Elli Desli - MA Antiquity

MA Antiquity student Elli Desli says that life at the University of Birmingham “is like playing in a movie”. We found out more about her experience as a Masters student.

Elli-Desli

Why did you choose MA Antiquity at the University of Birmingham?

“Three years ago, I attended courses at an English university as an Erasmus student. The great experience I had there, sparked in me the desire of going back to the UK to pursue postgraduate studies in Classical Archaeology. So, I searched the internet for universities in the UK with courses in Classical Archaeology. All of the available modules at the University of Birmingham reflected my personal interests and so, I knew that this was the right course for me. I also loved the fact that I could choose modules from other Antiquity courses, such as Classics and Ancient History, Archaeology or Byzantine Studies. This would give me the chance to enrich my knowledge not only in the Archaeology of the Classical period but in other relevant areas as well.”

What has been the highlight of your course?

“What I loved about the course was that during the first term, once a week, we would attend the CAHA research seminars, the speakers of which were usually scholars from other national and international universities, who specialised in Egyptology, Classical Archaeology or Classics and Ancient History. My favourite module, though, was Greek Archaeology that was taught by Dr Kenneth Wardle, who later became my dissertation supervisor. His seminars focused on a range of historical periods and themes and I found them extremely useful and fascinating. Moreover, during the second term Dr Paul Garwood, the tutor of Funerary Archaeology, organised a trip to the ancient landscape of Avebury. I really enjoyed this trip because it was also the first time I had ever visited an archaeological site in the UK.”

What have you learnt from your programme?

“As a postgraduate student at the University of Birmingham I had the honour to meet and be taught by great professors who were happy to share their ideas and views with me. With their help and the help of MA and PhD students and other members of the University’s staff, I learnt how to search for the right academic sources, how to use the library, how to structure my essays and how to organise my presentations. Moreover, through the reading I did for the course modules and my dissertation I explored my personal interests and I gained valuable knowledge. All these will definitely help me for the PhD that I am planning to begin at the University of Birmingham the next academic year and they will be essential for my future career as an archaeologist.”

What is life like as a student at the University of Birmingham?

“Life as a student at the University of Birmingham is like playing in a movie. The campus is so beautiful and it has everything a student needs, such as supermarkets, bars and restaurants. It also has a huge library and several study spaces, where you can meet with your friends and fellow students and enjoy every minute of reading and writing assignments. The campus has its own art gallery, The Barber Institute of Fine Arts with an impressive collection of paintings, coins and sculpture. ”

Find out more about the MA Antiquity: Archaeology* over on our course pages. (*Previously called MA Antiquity: Classical Archaeology)