Hi, I’m Jessica, a current Politics and Modern History student here at the University of Manchester. Coming from a small town in the south of England, the opportunities that Manchester represented for me were immense; I loved the pull of coming to Manchester to study this course, because it is an exciting place to live, and there is so much to engage with politically in this city that it’s perfect for my course choice.

Having never studied politics before, I loved my first year, because the three compulsory Politics modules really helped me get a grasp on studying the subject at degree level. I also really enjoyed the compulsory ‘History in Practice’ module which gave me some key insights into the skills needed to learn history at Manchester – and it also introduced me to other PMH students, some of whom I now live with in my third year here! I remember being apprehensive about the workload and the step from A-level to degree studies, but I definitely benefited from being assigned an academic advisor who taught the compulsory history module, because her advice helped my friends and I navigate studying, and she also helped us cope with the challenges of living away from home for the first time.

Over the course of my time at the university I’ve had the opportunity to be taught by so many great lecturers, and to take some interesting modules. One of my favourite things has been the ‘LEAP’ course in Spanish that I took in my first year. This meant that I could continue with my passion of learning Spanish alongside my studies of Politics and History. Another of the modules I’ve gained from intellectually is the ‘Uses and Abuses of History’ module I took in my second year, this was a contemporary History course which explored the benefits of using a historical approach in the real world and involved a trip to the Manchester Museum as a part of our discussions around decolonialisation in museum exhibitions.

Outside of my formal studies there have been some brilliant opportunities from which I have benefitted, from attending optional talks run by the Student’s Union like the Mayor’s Question Time, to involving myself with the History Society, in which I now have the position of Secretary. I also attended one of the summer schools run by the University in Seville, something which not only was an enjoyable experience and a chance to improve my Spanish, but has strengthened my CV too – which has been really helpful when applying for jobs and internships.

Overall, I would advise offer holders to choose a University where they can envision themselves enjoying both studying and living – because for me this was Manchester, and it’s now a place where I feel at home.

Written by Jessica Tubb, a 3rd year BA Politics and Modern History student

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