Mark Butcher
Student spotlight details
Mark Butcher completed the online Advanced Diploma in Local History during the Covid-19 UK lockdown and is now working towards his master's degree.
'If you are fascinated by history and want to pursue your interest further, perhaps to complete research and apply historical writing skills, then the online Advanced Diploma in Local History may be for you.
'We all come to this point from different origins. In my case, taking the course was the continuation of a journey begun around seventeen or so years ago when I completed several local history modules run by the continuing education department of my local university. Inevitably, the demands of a busy working life curtailed this pursuit. I will do something about this when I eventually retire, I said.
'This course offers a step up to the world of serious historical research. As a prospective student, I recommend you read the course website very carefully, it sets out quite clearly that the Advanced Diploma is a demanding undertaking requiring a sustained commitment from September right through to the following Summer.
'What really makes a difference and helps to get you through the marathon year is the supportive, highly professional tutorial system. This is, I understand, a key feature of the Oxford approach to education. My tutor was incredibly responsive and helpful with advice. Our weekly online chat sessions kept us all going in the right direction, particularly when study fatigue started to kick in for some of us towards the end of the course and with the inevitable distractions caused by the coronavirus lockdown.
'Completion of assignments is naturally a prime concern for students throughout the year. Nevertheless, students seem to surprise themselves as they progress through the course, developing their research and writing skills along the way. Exploring digital historical sources and the analytical use of them is the key theme of this course. Increasingly they form the backbone of modern historical research. The use of Excel and Access are essential tools and cannot be avoided, but there are units on the course devoted to helping you pick up the necessary skills so that you can get the most from the software. There is also extra help from tutors and students only too glad to get you going.
'So, what about life after completing the course - well, I decided to continue the journey, enrolling on an MA in History at the University of Roehampton. Taken part-time over two years, I am now coming to the end of my first year. One that included a spell supporting a research project run by the National Trust exploring the location and identity of early eighteenth-century brickmakers in West Surrey. It has certainly been a great opportunity to reuse the skills and knowledge gained from the Advanced Diploma.
'Was the course as expected? Yes. Did you enjoy completing it? Absolutely. There is an underlying feeling of achievement at the end. What is more, it is great to prove that one can teach an old dog new tricks!'
