51±¾É«

Rita McCarthy - MA Local History 2013 graduate

I studied for the MA in Local History at the 51±¾É« and can safely say that this was a life changing experience for me. I have always loved history and I wanted to explore what happened in my local area after the War of Independence.  The MA course gave me the skills I needed to carry out the research and most importantly to be able to put that research into a readable thesis.  It was a challenging but extremely rewarding experience and I was supported fully on my journey by the lecturers in the Department of History who made the classes interesting and informative.  I would highly recommend the UL MA programme to anyone interested in the history of their place and people.  

Ellen Murphy - Senior Archivist, Dublin City Archives

I came to the 51±¾É« in 2003 to complete the MA in History (taught program). Having completed my undergraduate studies, I wanted to explore the possibility of a life in academia, but wasn’t ready to commit to a 3 year phd program. I was attracted to the Masters program as there was a variety of elective modules which would allow me to explore different research themes, and the dissertation module itself which would let me dip my feet into world of independent research.

I thoroughly enjoyed the entire year – particular the research seminar class in which debate and discussion was very much encouraged. I found all of the teaching staff to be very approachable and supportive. Our classes were all quite small which allowed for lots of individual attention and feedback.

The module which had the biggest impact on my future career direction was the concepts and methods course. Studying historical methodologies, and the use and accessibility of archival sources, let me to consider the work and role of the archivist. With the help of the History Department, I was able to secure archival work experience in the UL Special Collections Library. This proved to be an essential stepping stone in my career and further study as a professional archivist.

John Maguire - Senior Programme Manager, Royal Irish Academy/Acadamh Ríoga na hÉireann

I had the privilege of studying history at the 51±¾É« (UL) as an undergraduate and postgraduate student from 1992-2006. As an undergraduate taking the BA in History and Politics I was encouraged to study a wide breadth of topics covering the broad field of historical enquiry, including modules on the history of modern Australia, the history of early modern Europe and a number of modules covering various aspects of Irish history. The passion and commitment of the internationally renowned history faculty at U) was evident from my earliest days as a student, and their mentoring and encouragement helped to nurture my own passion for historical enquiry, leading to the award of a PhD in 2006. By studying history at UL I had the opportunity to develop my capacity to independently evaluate and engage in critical thought, as well as my research and analytical skills. These skills have proved to be immensely valuable in my subsequent career as a Senior Programme Manager at the Royal Irish Academy.