Humanities
Former Humanities students share their experiences at Callywith, what they are up to now and what they are planning on doing next.
From the course
Maddy-Rose
Progression: History - Cambridge University
Courses studied: A Level History, English Literature, Biology and Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)
Previous school: Fowey River Academy
How are you finding your course/experience at uni?
I am absolutely loving University life. The History course here at Cambridge, while challenging, is immensely engaging. I have had the opportunity to explore areas of especial interest to me such as Modern British Political History, particularly our imperial with Northern Ireland, while also exploring completely new areas of study, in Lent term I got the opportunity to take a Classics paper on Ancient Rome.
How did your time at Callywith influence and support your choice of/transition to university?
The whole history department at Callywith were fantastic. My lecturer was immensely inspiring and, having studied South Africa in our lectures, has motivated me to undertake an extended essay for my final degree on race, class and gender in South Africa. Before coming to a history lecture in my second week of college I was not even taking History A level- it is fair to say the lectures at Callywith inspired the direction I have taken in my academic career.
Not only this but the history department gave me unmatched support in writing my personal statement and helping me through the vigorous Cambridge admissions process.
How have your A Levels helped you in your degree?
The History departments’ brilliant work on our A level course work along with my EPQ have equipped me well for the research and writing process required University level essays. Further to this my brilliant English lecturers refined my writing style and gave me fantastic advice and support during the stressful exam period. While Biology may seem like the outlier in my choices, it nevertheless developed my critical thinking skills which are vital in any degree.
What are you hoping to do in the future?
While I am not yet certain on my future plans I am considering undertaking a law conversion in the hopes of becoming a barrister.
Cerys
Progression: Ancient History - Durham University
Courses studied: A Level History, Philosophy, English Literature
Extra Activities: Academic Academy, Extended Project Qualification (EPQ)
Previous School: Wadebridge School
How are you finding your course/experience at uni?
I am loving university life so far! I have met so many new people and it is a great experience which I would recommend to anyone considering it. I am really enjoying my course, it offers lots of varied areas which are all super interesting.
How did your time at Callywith influence and support your choice of/transition to university?
Callywith were very helpful with showing all the different options available to us post-college, 'Your future's week' was particularly useful in highlighting the variety of options, and to get us started at looking at the universities we may want to attend. My Tutor and Lecturers were very supportive in all aspects of my transition to university, answering any questions I had about it and supporting me with writing my personal statement and UCAS application.
What did you enjoy in particular about studying A Level History?
I really enjoyed the content we learnt, I found it all very interesting and varied. It allowed me to learn about topics, such as the British Empire and the American Civil war which I had never studied before, but found to be very fascinating. Even Nazi Germany which I had studied at GCSE was engaging as it went into a much more significnat amount of detail and developed on things that I had already learnt. Further, the different ways we were taught the content meant it was never boring, especially as second year content was often built upon from first year topics. The lecturers were great and super approachable, supporting me in every aspect of the course.
Why you chose to study your uni course?
I have always had a love for history, and I really enjoyed both GCSE and A level history so I knew it was something I would like to develop a step further. However, I had also enjoyed reading and listening to podcasts about ancient history, but had never been able to study it at school, so I thought I would do it at university.
How have your A Levels helped you in your degree?
As my course is fully essay based the essay writing skills I learnt in my A levels have been particularly useful. Especially how to reference and formulate a bibliography, which I learnt from completing my coursework in History and English Literature. It also helped me in learning how to manage my time and work, meaning I can balance both uni work and extracurricular activities.
What are you hoping to do in the future?
I want to go on after completing my degree to do a PGCE and train to be a primary school teacher.
Oscar
Progression: History - Exeter University
Courses studied: A Level History, Law, Philosophy of Religion and Ethics and AS Sociology
Extra Activites: Academic Academy
Previous School: St Joseph's School
How are you finding your course/experience at university?
