Tabatha Burden

What's your favourite heritage site from the sites you've studied and/or visited on the course?

I had the great opportunity to visit Liverpool as part of a study week trip with my course mates and tutors. The city is a rare example of UNESCO heritage status being removed due to new buildings completed in the city centre. With the experience of our tutors and tour guides, it was really interesting to consider how cities deal with preserving their built heritage whilst also allowing for new projects to support and expand their economies.

Do you have a favourite module? If so, tell us all about it!

My favourite module has been Heritage Business Management. This was my first real taste of a module that didn't require me to write an essay, but rather a report. This different style of assessment gave me more freedom with my structure, as well as developing practical skills for approaching different types of real-world heritage projects.

What's your career goal, and how is studying your course at Birmingham helping you reach this?

I’m hoping to find a role in heritage property management when I graduate. The course has been really geared towards preparation for a future career. We’ve had lots of guest lecturers from all over the world, and from varying industries related to heritage. I also had the opportunity to complete a placement module at Winterbourne, connected to the University, which equipped me practical knowledge and experience about running events at heritage sites, which was insightful as I develop my career aspirations.

How has receiving a College of Arts and Law Masters Scholarship benefitted you in pursuing postgraduate study?

Receiving this scholarship made postgraduate study possible for me, so I’m incredibly grateful for it. I’ve been able to focus on my studies instead of worrying about how I would pay my graduate debt off. As someone from a single parent, low socio-economic background, it made the world of higher education feel open and accessible to me. Masters scholarships can be quite hard to find, so when I discovered the College of Arts and Law (CAL) scholarship, I was determined to apply for it. When applying for the scholarship, I’d recommend expressing how much the scholarship would mean to you, as well as finding some referees to support your application.

What do you think is unique about the University of Birmingham?

I’ve been impressed by how career focused the University is, which makes me feel supported when looking for jobs. I also love the green space that the campus offers, which has been a great location for taking breaks from the library in the warmer months.

Why is the city of Birmingham a good place to study your subject?

Despite being local to Birmingham all my life, through my course I’ve discovered so many new heritage sites and attractions that I never knew existed so close to me. This was particularly true when discovering the options for the placement module. The University has maintained these links for several years with some organisations, which makes entry into the heritage world feel less intimidating as a Birmingham student. It has been eye opening to see what the wider West Midlands can offer in terms of heritage, which can often be forgotten as a bit of a no man's land between the sites of the south and north of England. Birmingham also has amazing transport links to travel to other areas of the Midlands and beyond, which makes it feel very well connected and lively.