What I'm Studying This Year & What It Will Be Like

(Image from Queen's School of History)

People often ask me what I'll be studying this year and what it's going to be like. The honest answer is, I don't really know. I know my degree is going to be an MA in Modern History with a concentration in British History. "Modern History" here means "the 19th and 20th centuries, with special reference to the relationship between Britain and its empire." My focus will be on Britain's relationship with it's East African colonies and the legacy that has left in language and culture. Other than that, here's what I know:

Class Time
My class time will only be in the evenings. The prospectus says that "Most teaching is on Tuesday and Thursday evenings (6–8pm)," which makes me think that there will probably be special seminars or presentations on other evenings that I'll need to attend as well.

What Will Classes be Like? What will you be studying?
Here's what I know. The year will be made up of 5 components and is split into thirds. The first third will focus on two modules, the second on another two, and the final third will focus solely on my 20,000 word dissertation (I think, roughly 80 pages).

Components:
1) Research methods in history
2) Primary-source research
3) Historiography (aka the writing of history)
4) British History
5) Thesis (double-weighted)

Other than that, I don't know much. I'm assuming much of my time will be spent reading, writing, and doing research in the library. I'm hoping this will give me the freedom to travel to the north coast or to the Mourne Mountains for weekends to read/write/study away from Belfast and, thus, occasionally, get a break.

Breaks
I'll get two breaks during the year. 3 weeks at Christmas and then 3 weeks at Easter. My plan right now is to go visit my sister and brother-in-law in the Middle East during Easter break. She should just be having her first child and it'd be great to see the three of them! As far as Christmas break, I'm not entirely sure. I've got some friends I'd like to go visit in France - they live about 45 minutes outside of Paris and then another friend stationed with the army in Germany, so it'd be great to see them. The reality is, of course, that money is going to dictate how much I can do - so we'll just have to see how far the loans that I'm taking for the year get me.

Well, that's about all I know at this point. I'll keep you updated as it begins and let you know more then. Sorry I don't have more for you now. Let the adventure/gauntlet begin! :-)