Why did you decide to study at King’s?
I did my bachelor’s in history. My plan was to do my master’s then a PhD, with the intention of becoming a professor. I was looking for a university that had a course focused on eighteenth century Europe and a community of professors who were expert in this area.
I chose London as I’d studied abroad before, and I wanted to live in another exciting city that I hadn’t explored yet. When deciding where to study, I was accepted at two universities. I chose King’s because they were so welcoming and had a great international community.
Can you share what your course covered?
I studied MA Early Modern History, which looks at the history of Britain, Europe and the wider world between c.1500–1800. You can choose which areas you look at – political, economic, or cultural, which is what I leaned towards. Many of the professors study cultural history, which looks at the daily lives of people to explore mentalities, values, and beliefs.
We had core modules, including archival research and advanced skills for historians, and then we were free to choose other modules. I did early modern medicine, the body and society and slavery in the Atlantic world. I also did intellectual history of eighteenth century Europe, which was my favourite.
Were there any members of the teaching team that stood out?
Dr Niall O'Flaherty is one professor I remember – he focussed on intellectual history of Britain in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. I really liked his work. Also, Dr Hannah Dawson was the course leader and my dissertation supervisor. She works on political thought and intellectual history in the early modern period.
Did you complete a dissertation as part of your course?
We did a dissertation towards the end of the course. Mine was on the philosophy of happiness in eighteenth century women. I explored the way humans think about their lives and why we focus on creating the life we want – it’s actually an ancient idea. I looked at it from the perspective of women as there’s been plenty of work done on men.
What are you up to now as a King’s graduate?
Now I work for Georgetown University. I am a Proposal Specialist for clinical researchers. I essentially help them secure funding so their vital work can go ahead.
I’m also a research assistant for the Institute for Reproductive Health at Georgetown. My degree really prepared me for this as we’re using research to inform health interventions. We look at social norm change in countries like Mali and Nigeria where there are barriers to reproductive health services for women. Put simply, I’m using sociology research methods to improve reproductive health.
How do the skills you developed at King’s help you in your role?
At King’s, you rigorously study research skills and creative ways to ask research questions. I definitely use those skills working on my current projects – you can transfer what you learn to any type of social science research.
For me, I’m focussed on the research, but you’ll also be trained to do archival work. My friend is now an archive researcher for documentary films and the course really helped her prepare.
Are you still actively involved with the King’s community?
After my course, I was living in Washington DC where I went to a King’s alumni event. Someone told me about the alumni programme and wanted to get involved. The pandemic happened, so most of what I’ve done has been virtual so far. I’ve helped with webinars for offer holders and students in the US who want to study at King’s.
Do you know what you want to do next?
I’m still trying to work it out! It’s still possible that I might do a PhD in History one day. But I’m really enjoying the sociology research path that I’ve found. For now, I’ll carry on working on public health issues and see where it takes me. Whatever happens, I feel prepared thanks to my postgraduate degree from King’s.
What advice would you give to other history students?
Definitely attend all the events the History Department puts on. There are visiting guest lecturers that give really insightful talks. They often bring in PhD students too – listen to what they’re doing and see if it inspires you to expand the scope of your work.
I’d also say talk to your classmates about their work. Especially when it comes to dissertations, everyone is looking at their own niche area, but you can still learn from each other and find new ways to expand your research.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
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