My last year and a half at Exeter has been a wonderful experience. I have met many more people and of course, I love my degree. Exeter has been a great place to study, with a great atmosphere and ample support for the students. I have really enjoyed my course, as at university you can really specialise in certain areas and periods. The Medieval area has been mine. University gives you the opportunity to explore areas that you never heard of at GCSE or A Level.
With regards to experience, the social aspects of university are on par with the academic. In many ways that is a key pull for many prospective students, having that university experience. In many ways I reflect this, as when I am not studying, I can always be found in a club; the chess club that is.
Unfortunately, with Covid, in person teaching and socialising has been cut back considerably, which has impacted myself and the wider student body at large. Talking to students, it is clear that this has led to a downturn in their mental health, a fact that the university has acted on and is eager to improve the student experience in the face of this adversity.
Despite this, I have had one of the best experiences of my life here in Exeter, nearly reaching the heights of my time at Callywith. University was definitely the right choice for me. It allows me to exercise my intellectual curiosity to discover and explore new interesting areas of study.
How did your time at Callywith influence and support your choice of/transition to university?
My time at Callywith was instrumental in my choice and transition to university. Through the support of the teachers, I realised my potential and started to work towards my future. There were huge amounts of help in regard to applying to university. There can be huge amounts of anxiety and stress when applying, but with the help of my personal tutor, the process was streamlined and easily followed. Moreover, Callywith held lots of talks from potential universities that helped form my choice. It was also very useful to just talk to my lecturers and ask them about their experiences at university. It was very helpful to get accounts of what they experienced and how it has shaped their life.
In many, that point encapsulates a wider one about Callywith in general. The staff are very approachable and interact with the students in a way that learning becomes fun, the only downside to this was that I found it a bit of a shock when I did not have to call them ‘Miss’, or ‘Sir’. These factors also helped the transition to university teaching as the lessons were more often like seminars, where we would all discuss what was being taught in an open and thoughtful way.
What do you enjoy in particular about studying History?
This is a hard question. I remember writing in my personal statement the general statement of ‘history was a study of our past and also our future’, which not only sounded good at the time, but now I think it is much more complicated and harder to answer. I have always liked history and have always been good at it, that’s the first part. The second is that while studying at university, history allows me to exercise freedom of thought when looking back into the past, which I find very exciting. Working with primary sources has been really fun. I am currently working on an independent project that investigates how the Fourth Crusade impacted the potential of church union, with those sources being very rich and vivid. So, by studying history, the past is brought back to life. That is what I enjoy.
How have your A Levels helped you in your degree?
A Level History gave me the foundational skills needed to pursue a history degree. It allowed me to investigate primary source material, put forward my own answers and further opened my eyes to the richness that studying history has to offer. I would like to say a special thanks to the Callywith history team. Those lessons were very enjoyable, with the entire team being highly exceptional.
What are you hoping to do in the future?
That is a good question. Currently I would like to join the Foreign Office. It looks like a very worthwhile job with great opportunities abroad. Conversely, thanks to my Law classes in Callywith I would also like to be a barrister. Failing that, I harbour an ambition to be a published historian.
Freya
Progression: Politics and International Relations - Exeter University
Courses studied: A Level Philosophy, Psychology and Sociology
Extra Activites: Extended Project Qualification and sustainabiltity group
Previous School: Sir James Smith Community School
How are you finding your course/experience at university?
University is amazing! The people and environment are really supportive!
How did your time at Callywith influence and support your choice of/transition to university?
Being a student ambassador really helped me build confidence and communication skills that I now am really thankful for in seminars when I have to put points across confidently and succinctly.
What do you enjoy in particular about studying Politics/Philosophy?
I am particularly enjoying learning about the historical and philosophical roots of politics. Being able to link in and extend the philosophy learned at college!
How have your A Level studies helped you in your degree?
My a levels really helped me develop critical thinking skills and the seeds of knowledge that I am now able to take forwards into my degree!
What are you hoping to do in the future?
In the future I am hoping to continue my education to a masters and hopefully doctorate level focusing on environmental and feminist politics!
