Lampeter Difference

The

LAMPETER Difference

EXPLORE

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THE LAMPETER DIFFERENCE I 3

CONTENTS

LAMPETER: TO US YOU ARE A NAME, NOT A NUMBER

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LAMPETER: BE INSPIRED

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TRADITION IN A MODERN SETTING

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UNIVERSITY, TOWN AND COMMUNITY: ‘TOWN AND GOWN’

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CAMPUS LIFE

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LAMPETER: AN ISLAND OF LEARNING

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SUPPORTING STUDENTS

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UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES: THE RODERIC BOWEN LIBRARY AND ARCHIVE

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MAKING THE MOST OF LAMPETER: STUDY, TRAVEL AND WORK

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LEARNING AT LAMPETER

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CLASSICS AND ANCIENT HISTORY

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HISTORY & MEDIEVAL STUDIES

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PHILOSOPHY

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CHINESE STUDIES

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ARCHAEOLOGY

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ANTHROPOLOGY

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THEOLOGY, RELIGIOUS AND ISLAMIC STUDIES

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ENGLISH & CREATIVE WRITING

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A VIBRANT RESEARCH COMMUNITY

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THE LAMPETER DIFFERENCE I 5

Over the next few pages, we want to introduce you to the things that make Lampeter unlike any other University by showing you the opportunities an education at Lampeter offers you, not only for your time here as an undergraduate but for your whole life. Through conversations with the people who make Lampeter unique we want to show you how we can help you fulfil your potential while transforming your understanding of the world.

LEARNING IS COLLABORATIVE RATHER THAN COMPETITIVE; VALUES ARE CENTRAL; THERE IS A STRONG SENSE OF COMMUNITY.

Lampeter is a unique experience. It blends the new with traditional educational values. We were founded in 1822 making us the oldest degree awarding University in England and Wales outside of Oxford and Cambridge. Today Lampeter forms a Liberal Arts campus as part of a larger University known as the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. We gain strength from such scale but we also have distinction from remaining a small college community of some 1000 UG students, situated in picturesque mid-Wales, near to both the coast and the Cambrian hills.

LAMPETER: TO US YOU ARE A NAME, NOT A NUMBER

Lampeter specialises in the Humanities, ranging from Archaeology to English or from Ancient History to Chinese Studies, with an awful lot in between. Some students choose to study two subject areas (a joint honours), so perhaps Theology and Classical Studies or Philosophy and Medieval Studies. Yet others choose to take Humanities as a major alongside a ‘minor’ subject. So, for example, a major in Religious Studies with a minor in

NE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CHOICES YOU WILL MAKE IN LIFE IS

Education Studies, or a major in Anthropology with a minor in Psychology or even a

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mix.

WORKING YOUR WAY THROUGH THE HIGHER EDUCATION ADMISSIONS

Every student is heavily involved in their own education. There are no passive ears;

PROCEDURE, IT’S EASY FOR YOU TO FEEL OVERWHELMED.

students and academic staff work together. Learning is collaborative rather than

NOT JUST WHERE YOU GO TO UNIVERSITY, BUT WHAT SORT OF

EDUCATION YOU GET WHILE YOU’RE THERE. HOWEVER WHEN

major in History and a minor in Heritage Management. It’s your degree, you choose the

competitive; values are central; there is a strong sense of community. At Lampeter Every institution offers a fractionally different experience from the others. After a

academic staff members know their students and it’s impossible to fade into the

while, and with the best will in the world, colleges and universities sometimes seem

woodwork.

to blend together in a swirl of courses and campuses. What makes Lampeter a different kind of University is our small, friendly and supportive environment. We know everyone by their name and we offer an outstanding student experience that can be found nowhere else. We want to make a difference to your life. For us you are a name and never a number.

Though we are small, we cast a wide net. For learning in Lampeter has an international flavour. Our students and lecturers come from different countries and diverse backgrounds and our students have options abound to live and study in other places around the world.

Diversity and mutual respect are the foundation of the green jewel of Lampeter.

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THE LAMPETER DIFFERENCE I 7

DEVOTION TO THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE OF EACH STUDENT ISN’T THE EXCEPTION BUT THE RULE

LAMPETER: BE INSPIRED HE HUMANITIES ARE ABOUT THINKING AND ABOUT PEOPLE;

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AT LAMPETER YOU’LL BE TRAINED TO THINK CRITICALLY,

TO THINK CREATIVELY AND THINK INDEPENDENTLY.

Over your three years of study, we can offer you academic expertise, international scholarship and a collegial, supportive environment within which you will thrive. We encourage your passion for subject by offering insights into the wider world; we explore a world of ideas and theories, of diverse cultures and related communities and of imagined pasts and constructed pasts. We encourage you to analyse texts, be they Egyptian Hieroglyphs, medieval love poems or a speech by President Obama; to appraise artefacts, be they pre-historic bones or modern rubbish, and to decode visual representations, from ancient cave paintings to paramilitary wall murals in Belfast. In the process we learn collaboratively about ourselves and our community, about where we are in the world, where we have come from and where we want to go.

Our emphasis is on individualised instruction. Our tutors are dedicated to teaching and developing a passion for learning. Here, the student voice doesn’t just matter, it is the bedrock for learning. Our students master their fields of interest, learn to communicate effectively, succeed as part of teams, and develop a sense of social responsibility while giving back to the community. We believe that learning is best developed in an environment where students participate fully in the life of the campus. We believe everyone should have the opportunity to undertake a higher degree, on a subject they love and in surroundings that are as beautiful as they are unique.

In our personalised learning environments, academics, students and staff work closely together in a community of discussion and opportunity. Our outdoor areas are alive with the exchange of ideas, of the occasional clash of swords, and of students having fun together as they learn. At Lampeter you’ll learn in small classes and find an emphasis on individualised instruction from a dedicated staff whose devotion to the learning experience of each student isn’t the exception but the rule.

