"I have decided to follow the Master's programme Ancient History because I have always been extremely interested in the fascinating world of Ancient Rome. Since I was a little child, The Romans were all I could talk about, and this Master's programme enabled me to continue to combine my passion with my studies at Leiden. Furthermore, I had a great relationship with the different lecturers who I met during my Bachelor's History. Moreover, the small-scale lectures and classes allowed me to deepen my knowledge of the ancient world on a more personal and intensive level."

Research what interests you

"I will be starting as a PhD-student at the University of Mainz in July, where I will write my dissertation on the gender constructions within the funerary context through a study of funerary inscriptions. While this might sound as a very dry or sombre subject, I am really excited to study how gender- and social status-related issues determine the organisation and reception of the deceased in the Roman world!"

Essentials for the academic world

"The Master's programme offered me the opportunity to intensively work with professors and lecturers on subjects that I found really interesting. In multiple instances, I was allowed to formulate my own research. Because of this, I have already done extensive studies on ancient epigraphy. Furthermore, students at Leiden University require a high level of independent thinking and researching, which is a feature that might be considered essential for working within the academic world."

“Historical research skills come in handy for all kinds of jobs. In fact, historians are quite sought after in the business world. As an information management trainee, I will be looking at how organisations organise and archive their information and how those processes could be more efficient.”

Valuable skills

“Although I’m currently doing a traineeship to learn about all the specific systems, the foundations are actually already there. After all, during your History degree you learn to search, select, prioritise and organise large quantities of diverse sources and process them into something new. In a way, that’s what I’ll be doing, but as an advisor on information processes at government institutions."

A lot of experience

“I chose the Master's program in Ancient History in Leiden because it best suited my interests. I had confidence in the teaching of Leiden University because I did my Bachelor there and wanted to stay at the same university. I combined the MA in Ancient History with a part-time job as an examination officer at the NTI university of applied sciences. After I graduated last year, I was able to move to a new position within the company, where I gained a lot of experience. This helped me in finding my new job as an information management trainee.”