice-versa...If you love English literature and how it relates to the world around us, do it!

I had a great Spanish teacher who was really encouraging and after really enjoying learning the language I decided I wanted to take it further. The possibility of the year abroad was also really exciting and was something I knew I wanted to do.

I would say that my final year has been the best part of my course. It sounds crazy, but all my hard work from previous years paid off and I really enjoyed the final year coursework... it was amazing to really feel fluent in my languages.

Never be afraid to ask a question, suggest an answer, introduce yourself to someone new, it's creating the life you always wanted, to be a constant learner, friend and doer, but remember to look after yourself and take a break more often.

No matter if you are an expert in diplomacy and international security or know nothing, rest assured that there will be enough in the course to challenge the experienced ones, and plenty of opportunity for those who know nothing to gain valuable knowledge in such an important area.

On many HASS courses you are initially given the option to study 3 separate disciplines and then you would progress into second year with 2 or 1 disciplines. Use the ability to choose these 3 disciplines in your first year as a way to give yourself options.

Within English, there are several colleagues working on similar research areas and learning from them over a coffee or in a meeting is a real pleasure and feels like a real collaborative effort within the department.

I carried out some research before accepting the offer and found that this university has a great reputation in the market and they have the best academic staff. I never thought in my wildest dreams that one day I would be studying in one of the most prestigious universities in the UK.

I chose Strathclyde because it provides an ideal research environment to realise the objectives of my research programme. The Strathclyde University's library gives me free access to all important journals related to my field. Further, the University's Researcher Development Programme for PhD students offer amazing sessions on personality and carrier development skills.

I'm really enjoying the detective work. Trying to piece together people's stories from fragmented pieces of evidence in the archives can be very rewarding. I also love the interdisciplinarity, though it's a bit frustrating that I can't sum up exactly what my area is one word: I see it as a mix of book history, periodical, literary and media studies and history of medicine.

Gender Studies is quite a niche degree that is not widely available yet. I heard about the course from Professor Karen Boyle, the course director for Applied Gender Studies at Strathclyde. After having looked at what the course entailed, and comparing it to the other options, it was clear that Strathclyde had one of the best options on offer. My choice was very easy.

I love how flexible practice-based research is. I've very much been allowed to work at my own pace and direct my own research activities, which have included things like community engagement.

Gender is deeply embedded in everyday life from gender stereotypes even to toilet inequality! However, as much as I was aware of these problems, there was little progress in changing attitudes and little understanding towards what gender is and the role it plays in understanding structural inequality. As such, I wanted to enhance my exisiting knowledge on gender theories, while also learning new theories.

The support of Strathclyde is fantastic. Karen Boyle and Churnjeet Mahn have both been incredible helps. Both when it comes to classes and assignments but also with advice for progressing in the future. They have given me a lot of guidance for PhD application and funding.