Our classes are intimate and interactive. In the process of which we enhance your personal and social skills, necessary for a range of careers. The skills you learn in Lampeter will equip you for long-term career development and will always be in demand. We challenge students to become their best because we know each of them, what they care about and what they can achieve. Embracing a distinctive style of undergraduate education in which the individual and the place matter, we prepare students for life after graduation.

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LAMPETER HAS LONG BEEN A PERFECT ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH TO UNLOCK AND INDULGE YOUR ACADEMIC INTERESTS

THE LAMPETER DIFFERENCE I 9

TRADITION IN A MODERN SETTING AMPETER IS AN OXFORD COLLEGE REPLICATED IN THE BEAUTIFUL

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SETTING OF WEST WALES. ITS ORIGINAL FOUNDATION BACK IN 1822

WAS AS AN ANGLICAN COLLEGE TO BRING TRAINING FOR THE

CHURCH WITHIN REACH OF A WIDE SPECTRUM OF STUDENTS FOR WHOM OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE WAS EITHER TOO EXPENSIVE OR TOO FAR. From the 1860s and 1870s the College broadened its base and appeal to the Humanities as a whole and it is the Humanities that, in one form or another, have been core to what Lampeter is ever since. This long tradition provides the academic foundation for an ethos and sense of place that looks to develop in every one of its students an intellectual curiosity and personal confidence.

A tradition that will help realise everybody’s potential and which seeks to build upon and encourage the deep and lasting passion for subject which our students have. We share your passion. The high quality of our lecturing staff testifies to this. All are specialists in their chosen fields, experienced as researchers and published academics, who in research assessment exercises hold an internationally recognised reputation for scholarship. So whether your passion is Philosophy or English, Classical Studies or Theology, History or Archaeology, Creative Writing or Anthropology, Lampeter has long been a perfect environment in which to unlock and indulge your academic interests.

With tradition also comes collegial pride and academic rigour. Students are trained in the appropriate academic skills and approaches with which to undertake individual study. These skills include a critical approach to study, an ability to interrogate and appraise arguments and source materials, and an ability to balance up opinions to craft a clear line of argument. These are skills that we look to hone and polish in our students over three years of study and in a supportive environment where tutors are here to assist and encourage. In this way we will train and equip you for life after Lampeter, and so you’ll enter the modern world of work with a 21st century skill set.

Employers today are not looking for the finished article in their new employees; they are seeking people who can think for themselves, who can question and challenge, who can work through a problem and who can act in collaboration with others in pursuit of a common goal. This is what Lampeter can do for you. It can give you the opportunities to flourish and the skills to carve for yourself whatever career path you choose to take.

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T H E L A M P E T E R D I F F E R E N C E I 11

Lampeter is not a place where you will find a multiplex, a shopping mall or a night life comparable with Rio di Janeiro at Carnival time. But it is a place of vibrancy and energy where you will find a variety of shops covering everything from clothes to camping equipment, and from fresh fish (Smiths’ fish wagon) to fine dining at the Falcondale. The town boasts three supermarkets, two Chemists, two electrical shops, an Outward Bounds’ retailers, a small theatre, and several stationery and art shops. A wide range of food options are available. There are

AS A FACULTY WE BELIEVE STRONGLY IN SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES, SOCIAL JUSTICE AND RESPECT FOR THE BREADTH AND DIVERSITY OF THE WORLD AROUND US

three bakeries which amongst everything else sell freshly made Welsh cakes and pancakes (before 10.30 a.m. on Tuesday mornings they are still warm!). The town has eight pubs - some even shut occasionally - two Fish and Chip shops, two Chinese restaurants, an Indian Take-away, and the organic option at the Mulberry Bush. To pick out just three student haunts, the first would be the world-famous Conti’s cafe which still makes its own ice-cream. Second would be Hags the music and DVD shop, a real treasure trove and a rival to Amazon for the breadth of its catalogue, and lastly the second-hand bookshop,

UNIVERSITY, TOWN AND COMMUNITY: ‘TOWN AND GOWN’

equally as broad in its range and where you might find the latest Dan Brown nestling side by side with Dante’s Divine Comedy.

It’s people that make the place and Lampeter’s people have welcomed Lampeter students into their communities for almost two centuries. Lampeter students respond through volunteerism, civic engagement, and a lifelong affinity for the area - many simply never leave. With numerous student organisations, countless leadership

AMPETER IS A UNIVERSITY TOWN WHERE STUDENTS AND STAFF

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opportunities, and an active, civic-minded community, Lampeter students learn to

ARE INTEGRAL TO ITS CULTURAL, ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY

embrace opportunities both on campus and in the wider community. This engagement

LIFE, AND WHERE THE TOWN - ITS PEOPLE, SHOPS, PUBS AND

fits our values. As a Faculty we believe strongly in sustainable communities, social

GROUPS - ARE WOVEN INTO THE FABRIC OF THE UNIVERSITY. THE TWO

justice and respect for the breadth and diversity of the world around. That world is

WORK TOGETHER TO MUTUALLY ENRICH AND ENLIVEN THE

Lampeter but it’s also something bigger. Uniquely for its size, Lampeter has a distinct

EXPERIENCE OF LAMPETER. HOW DOES THIS REALLY WORK?

international feel - in its outlook, in its student body and Faculty, in its curriculum, in its

One example would be the Lampeter museum, a joint venture between the University and the Local History Society, run jointly by society members and volunteer students, who are able to acquire first hand experience of museum and heritage work, curatorship, running exhibitions and constructing public displays, while gaining insights into the history and culture of their adopted home. Second, the University Rugby club plays on the town’s rugby pitch, it trains with the town team mid-week and even turns out for them at weekends. Not bad for one of the oldest Rugby clubs in Wales, indeed it was at Lampeter that rugby was first played in Wales.

extraordinary study-abroad opportunities, and in the impact of its graduates; its reach, impact and reputation are global.

