I started studying History at the University of Warwick in 2019 and graduated in 2022. Despite disruptions from the pandemic, I enjoyed my time at Warwick, and I was able to expand my interests and knowledge through my studies. After graduating, I decided to stay at Warwick for my MA, I knew I had a good support system in the department staff and the Modern History course offered exactly what I wanted. From staying on, I gained new experiences such as a role in the University of Warwick’s Institute of Advanced Teaching and Learning, as a Co-Creation Officer looking at how the university could make assessment more inclusive.

What area of history did you decide to focus on and why?

My academic interests broadly surrounded the British Empire and racial identity. My undergraduate dissertation focused on the ethnic minority community of my hometown, Cardiff and my postgraduate dissertation took a broader look at the regulation of mixed-race people across the British Empire. I focused on these areas as I believe them to be important parts of social and political discourses in society today.

What did you particularly enjoy about your course?

History courses at Warwick allow you to be flexible and broaden your knowledge. Although I had specific interests, I took modules that focused on very different topics and subject areas such as British folklore. This opportunity both increased my wider historical knowledge and gave me a more flexible skillset. The different module options were one of the reasons I decided to stay at Warwick for my Masters.

Did you join any societies? What did you love about it?  

I joined quite a few societies during my time at Warwick. One that particularly shaped my experience was the History Society. In my first year, the History Society was an amazing place to meet people and make friends whilst being away from home. It also helped to build a network of people throughout the course so that I had familiar faces in lectures and seminars.

What are you doing now?

In September 2023, I started my role as Community Engagement Officer at the Roman Baths in Bath. My role sits within the Learning and Participation Team of the museum, which more broadly is responsible for school sessions, school holiday events and family activities and part of my role is aiding in these areas. The role of Community Engagement Officer is concerned with building and sustaining relationships with charities and groups in the local area that may benefit from interaction with a heritage site or cultural experience. There are several themes that I prioritise as part of this work: wellbeing, decolonisation, accessibility, inclusivity, sustainability and co-creation. On a day-to-day basis I am planning sessions, communicating with people from different backgrounds and researching to continue building on my knowledge of engaging people in heritage sites.

How has your experience at Warwick aided you professionally? 

As someone who focused on modern history whilst at university, I don’t have vast background knowledge of the Roman Baths. I have had to learn and research a lot of ancient and Romano-British history, which has been an enjoyable experience. I owe the flexibility and diversity of the subject areas and time periods covered whilst at Warwick as part of the reason for being able to adapt to this so quickly.

Meliha Hussain

BA History, 2022; MA History, 2023