20/01/2016, by CLAS

Returning to Russian Studies at Nottingham

I began an MA (by research) in September 2015: I am looking at the impact of politics on Russian heavy metal music in the mid-1980s. I actually started studying Russian at Nottingham in 2002 and graduated in German and Russian in 2006, but to come back during the centenary year for Russian Studies at Nottingham is very exciting! I first chose Nottingham all those years ago because the teaching and facilities were exemplary, and I think they have only improved with time. The Department is small but this makes for a great community feel: even though I am a part-time student, I feel welcome and accommodated when I do go in. The Trent Building, too, is somewhere I have called home since the second week of my first term, even while I was out of University: part of this was because I attended events as an alumna and the staff and students were always incredibly friendly. The massive range of societies, too, is a big draw: it’s one of the main reasons I came to Nottingham in the first place and it’s also the main reason I never left. From the intricacies of Russian poetry to nuances in translating military tank specifications, I have learned all sorts of cultural and linguistic novelties at Nottingham: the breadth and depth of knowledge among the staff and students is profuse. Of course, being able to research the early days of Russian heavy metal is fantastic: I couldn’t think of anywhere I’d rather have returned to!
Dawn Hazle, MA Student in Russian Studies

Posted in Russian and Slavonic Studies