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T H E L A M P E T E R D I F F E R E N C E I 13

YOU WILL GROW INTELLECTUALLY BUT YOU WILL ALSO THRIVE AT A PERSONAL AND SOCIAL LEVEL

CAMPUS LIFE IFE AT LAMPETER IS RICH, VARIED AND UNIQUE. THE ETHOS OF THE CAMPUS

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IS FRIENDLY, INCLUSIVE AND SUPPORTIVE. WHOEVER YOU ARE AND

WHEREVER YOU COME FROM, AT LAMPETER YOUR VOICE WILL BE RESPECTED,

YOUR CONTRIBUTION RECOGNISED AND YOUR PARTICIPATION REWARDED. Though you will join one of the four academic Schools, you will always feel part of something bigger, part of a genuine College community, that works (and plays) together. You will grow intellectually but you will also thrive at a personal and social level, and the friends you make will remain friends for life. That is a key part of the unique Lampeter experience.

When not in tutorials, or seminars or lectures, students might be found studying quietly in the library or chatting over coffee in the 1822 ‘Starbucks’ cafe or discussing in the bar an academic controversy following a recent seminar. Alternatively they might have gone shopping in town or taken a short bus ride to the coast for honey-flavoured ice-cream in the fishing village of Aberaeron. One of the more popular afternoon activities (excluding all the sports events held on Wednesday afternoons) is the medieval re-enactment society whose twice weekly ‘staged’ battles in the middle of the campus provide huge enjoyment for participants and a great viewing spectacle for everyone else. In the summer, the banks of the river Dulas that runs through the campus becomes a patchwork of barbeques, picnics, quiet reading and reflection, and games of Rounders or Frisbee.

Other students might decide to head indoors to the Roderic Bowen Archives to finish off their on-line exhibition of ancient Egyptian artefacts. In the evening students might be found in the Students’ Union (with its multiple attractions) or in the Sports Hall (five-a-side football was all the rage last year) or in the new dance studio or weights room, or with an assignment coming up, studying hard in the library. Perhaps students might be attending a society meeting of some sort (the Pudding club has been popular in recent years) or simply sitting around, chatting with friends, before they stroll into town to one of the (many) pubs. Perhaps that evening they dared take on the ‘Lion tamer’ dinner at the Black Lion pub, a plate so heaving with food that if ever cleared would not require payment. You can make of Lampeter what you want and that can be as busy or as quiet as you wish. Whatever your choice, you will love the experience.

Abbie Carrington is the current Students’ Union President: ‘We have an amazingly engaged student body and this is rare. The NUS have just done some research on student engagement with voting turn-out (for its elections etc) and what proportion of its student body voted. We came top of all Universities in the UK in terms of turn out - that’s amazing. The average for other Universities was 19%, ours was 56%. That says bucket-loads about us as a campus, as a Students’ Union and as a University’.

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T H E L A M P E T E R D I F F E R E N C E I 15

THINK OF A PLACE WHERE OPEN COUNTRYSIDE IS NO MORE THAN A TEN MINUTE WALK AWAY; A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN WALK, CYCLE AND EXPLORE.

LAMPETER: AN ISLAND OF LEARNING MAGINE GOING SOMEWHERE AWAY FROM THE BRIGHT LIGHTS OF THE

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CITY. AN ISLAND OF LEARNING NESTLING ON THE EDGES OF AN AREA

THAT, DUE TO ITS LACK OF HUMAN HABITATION, WAS KNOWN TO 19TH

CENTURY ENGLISH TRAVEL WRITERS AS A FOREIGN COUNTRY. Think of a place where open countryside is no more than a ten minute walk away; a place where you can walk, cycle and explore. A place where in the morning you can trek on ponies and by early afternoon you can be surfing off the Cardigan coast.

From the high ground in the Cambrian Mountains there are views of the whole of upland Wales.

Hidden within its folds are lakes, waterfalls, deserted valleys, and high escarpments. This is the environment that helped preserve the iconic red kite, which you will see wheeling above the campus and the valleys toward Llanybydder to the west. North of Tregaron, you will find the isolated splendour of Cors Caron. Spanning 2,000, acres it is an internationally important wildlife and wetland reserve. A peat bog, stranded 170 metres above sea level, where the still pools mirror the endless sky.

Westward, you have the rugged and beautiful Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion coastal paths, part of the All Wales network that goes (more or less) around the whole of the Welsh coast. You can dolphin spot at New Quay, climb cliffs at St Govan’s, or you can sit on a secluded beach - and there are a lot of those - and watch the sun go down, or come up.

In all of these places there are reminders of the past: abandoned settlements, standing stones, castles, churches, kilns, mines, and quarries. Many paths follow the line of the railway tracks that once brought resources from north and mid Wales down to the great factories and ports of the south.

Today these provide unique learning experiences, offering venues for Church historians, castles for Historians and Heritage Practice students, multiple locations for Anthropological fieldwork, the local Roman gold mines for regular Classics field trips, and countless Archaeological digs (Strata Florida, a ruined medieval abbey is now in its 10th year of excavation by University students; and in Tregaron our students are still searching for the skeleton of a 19th century elephant).

It is in this setting that in August 1822, to coincide with the birthday of King George IV, the foundation stone for the original university buildings at Lampeter were laid. It merited a brief mention in The Cambrian newspaper at the time. It is also the setting that helps explain the Faculty’s commitment to sustainable living through its INSPIRE initiative.

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T H E L A M P E T E R D I F F E R E N C E I 17

‘When lecturing my goal is to get the most out of students in a class. As Welfare officer my concern is not only for their academic progress, but for their broader well-being. That fits into a holistic approach to teaching. You want to push students to achieve their potential but provide them with someone to fall back on when they struggle; someone who can guide them to appropriate services within the University, if they cannot resolve their issues themselves. The fact that that every School on the Lampeter campus has someone dedicated to that role makes it easier to see how a student is coping, not only with their coursework but also with the rest of their life.

‘Looking at it from an American angle, Lampeter has the positive qualities of an American Liberal Arts College; students engage with university, there are clear degree goals, academics know their students by name. That close personal contact, between teachers and the student means that we can take proactive as well as reactive steps if we detect a problem.

‘Lampeter has a dedicated and caring community that is small enough to take care of people but large enough to allow you to have time to yourself.

