Culture of the European Renaissance -MA

When I decided to specialise in Renaissance studies, I knew this MA offered by the Centre for the Study of the Renaissance, at the University of Warwick, would give me not only the education I wanted, but also the experience of a lifetime. As a foreign student, I considered it a great opportunity to live in the UK for some time, but the term in Venice made the whole situation of living abroad even better than I had expected. When I was admitted to study this course in 2021, I feared the pandemic could be a serious problem. However, the University achieved to keep everything under control, making it possible to me to have a normal academic year.
I was taught various subjects through an inter-disciplinary method by wonderful teachers whose priority is that their students learn and develop their thinking and research skills in the best possible way. I was able to deepen my knowledge of one of my favourite topics, the Art of the early modern period, especially when I was in Venice for 10 weeks, where I could appreciate many pieces of artwork in relation to their original context. The term in Warwick also allowed me to be in touch with an interesting cultural atmosphere. The best part of both places is that I was able to share all these new experiences with other students whom I had just met and with whom I formed friendships, even from different disciplines or courses.
After finishing my course, I had to think carefully about what path to follow for my future. I had met several PhD students at the Centre for the Study of the Renaissance whose dedication and passion made me consider this option. However, I chose to develop my career in the field of museums, but only because I had worked previously in museums and I knew it was the right choice for me. In fact, soon after my course ended, I got a new temporary job in a museum in my country, where I could help to organise an exhibition that I will always be proud of, having written several texts that were praised, among other intellectual and creative tasks. While now I keep looking for new opportunities, I must say I am very grateful to Warwick for my personal and professional growth.

During my final year of a BSc in Physics at the University of Warwick, I enrolled on a module with the CSR. At the time I thought this would be my last chance to learn something new before graduating and beginning my career. Instead, I found a new passion in learning about Renaissance Europe, and after a term studying under Professor David Lines and Professor Ingrid de Smet, I felt inspired to pursue the MA in the Culture of the European Renaissance.

Having no prior experience in related fields, I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to study the Renaissance from different perspectives, such as art history, and to learn about the different methodologies which can be applied to historical research. Over the course of the MA I developed a range of new skills, including palaeography, which allowed me to succeed in my dissertation focusing on traveller reception and social exchange in Italian rural osterie in the long seventeenth century, supervised by Professor Beat Kümin. I greatly valued the opportunity to work with and learn from Beat.

Since completing my MA, I have worked for a software company, and am now working as an Assistant Project Manager for Nuclear Waste Services. I believe my combination of diverse degrees has equipped me for a career in project management, due to the varied skills required. I would encourage anyone who has an interest in the Renaissance, regardless of subject background, to complete further study with the CSR.

Walking along streets which are still named after the traders who worked on them, studying altarpieces in the churches for which they were designed, breathing the air of the Adriatic while gazing at an impossibly beautiful sunset... Then there's the cuisine! The value of immersing yourself in a culture in this way cannot be overstated. The Venice term, both intellectually and as a unique life experience, was extraordinary -- an opportunity not to be missed...!