MA Medieval Studies student, Helen Clutton shares her experience of studying in Bristol
I’m a mature student doing a part-time MA in Medieval Studies, in my recently adopted home city of Bristol. I have been to university twice before but this is my first Masters and my first foray into anything medieval. This year I have done the compulsory units and next year I will choose from a variety of modules and a work placement.
Each unit this year has been enjoyable and eye-opening. It is quite a feeling to hold a centuries-old manuscript in your hands and be able, to a greater or lesser extent, to decipher the handwriting! The breadth of knowledge gained in this first year has been huge. The staff have all been delightful as well; medievalists are a friendly and enthusiastic bunch and their passion is infectious. They have shared their love of their subject areas in voluntary reading groups so this year I have been tackling Anglo-Norman, Old English and the speeches of Cicero (with varying degrees of success but with much hilarity).
Alongside these groups and the scheduled seminars, the Centre for Medieval Studies hosts frequent guest lecturers who talk on a huge variety of subjects. We also had a marvellous day out at Wells Cathedral, where we were able to see collections that are not generally accessible to the public.
A medieval ink-making workshop has been arranged, which is sure to be fascinating. The course goes all the way up to early print, so we also had a wonderful hands-on lesson in setting movable type and printing the results with the university’s very special printing press.
At Masters level there is considerable freedom to follow your own interests in the assignments. I do not know where this course will take me but wherever it goes I am enjoying the journey and, with a thousand years or so of potential subject matter, there is something for everyone in Medieval Studies.