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Maddy Purscell is studying MA Russian and East European Literature and Culture.
Why did you choose to study at UCL SSEES?
When I was 15, I read the memoirs of Catherine the Great, and I fell absolutely in love with her story. I knew that I wanted to study Russia and Eastern Europe, and I’d always wanted to study in London. UCL SSEES was the best of both worlds!
What are you studying and what attracted you to this particular course?
I am studying MA Russian and East European Literature and Culture. It is a one-year program. I was interested in this particular course because I love studying literature and its cultural influences, and several of the offered modules caught my attention when I was researching programs.
How is your course going? Any favourite modules so far?
I’m enjoying both of my current modules, but I am most excited for Crossroads of Culture: Language and Identity in the Literatures of Ukraine from Crimea to the Shtetls! It caught my attention right away when I was first researching modules.
How does postgraduate study differ from undergraduate study?
The discussions we have in postgraduate seminars are much more in depth and methodological than in undergraduate seminars. You delve deeply into each topic, and each seminar builds on top of everything that you’ve learned previously. Thankfully, my undergraduate degree was also in Russian and Eastern European Studies, so thankfully I had a very strong foundation coming into the program!
How would you describe the academic staff at SSEES? What is the support like?
Everyone is so kind and helpful! I was really panicked when I first arrived in London, and I wasn’t sure if I could handle everything on my own. I reached out to my student tutor, and she and the program administrator reassured me and made sure that I knew everything would be okay so I could be prepared for the start of term. I couldn’t have done it without them!
What about the social life?
Both SSEES and UCL as a whole have plenty of options to socialize! Clubs, societies, areas on campus. London also has a ton of societies and clubs you can join depending on your interests.
What are your future plans/aspirations?
I want to continue my postgraduate studies in Slavonic Languages and Literature with the goal of eventually teaching!
Any advice for those thinking about taking this course?
I’d definitely recommend doing your research beforehand! I looked through all the available modules and considered which ones I would be interested in taking. I also looked at the interests of the department staff to see if their research aligned with my interests and what I might want to write my dissertation on! It made it much easier to register for classes and feel confident with my program plan.