Studying History

What I liked most about Studying History ... 

What I have learned from the various History and Politics modules I have studied is that foreign affairs, global issues, terrorism all have a long history behind them. Human actions have consequences; certain choices, once made, cannot be undone. This is why I’m very fond of the saying by George Santayana.

I believe a good understanding of history should play a role in all of a state's decision making processes and that we should learn from the past to make better more educated decisions for our future.

My interest and studies further strengthened my opinion of the value of taking a historical perspective - this is ultimately why I chose to do a History Masters.

History at University is a great deal different to how it is studied at second level. 

Assessment: The most important difference to mention is that when it comes to assessment, you’re not assessed by how many words you can write per minute or by learning dates/facts off by heart. Instead, for the most part, you are assessed by essays and continuous assessment.  

You’ll be provided with the skills necessary to understand the world we live in, which is a very complex world and the more you study some issues the more it soon becomes apparent.

The way you are assessed at university means you are given the time to explore this complexity, there are after all many historical controversies and different ways the past and past events can be understood. 

This made History at university a far more enjoyable experience than at second level. It also meant there was no repeat of the horrible History Leaving Certificate 'write as much as you can in 2 hours' exam.... 

You learn from both large lectures and small tutorial groups... 

Tutorials: Tutorials are small group seminars that discuss the content of a lecture, debate the issues which may have arisen and give students an opportunity to have their own voice heard on subjects. It’s also an opportunity for group work to take place and so on. 

I met some fantastic friends whilst debating the Origins of World War I in my Second Year. The post class debate was taken to the pool tables in our Student Bar and it was to become a regular occurrence…. we even decided to meet at the pool tables before our final presentation at the end of the year!

History at UCD allows students to explore the past, examine a wide range of periods and topics that cover many parts of the globe. You’re also given a lot of freedom to explore what interests you. 

My Main Interest: Modern History, International Relations, Revolutions, Nationalism and Conflict. I was always very interested in those who tried to change the world, for better or worse and the reasons behind it.

What I loved most about History is the variety of subject choice; the majority of lecturers are even let you field your own essay questions (This is especially important in the later stages of your degree). 

This is an example of some of the modules I undertook and essays I wrote, I want to emphasize how I tailored my essays to my interests. 

The more you progress in your studies the more freedom you are given. 

It's that freedom to adapt your curriculum to your own interests that is very important in University, as you always have more drive to succeed in something you're very interested in. 

But don’t just take my word for it, have a look at the choice on offer …

www.ucd.ie/students/course_search.htm