Ian
Progression: Medieval History - University of St Andrews
Courses studied: A level Economics, Law and History
Previous School: Sir James Smith Community School
How are you finding your course/experience at university?
I would be lying if I said that I didn't find online learning challenging to a certain extent, however the overall experience of going to university has been an enjoyable one- having the independence of living at halls has been very liberating and the ability to study my favourite aspects of my subject in depth has been incredibly rewarding and I have genuinely enjoyed being able to research these areas.
How did your time at Callywith influence and support your choice of/transition to university?
As someone from a homeschooled background, Callywith helped me a great deal in developing my academic skills and understanding as well as the social aspect of college which has helped no end in being able to engage with new people and make friends wherever I am. Lecturers at Callywith College also helped my choice of university by encouraging me to look at the wider selection of university courses available to me.
What do you enjoy in particular about studying History?
I've always had a passion for history, having been brought up on family outings to museums, castles, etc., I find history both a fascinating subject to study and a rewarding one as it allows you to develop your ability to understand the world around you by learning how things have come to be. Studying history requires you to develop your critical thinking by challenging and evaluating sources and I think this is important not only to your broader understanding of the world but also in the development of yourself as a person.
How have your A Level studies helped you in your degree?
My A-levels have provided me with a solid foundation in understanding how to analyse and evaluate academic material as well teaching me how to structure coherent arguments. My A-levels have also helped me to develop my understanding of academic research and related skills like referencing.
What are you hoping to do in the future?
I am hoping on either going on to serve in the Armed Forces or the Civil Service.
Anna
Progression: Physical Geography - University of Leeds
Courses studied: A Level Geography, Biology, Chemistry
Extra activites: Academic Academy and Student Ambassador
Previous school: Looe Community Academy
How did Callywith influence and support you in your application to university?
The lecturers at Callywith pushed me to my full potential and allowed me to realise that reaching my goals would take a lot of hard work, but they were always there to support me along the way. Attending the Academic Academy showed me some of the pathways I could choose, which was both interesting and useful in helping me decide what I wanted to do in the future.
How have your A Level studies helped you in your degree?
I chose to continue my studies in Geography at university because it enables me to understand the world around me both in terms of the physical and human environment, therefore studying it at university allows me to keep my horizons broad and travel the world. The degree builds on the knowledge already established at A level whist also introducing new concepts and strands of geography that had perhaps not previously been touched upon meaning that the course is both interesting and challenging. I chose to do Physical Geography at Leeds University as it is a research-based course meaning I still get to spend time in the labs which I very much enjoyed at A level.
How are you finding your course / experience at university?
I love the atmosphere at Uni because everyone is so supportive of each other so even when I am feeling unsure in my course, there is a whole support network in the university as well as people on my course who are happy to help. The independence gained at Uni can be slightly daunting, but I adapted quickly to the student lifestyle.
What are you hoping to do in the future?
I hope to study for a masters in Environmental Management.
Robyn
Progression: BSc Geography - Plymouth University
Courses studied: A Level Geography, Biology and Environmental Science
Previous school: Looe Community Academy
How did Callywith influence and support you in your application to university?
My tutor, Matt, and my other lecturers helped me all through the university application process, from writing my personal statement, to finding the right course. My lecturers also pushed me to do my best in all my subjects and made sure to give feedback and advice where possible. The college helped every step of the way which made the transition much easier as I felt supported.
How have your A Level studies helped you in your degree?
A Level Geography gave me the initial skills for my degree and I still use them in my coursework. My Environmental Science A Level was also really helpful with the physical aspects in the lab with my degree.
How are you finding your course / experience at university?
I am enjoying student life at uni and studying as I am doing a subject I love and am passionate about. The course is so interesting and helps widen my knowledge.
I love studying Geography as it is incorporated in everything we do, past, present and future, I chose it at uni because I want to be able to learn more and more. There are so many aspects to Geography, from the physical factors such as; climate change, water insecurity, sustainability issues. To the human factors; cultures, space and politics. And so many more!
What are you hoping to do in the future?
In the future I hope to work with the fight against climate change.