Hanna Cochran

1: What are you doing now?

I am currently doing a History PGCE at the University of Cumbria. I am undertaking my initial teacher training on the School Direct pathway, where I am in school four days a week getting hands-on experience and in university once a week. I am learning so much about how people learn which is a fascinating topic in itself – as well as the history of course! I always loved history at school however it wasn’t until I did my degree that I understood the extent to which the study of history underpins the political, social and economic foundations of the society we operate in today and it is a pleasure to be able to explore this with future historians.

I absolutely loved my time studying History and Journalism at the University of Chester. Due to curriculum and time constraints, schools often discuss the headlines of world history. I knew I loved history, research, analysis and evaluation, but I didn’t initially have a particular specialism to utilise my thrive for knowledge. The first year of the history programme is excellent for helping you find your historical ‘calling’ as it offers a great variety of specialisms and specialist lecturers to give you a taster of different periods and topics. My favourite part of my degree was my studies guided by Dr. Katherine Wilson. I was able to delve into Europe’s rich commercial history and the intricacies of merchant communities, international trade and urban networks (and much more). My studies of this later inspired my research focus for my dissertation, where I was able to combine my knowledge of merchant politics, business relationships and urban networks with medieval feminism and epistolary.

3: How did your degree prepare you for your current role?

My degree prepared me for my role first and foremost by building my knowledge of world history and the historical discipline which I now get to impart upon my fabulous students! The skills which are embedded throughout the programme such as research, analysis and written communication are incredibly useful and transferable skills which can be applied in a variety of employment environments. The support of the History department, enabled me to develop my writing and research as well as build greater confidence and resilience as a historian and an individual – which comes in very handy in my current position!