‘Importantly, Lampeter is a secure place. You don’t have the hubbub of a large city or crowds jostling you in the street. Plus it’s quite pretty. There are plenty of opportunities to walk and see the countryside and that, in itself, allows students to find their own space and cope with the stresses of student life.’

SUPPORTING STUDENTS T LAMPETER WE RECOGNISE THAT THREE YEARS OF STUDY WILL

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REQUIRE A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT.

To meet this, the Faculty has recently concentrated all its student support and student-facing services into one place, the newly refurbished Canterbury building, where everything a student might need is now based; from financial advice to additional help with study skills, from accommodation matters to the international study abroad unit. Again, the best insight into how this all operates will come from the people who access the support and the people who provide the services.

KYLE ERICKSON, recently Welfare officer for the School of Classics, speaks quickly and precisely. ‘The student Welfare officer is the point of contact for students who have non-academic concerns or issues that impact on their academic lives.

We are not counsellors, but perform a sort of link point between the academic schools and the professional counselling, mentoring and other Student Services.’

‘From an academic perspective, it is useful for students to have someone they can talk to as an intermediary and even if the Welfare Officer teaches the students who come to see them, it gives a different point of view.’

TRISTAN NASH is sitting in the coffee shop. A tap on the shoulder. Looking up, I see a smiling and quizzical face; ‘Hello, I’m Tristan.’ Introductions over, Tristan perches on a seat.

‘I am a lecturer in Philosophy. My main area of teaching is moral philosophy. I am also the admissions tutor and student Welfare officer for Philosophy.’

‘What attracted me to Lampeter was its very friendly environment. Class sizes are small enough to allow discussion of the ideas. Lecturers get to know students as individuals and those individual relationships underpin study here.’

‘We don’t just look at your academic record. We look at you. We look at your experiences and the passion you have for your subject.’

‘A by-product of those processes is that Lampeter provides such a supportive and collegiate environment. Each student has a personal tutor who gives them as much academic support as they need while encouraging independent thought and study.’

A quick sip of his drink and Tristan is ready to continue, ‘I want students to know that you don’t have to struggle by yourself’. Support is there as and when you need it. There is a real ‘open door’ policy. We have regular office hours when students can drop in without appointment.’

‘A lot of my welfare role is bridging the divide between the academic School and Student Services. We can see if and when problems arise: it is why getting to know students as individuals is so important. We do not only respond to problems, we identify them and place appropriate support in place.

Tristan develops his point, ‘You see, the support you can get as a Lampeter student is part and parcel of your learning process. In my subject it is important to see the development of the student’s individual ideas. It is equally important to know students as individuals. That dual approach means that we work actively with our students, to engage them fully in the learning process.

‘In some respects, the support we offer is facilitated by the surroundings in which we offer it. The campus and town are friendly. The location is peaceful. There is great walking to be done around Lampeter. Go two miles down the road and you’re in the middle of open countryside. There is a relaxed pace to life. You are close to the coast and not the more ‘touristy’ bits.

One last smile as he thinks of something, ‘I suppose that is one of the reasons why so many former students remain close to Lampeter. It is hardly going to be a surprise when I say that Lampeter is a very nice place to live.

After all, I did both my undergraduate and PhD study here and now I teach here.’

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T H E L A M P E T E R D I F F E R E N C E I 19

UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES: THE RODERIC BOWEN LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES EYOND A DOUBT ONE OF THE MOST UNIQUE ASPECTS OF STUDY

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AT LAMPETER IS THE ACCESS STUDENTS HAVE TO THE TREASURES STORED WITHIN THE RODERIC BOWEN LIBRARY AND ARCHIVES.

It houses the Special Collections of some 35,000 printed works from before 1850, including a small collection of Medieval manuscripts (the oldest being c.1200), around 100 manuscripts from the Early Modern period and a host of other written treasures. What is utterly unique is that our students can browse, read, handle, research and investigate the collection - some even write their final year dissertation on something from the Special Collections. And it’s not just us that think this is impressive. The Welsh Assembly government, in providing funding for a purposebuilt, high-tech archive to house these treasures, has recognised it as a unique National cultural asset.

Peter Hopkins, the Archivist, is animated and impassioned about his subject; his enthusiasm is almost like a stream of consciousness narrative on the Roderic Bowen Library and Archives, the heart of Lampeter’s academic research experience.

‘From the outset, Lampeter had international links that extended way beyond Wales, the British Isles and even Europe. The first student to enrol in 1827 at Lampeter, his father was a sailor.

At the very first step there is a connection with the wider world.’

‘At Lampeter I have chance to work in a treasure house, one of the most important collections of its type anywhere. We are small enough to manage in detail and build up an understanding of the material we have. We can answer the questions. We can directly and immediately help people. It is fantastic because students get the chance to involve themselves directly with the archive and its materials. Other institutions cannot compete because they are just too big.’

‘Students have the chance to study in the archives. We have boxes of documents, mostly from the nineteenth century that are unknown, un-catalogued; we offer students the chance to be the first to open these boxes, find out what is in them, catalogue them, and curate an on-line exhibition.’

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T H E L A M P E T E R D I F F E R E N C E I 21

‘You might have early material regarding endowments with estate plans on vellum to photos of a rag week from 1960s. It’s not all dry and dusty stuff; you get an insight into student life from the beer books and disciplinary records: who drank what, how much of it they drank, whether they paid for it(!) and who got disciplined for making away with a local girl. Students can make real discoveries while finding out more about the world. You get up close and personal to the material and can make of it what you want.’

Peter pauses for a moment, ‘A lot of that is down to the people who were the benefactors behind Lampeter’s original foundation.’ Warming to his theme, he gazes around the library, ‘Thomas Phillips was so important. Born in the age of sail, he died in the age of steam. A man of action, he served in the British Navy during the American Revolution; travelled to the early colony in New South Wales; saw action in Nepal and Java.’

‘He made a lot of money trading and he retired to London in 1817.

STUDENTS GET TO TOUCH THE MANUSCRIPTS AND IN MANY WAYS THEY ARE GOING TO THE SOURCE OF ALL THE THINGS WE DO HERE.

