My favourite thing about the course was its flexibility. In most of my modules I could choose from a range of topics within the module specification. That meant I could focus on the areas that interested me most rather than being bound by a rigid syllabus. It made me more engaged and gave me real ownership over my learning.

The piece of work that had the most impact on my learning was, hands down, my dissertation. I tailored it to my passions and my Welsh heritage, researching the role of Welsh women in the suffrage movement, a country so often overlooked in British history, and how cultural identity shaped their activism. I took my research from the desk into the archives myself, and a segment was featured on the IRPH Students as Researchers blog. My dissertation supervisor Dr Peter Yeandle’s support and belief in my abilities helped me prove how capable I am.

Above all, my degree taught me self-discipline. History has fewer contact hours and less structure than many other courses, so most of the work depends on you. It’s on you to do your readings (and there are a lot of them), and the depth of effort and research you put in is entirely your responsibility, but you will reap the rewards. I had to learn to set my own deadlines, manage my workload and motivate myself, habits that have been invaluable since graduating.