Widening Histories Academic Development Programme 2025

When: Tuesday, May 6, 2025 - Friday, May 9, 2025, 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Where: On-campus and field trip visit

Queen Mary's School of History has one of the most diverse undergraduate populations in the UK. We want our postgraduate students and lecturers to reflect that too. 

This programme is designed to nurture and support our undergraduate students who are underrepresented in postgraduate study and the profession of History. This programme aims to work particularly with students who are the first generation in their family to attend university, and it seeks to encourage students to continue their studies at the postgraduate level.

Research shows that the transition from undergraduate to postgraduate study is particularly difficult for students from underrepresented groups. These students might face socio-economic challenges, such as the inability to fund their studies or the need to support family members. They also face the challenge of a culture that has not typically represented them, leading to unfamiliarity with terms, rules, or expectations in the academic world.

Through this programme, students with intellectual potential will be equipped with knowledge and skills to map their path to an academic future. They will be ready to become serious researchers, amazing postgraduate students or, someday, inspirational professors and mentors. 

About the programme

Together, we will build a cohort of students who work to support and challenge each other in their final year. The programme begins at the end of second year and continues through the final year. Students receive a bursary to participate in a week of full-time activities at the end of second year. This prepares them to fully realise their intellectual potential in their final year. Next, they will continue to gather for specialised training sessions, talks and activities. Talks will include, for example, work in progress from researchers that demonstrate how people build their research projects. 

Activities include:

• A one-day archival visit to Oxford University Special Collections
• Writing Sessions with writing tutors
• Research sessions: moving from idea to project, using primary sources
• Talks with UK Professors and our QM Global Professors of BAME background 
• Practical sessions on postgraduate study in the UK and internationally: how programmes work, what expectations are, and how they can be funded. 

Overall, the programme is based on shared mentoring and community building. While it does not remove all the barriers to academic study, it will openly discuss these barriers and share ideas for challenging them. 

Eligibility criteria and further information:

To be eligible for the programme, students must:

• Be prepared to enter their final year of study at Queen Mary in 2025-26
• Be fully enrolled for the 2025/26 academic year 

 

Participation in the Summer School in May 2025 covers: 

• A daily bursary of £80/day 
• Lunch and coffee each day
• Travel to/from Oxford for archival visits
• Closing reception for family

Submitting an application

Applications are due by 30 March 2025. To apply please email the following to the Director of Education, leslie.james@qmul.ac.uk:

1. Contact information for one of your teachers or academic advisors.
2. Two statements answering the below, each 500 words.

• Statement One: Discuss your research interests and how you came to develop these interests. Was there a particular course or project that developed these interests? Or something from the community or your reading?
• Statement Two: Discuss a diversity issue and why it is significant to you. 

Student testimonials 

• Listen to Aleisha's highlights of the Widening Histories programme.
• Learn why Matheus chose to apply to the Widening Histories programme.
• Hear why Arista thought the Widening Histories programme was a valuable experience.
• Check out Hudhayfa's thoughts about the Widening Histories programme.

"This was a really once-in-a-lifetime experience. From the coordination to the overall theme. I truly felt that I was given more than what I looked for and could not recommend this programme more."

"This has been an incredible experience and really validating. I don’t think the possibility of doing a masters/PhD felt realistic for me until this week!"

"Being able to go to Oxford and see the archives first hand, along with meeting esteemed historians [from outside QMUL] were such great honours and very valuable experiences. I also really appreciated how it felt like a practice run for postgrad life and gave a practical insight into what to expect. Honestly, all that only scratches the surface of how beneficial the whole week was, and what a privilege it was to be able to participate."

"This was a unique experience of support and guidance, which will undoubtedly prove invaluable for next year’s dissertation and future postgraduate studies."

"This was a lovely experience, I can’t find the words to describe how much it meant to me."

Q&A 

Am I obliged to apply for postgraduate study afterwards? 

No. This programme will nurture your intellectual interests, academic skills, and practical knowledge. At the end of the day, you will then be equipped to navigate the right path for you.