He lived in Bloomsbury, which was the centre for reform especially of education. He was forward thinking and believed in a broad useful education to help people get better lives and better jobs.’

‘Phillips provided the University with about 25,000 books and manuscripts between 1834 and his death in 1851; in fact the last consignment of material from him arrived after his death.’

‘He gave Lampeter an enormous range of material: from medieval manuscripts to an early western novel. Some are unique, many are very scarce. We have books that belonged to kings, cardinals,

philosophers, including ones from John Locke and Thomas Cranmer. The material is diverse and visually very rich.’

‘One of the things I like to say to students is not to be restricted by your course. This is a once in a lifetime chance to handle original materials. If you were interested in railways, for example, we have

‘We have also established a museum on campus, a truly innovative project, in which we have converted the porter’s lodge into a museum for the University. We can give our students the chance to curate so that they can develop skills that are transferable to other careers after graduation.’

Sarah Roberts, who specialises in conservation for the Archive, is equally empassioned about the Collections.

‘I came here to do my MA in Landscape Management and Environmental Archaeology. I got a job in the library, worked in Registry and then about a year ago started working in the Roderic Bowen.’

original material from the time they were being built. It doesn’t matter what your field of study is, you

Sara looks out of the window and across the old hockey pitch below, ‘It is varied work: I get to work with

can come and see and touch things for yourself. It is a really eclectic collection, full of surprises. The

students, academics, former students who return, families of former students. There is an enormous variety

great thing about Lampeter is that, due to its quiet location, a lot of the material has not been mined by

of queries and no two days are really the same.’

researchers.’

‘For example, we have in our collection 8 wooden boxes made to look like books collated by a man called Alexander Dalrymple. When you open them, inside are descriptions of how to sail round the world - compiled from the 1760s to 1807. These books show the beginning of the British trading networks that encompassed the globe. We have a full set of plans, charts and descriptions of how to sail trade routes. These materials - basically a blueprint for how to exploit trade - are largely uncatalogued.’

‘The most interesting opportunity for students is that it is very hands-on work. Students get to touch the manuscripts and in many ways they are going to the source of all the things we do here.’

‘For example, in the mid-nineteenth century an English travel writer visited Lampeter and wrote about the Monk’s Blood manuscript. The story of the manuscript is that it came from one of the great early seminaries of the Celtic Church at Bangor-on-Dee. The invading Saxons pillaged the monastery, killed all the monks, and on this manuscript is the blood of one of them.’

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Smiling, Sara continues, ‘It is a nice story. George Borrow certainly thought so. He included it in his book Wild Wales. It is a nice story - apart from the fact that the manuscript dates from long after the destruction of the monastery. But it is the same manuscript in the library today, you can come and see it, examine it, form your own opinion.’

‘Students get hands-on experience with archival material and printed material. If you select the right modules you learn about preventative conservation and digitisation of material.’

Reflecting on the range of material, Sara expands her point, ‘There is the chance for truly original research and thought. It ties into every field of study here. You can compare translations of Homer through 400 years or so, study the Tract Collection - an important collection of ephemeral religious publications - and deal first hand with original philosophical and religious works.’

‘Coming up, there is the centenary of the events of World War One. Here, we have university magazines of the period, minutes, letters, personal diaries, paperwork to do with the impact of WWI on Lampeter life and student life. The Archive is an excellent resource for that and represents yet another opportunity for truly personal, relevant and original research.’

T H E L A M P E T E R D I F F E R E N C E I 23

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24 I U N I V E R S I T Y O F WA L E S T R I N I T Y S A I N T D AV I D L A M P E T E R

MAKING THE MOST OF LAMPETER: STUDY, TRAVEL AND WORK AMPETER IS A RICH AND DIVERSE LEARNING ENVIRONMENT MADE UP

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OF STUDENTS FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS, COMMUNITIES AND

STUDY ABROAD ENRICHES THE LEARNING EXPERIENCE AND ENHANCES A STUDENT’S CONFIDENCE INDEPENDENCE AND SELF RELIANCE

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COUNTRIES. THIS DIVERSITY MAKES IT PARTICULARLY APPEALING TO

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS WHO COME TO LAMPETER TO STUDY FOR A SEMESTER OR IN SOME CASES A WHOLE YEAR. Our International students find a very friendly welcome in Lampeter and absolutely love the place; its students, its tutors and its atmosphere. Many hate returning to their home institution; some have even stayed on to finish their degree with us. International students join in the rich and diverse rhythm of Lampeter life: indeed it was an International student who established the Lampeter Quidditch society.

Lampeter students also have the opportunity of going abroad to study for a semester at another University, usually in their second year. This is a marvellous opportunity for students to travel and experience a wholly new HE environment, based upon our strong connections with various Universities in Europe and particularly in North America. Study abroad enriches the learning experience, and in terms of enhancing a student’s confidence, independence and self reliance equips them with a set of personal and social skills held in high standing by future employers.

Of course study abroad is not the only way of enhancing your social and personal skills. Lampeter has a long tradition of volunteering and voluntary work, now recognised under the TSD Plus award. Help in the Students’ Union or run a student society or group or work as one of our student ambassadors, who help support students when they first arrive, take parents on campus tours or even go into schools to talk to local children and teachers about their experiences. All our courses place an emphasis on linking the world of academia with the world outside. Hence we focus upon fieldwork whether our Archaeological dig just 20 minutes north of Lampeter, Anthropological fieldwork at a local Monastery or a Classics trip to Rome, Pompeii or Athens. We also support those students keen to have a career in teaching or in the Heritage sector with additional ‘vocational’ modules in Educational Studies and Heritage Management. Our third years also have the opportunity to have a week-long observation placement in a local school. So whilst we want you to have a great experience at Lampeter indulging your passion for subject, we also make sure we prepare you for the world of work.

26 I U N I V E R S I T Y O F WA L E S T R I N I T Y S A I N T D AV I D L A M P E T E R

LEARNING AT LAMPETER

T H E L A M P E T E R D I F F E R E N C E I 27

28 I U N I V E R S I T Y O F WA L E S T R I N I T Y S A I N T D AV I D L A M P E T E R

CLASSICS AND ANCIENT HISTORY he ancient world continues to fascinate the modern mind. Greece and Rome are distant

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in time, and yet still close to us. The classical world underpins many of the values and

ideas which shape the ways in which twenty-first century humans react to the modern world. Exploring the ancient worlds of Greece and Rome, we learn something about

T H E L A M P E T E R D I F F E R E N C E I 29

Potential & Passion:

ERRIETTA BISSA

Errietta Bissa, Senior Lecturer in the School, takes up the story

‘A big thing is the relationship between lecturers and students.

of Classics at Lampeter, ‘I am Senior Lecturer in Ancient

I missed individual engagement with students when I was

History and Admissions Officer for the School of Classics. I

teaching elsewhere. At Lampeter, you get to know students.

have been teaching at Lampeter for six years and it is a unique

Students are more than a face in the crowd here; they are

place. There are lots of things that make Lampeter special but

individuals and real people with whom you can talk. The most

ourselves.

what makes it unique is that we look at your potential.

rewarding thing is to see individuals becoming more confident,

What makes studying Classics a unique experience at Lampeter is that the course develops

Potential is terribly important.’

more knowledgeable. This time of year is the pinnacle. When

‘In a subject that in some respects is still perceived as elitist,

you see a student you first met at an open day three years before

our goal is to help every student achieve everything they can

wearing a cap and gown – graduating - it is a great feeling.’

the type of skills and abilities valuable to future careers and sought by employers.

achieve. No matter where you are from or how much recognition you have had before, our greatest success stories are in many respects the students with unrecognized potential.

There is no one size fits all solution.’

‘As a School, we dismiss the notion that a C at A Level means you are stuck with no more than a 2:2 for your degree.

Someone comes in and they are a student. We offer equality of opportunity to everyone. It is up to them to grasp it. I like to communicate enthusiasm and give students the opportunity to find out what they find interesting. You don’t do Ancient History unless you have a passion for the subject and you cannot regulate passion’.

Dr Bissa leans back in her chair, ‘My interest is in learning and teaching innovation, an umbrella term. We do a lot of work that improves our graduates’ future employability. You don’t just sit in a classroom or lecture theatre taking notes. Our students do group working, oral presentations, reflective reports and responses to others’ work. We focus on giving students relevant skills, appropriate to their future careers.

Learning to work with others, building confidence and independent learning skills are important to that. Lampeter gives students the opportunity to do all of those things and get better at them. A Lampeter education gives students an opportunity they might not previously have had.’

A Student Voice JON COLES, is a second year student in Classics. ‘I came to Lampeter as a mature student.’

‘There were a couple of reasons I chose Lampeter, but I would be lying if I told you that access to study support was one of them.

After all, I had been out of education for many (many!) years. I had worked all of that time in some fairly demanding roles and was pretty sure that I was up to the demands of the course.’

‘I enjoy the back and forth exchange of ideas and the discussion of themes and concepts. In the School of Classics you certainly get the opportunity to encounter and take on some vigorously expressed views and opinions. My advice would be not to sit there like a nodding dog, or with your pen in hand desperately scribbling notes as though you are taking dictation.’

‘Students at Lampeter are free to engage in truly independent study and find out what really interests them. Your interests will change and evolve over your time at University; mine certainly did. If something captures your imagination, your tutors will help and guide you. Ultimately, however, you choose your own path.’

‘The importance of the personal tutor, who in my case was then also the departmental welfare officer, is central to learning at Lampeter. Your personal tutor is your guide to your academic progress. There are different approaches, but my tutor has been supportive and considerate. He has provided a sounding-board for my own ideas and then offered his own observations as to how good (or bad) they are. We don’t always agree. That is, I think, a good thing.’

‘It is good to study in a place where you feel that you are among people who know your name, know you as an individual and look out for you when times are good and when they are not so good. I have been given individual attention and individual support that is, I think, a model of pastoral care.’

‘I don’t think you can ask for more than that.’

30 I U N I V E R S I T Y O F WA L E S T R I N I T Y S A I N T D AV I D L A M P E T E R

HISTORY & MEDIEVAL STUDIES umanity’s thirst for knowledge reaches into the past, even when one is focused on

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solving contemporary problems. The search for solutions often requires an

understanding of how problems developed. We study both our collective pasts and our individual pasts to gain a better understanding of who we are today and where we are going in the future. Lessons learned from the past can influence - hopefully for the better -

T H E L A M P E T E R D I F F E R E N C E I 31

Reading the Past:

JANET BURTON

Janet Burton, Professor of Medieval History, her room dotted

Lampeter is that it is research-led. This means that students are

with papers and books, posters and prints on the wall, sits

aware, especially by the third year, that they are taught by

close by.

people who write books, and sometimes the people who write

‘I am a medieval historian, my main research interests are into

the books they are using to study their courses.’

medieval monastic and religious orders. That sounds a little bit

‘In the Roderic Bowen Archives we have medieval manuscripts

off the main stream, but it isn’t. When I introduce students to

and a collection of early printed books from before 1500 of a

the social, political, and environmental actions we take today.

medieval history, one of things I have to get over is how

number that some Oxford colleges do not have. At other

What makes our programmes in History and Medieval Studies unique is that our students

fundamental ecclesiastical history is to the study of the period.’

universities you would not be able to get your hands on them,

‘I work a lot with people outside Lampeter for research. For

at least not without letters of introduction and a good

get close to genuine manuscripts and sources. You are not kept at a distance from the fragmentary survivals of the past; rather you’ll get close to them in order to analyse meaning

example, I co-direct the Monastic Wales Project with a colleague explanation as to why you want to see them - not to touch at the University of Lleida in Catalonia; so even though we are a just to look. Here they are used. Undergraduates are allowed,

and construct interpretations whether that be for a medieval manuscript or a ships’

small campus in west Wales, we have international links.

under supervision, to have access to the material in the archive.’

travel-log of 1853.

Lampeter scholars work on an international scale.’

Pressing forward to make her point clear, ‘In a very real way,

‘In larger universities departments can be bastion-like so that

our students can touch the past and connect with it in a way

there is less cross-fertilisation between departments. In the

you cannot anywhere else.’

School of Archaeology, History and Anthropology, offices are

‘We encourage direct participation. In all sorts of ways you have

not rigidly divided by discipline and that makes it easier to

to be aware that you are talking to people with different levels

work in an interdisciplinary way. In the course in Medieval

of interest and knowledge and somehow bring it all together.’

Studies, for example, I draw on the expertise and input of

She stands and points to a poster showing a medieval knight,

colleagues from English, History, Archaeology, Anthropology,

‘The visual is as good a way in as any. I might show an image

and Religious Studies. Lampeter’s small size makes it is easy

and ask what it means, what it tells us about the past. I want

for academics to work with colleagues from other disciplines.’

students to respond, to react; to engage with the subject. You

‘For students what this means is that, from the start of the first can do that with a smaller class in a way you cannot in a year, they get tuned in to working in an interdisciplinary way

lecture theatre with 200+ students, which you get elsewhere.’

and get the benefit of different perspectives on the same

‘I think small group teaching and the personal tutor

subject. It is up to the student to make up their own mind

relationship is vitally important. We want to enable students to

which approach to a subject they want to follow as they

gain confidence and get as much as they can out of their

narrow their focus on their particular areas of interest over their university career. We make an effort to meet tutees once a time at Lampeter.’

week in the first year to encourage team-work, which is good

‘The University’s involvement at Strata Florida, the University’s for confidence building and employability skills. This level of archaeological dig of a ruined medieval abbey, is a good

personal contact means that, without making a big deal of it,

example of the way in which archaeology and history come

we can gently develop skills important in later life.’

together. My colleagues David Austin and Jemma Bezant are

‘I like the fact that I know my students by name. Teaching is

involved in a major research project at Strata Florida. That

not a mechanical experience, it is a personal one. It is not

research makes medieval history alive and tangible for

about putting on a performance, it is about interacting with

Lampeter students. It gives students the opportunity to see

people. I am passionate about my subject and I want to

things in context, to get firsthand experience.’

communicate and encourage that.’

She rocks back in her seat, reflects and then leans eagerly forward, ‘One of the very distinctive features of study at

32 I U N I V E R S I T Y O F WA L E S T R I N I T Y S A I N T D AV I D L A M P E T E R

T H E L A M P E T E R D I F F E R E N C E I 33

PHILOSOPHY

Thinking about the World:

hilosophy - the love of wisdom - is the critical examination of the most fundamental

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‘I completed my PhD at Cardiff University,’ Rebekah

questions humans ask: What is the nature of reality? How should people treat one

another? Why do we value what we value? What is knowledge and how do we know whether we have it? How do we decide between competing theories on such issues?

REBEKAH HUMPHREYS

leading Buddhist political activists in the world today, chair of

Humphreys tells us. ‘Before I worked here I worked as a tutor

the Asian Cultural Development Forum, close to the Dalai

at Cardiff, and as a visiting lecturer at Newport University.’

Lama and who in 1994 was nominated for the Nobel Peace

‘One of the benefits of coming to Lampeter to study, and

Prize - though he didn’t win it. He is also an old boy of

compared with my experience of working at other Universities, Lampeter who was a student here in the late 1950s who came

These questions, and others like them, are basic to serious study in any field. While

is that there is truly a collegial feel. Students benefit from small from Thailand on an international exchange. He led a seminar

everyone has beliefs about these matters, the goal of philosophy is to help students improve

group teaching. Lecturers are accessible - friendly, too - and

their consideration of issues by examining the reasons they and others have for thinking as they do. By increasing the care with which they reconsider ideas, philosophy students deepen their understanding of themselves, others, and the questions and answers they formulate.

with our students - about 10 of them in all - and it was

these are extra benefits for the students.’

fantastic. He was really impressed by their ideas, enthusiasm

‘Lampeter is a beautiful area in beautiful countryside. The

and willingness to discuss and engage; I was so proud of them.’

Faculty at Lampeter has a heavy interest in environmental

‘We try to engage students in these important questions by

issues. My research interests fit incredibly well with the

participation. Teaching is a more interactive experience at

themes of the university regarding heritage and sustainability.’

Lampeter than elsewhere. Connections are made: not only

Rebekah speaks passionately about her field, ‘Some of the

between different academic disciplines, but concerning the

modules I teach include Philosophy of Mind, Ancient

relationship between those disciplines and the world around

Philosophy, Environmental Ethics and Philosophy, and those

us. So, Lampeter hosts lots of events regarding sustainability.

very much tie in with the overriding ethos of academic life at

The global heritage of humankind is concerned with preserving

Lampeter. Here there is a strong focus on sustainability - the

nature for the benefit of nature and humanity. No matter what

University is deeply involved in the INSPIRE programme - and level of study you are at, studying Philosophy at Lampeter is a all students get the opportunity to study the links between

way to gain access to and to contribute to these vital debates.’

their academic discipline and how it links to questions about issues concerning the environment and sustainability.’

‘Students of Philosophy have the chance to reflect upon the ethical issues surrounding climate change and conservation; they can for example study issues relating to the conflicts between ideas put forward by animal and environmental ethicists. That thread runs through the programme from undergraduate to advanced postgraduate study.’

‘It’s not all environmental philosophy of course, even though that is very important to me (and indeed a lot of our students).

We also cater for pretty much all philosophical tastes, so our teaching ranges from ancient Greek philosophy to the modern European philosophers such as Nietzsche. We also explore a variety of contemporary issues and debates whether it be about the nature of life and death, the ethics of killing or the ethics of the food industry, currently very big - I have a colleague over in Anthropology writing on exactly this area at the moment. So we look to explore with students as broad a ©123rf.com

field of philosophical inquiry as possible. For example, we recently had Sulak Sivaraksa visit the campus. He is one of the

A Student Voice LILI HICKS, a second year Philosophy student, offers me a chocolate cake from the tray she brought with her for her friends in another Hall. ‘The big thing why I chose Lampeter was its teaching style. It was the smallness of the classes and the way they teach through discussion - that was so different to school.

It’s all about learning how to present your ideas and explain them rather than just repeating somebody else’s - that’s what I really enjoy.’

‘I like the way I know all of my lecturers , even those who haven’t taught me yet. They know me and I know them by their first name. There’s a real sense of equality here; it’s not the case of students versus lecturers; more a sense of all in it together.

Often I just turn up at their office and say, ’I just don’t get this’, and they will talk me through it. They actually want to hear what I think. We don’t always agree - but I like that.’

‘It’s great to be taught by lecturers whose books are in the library. I’m able to sit in their lectures then go and look at their book. If I disagree with it I’m able to engage with them about that. I think that’s brilliant. Lampeter is brilliant.’

34 I U N I V E R S I T Y O F WA L E S T R I N I T Y S A I N T D AV I D L A M P E T E R

CHINESE STUDIES hina’s long history - more than 5,000 years - and its splendid traditions in literature,

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the arts, and cuisine make studying Chinese history and culture and learning to speak

the language an exploration and adventure. It is the most widely spoken first language in the world.

T H E L A M P E T E R D I F F E R E N C E I 35

A Personal Approach: ‘Lampeter offers a more personal and therefore more intense

THOMAS JANSEN

‘In a small university it is a more varied student experience; in

learning experience for the students.’ says Thomas Jansen,

a sense, study here is a little less specialised. Working closely

admissions tutor for Chinese Studies.

with colleagues in other fields, makes the interdisciplinary

‘It is more personal because it is smaller and because there is a

opportunities very interesting. Students are exposed to a wider

direct connection between academics and students. There are

range of experiences, both academically and socially.’

There are many compelling reasons to study Chinese. While many people simply enjoy

no intermediaries. That makes the learning experience

‘Despite our small size, we are a truly international campus.

studying foreign languages, Chinese is a different way of experiencing the world. Our

simultaneously intense and - in my view - more professional.’

I am German. We have many lecturers from other countries.

course at Lampeter recognises this duality and so, whilst we help you to acquire another language we also insist you gain an understanding of Chinese culture. China is increasingly important both to our present and future. Dialogue with China presents new economic,

‘You are not sitting in a lecture being spoken at and then

In my subject, students study abroad. Six months in China can

having revision classes with a teaching assistant or a graduate

prove a formative and challenging experience. As part of their

student. Tutorials take place with academics which creates a

studies students are challenged to consider how cross-cultural

proximity between learning and research. That is the appeal I

communications work, what are the pitfalls and challenges.

political and social realities challenges. To position our students within this new reality we

think for academically ambitious students: to learn directly

We want students to go out and get experience, not just

offer them the fantastic opportunity to spend a semester in Beijing in their second year.

from experienced academics whose research subjects relate to

academic but personal too.’

their teaching modules. That is what is special about

‘This experience is really important and the students get so

Lampeter.’

much from it - it’s a priceless engagement with another society

‘We actively encourage students to express themselves and

and culture that you just don’t get from studying books and

express their opinions. You are not lost in the masses. Students on-line articles back in the UK. Not the least for when they engage directly with lecturers.’

enter the world of work in a firm, whether it be finance,

‘We involve our students in practical tasks within the

management or whatever but which has partnerships and

Confucius Institute: in exhibitions and lectures for the public,

business dealing with a Chinese firm. The understanding of

in workshops in schools. We have always involved our

cultural context, heritage, social and political etiquette is a vital

students in those workshops and opportunities. It is important ingredient in any business dealings with China, and that is that students can apply what they have learned as part of the curriculum. In graduation week, for example, students were

picture that employers find so valuable. Getting that broader

asked to deliver lectures on their dissertation subjects.’

perspective on Chinese society and culture enables us to

‘Reflecting on teaching Chinese to students in rural Wales

organise a range of cultural activities which students help

Thomas explained, ‘learning the Chinese language is a very

arrange and indeed participate in, from Chinese New Year

intense undertaking. In a rural environment you have the

festivities to Chinese musical evenings involving such

space, time and peace to learn language. At Lampeter we are

traditional instruments as the Dizi, the Paixiao and the Guqin.’

big enough so that you can meet people to talk to in the

Students also take a very active part in our extensive

language you are studying. In addition, you are not

engagements with schools, introducing students to Chinese

automatically trained as an historian or political scientist;

painting, dance or the basic elements of language. It’s great

students can find their own direction. You need to find out

fun. It also gives some of our students a taste of education

where you are going and what interests you and a smaller

some of whom then go on into teaching.’

institution gives you that chance.’

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what we try to give our students. It’s that wider, rounder

36 I U N I V E R S I T Y O F WA L E S T R I N I T Y S A I N T D AV I D L A M P E T E R

ARCHAEOLOGY o be human is to be curious, questioning, and inquisitive. We know that our ancient

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ancestors stared at the night sky with wonder, that they experienced fear as the sun

disappeared during solar eclipses and joy at its return, that they witnessed the cycles of births and deaths, seasons and years, and that for all of these events they sought

T H E L A M P E T E R D I F F E R E N C E I 37

The Importance of Context: I spoke to Dr Louise Steel, Senior Lecturer in the School of

LOUISE STEEL

the site of a ruined medieval abbey which during the early

Archaeology, History and Anthropology.

Middle Ages played an absolutely central role in the political,

It is a sunny day in July and we are sitting outside 1822, the

cultural and spiritual life of Wales. Every year we take students

campus coffee shop. Graduation took place the previous

for a three week intensive dig, and they love it; it’s what most

Friday and the campus is quiet, populated by summer school

of them came into Archaeology for and a fantastic

explanation and meaning.

visitors, academic staff and a few graduate students. Having

opportunity which not many other Universities can offer.

Human curiosity and ingenuity have allowed cultures to evolve and flourish in almost every

found a shadier spot away from the afternoon heat, Dr Steel

However practical also means for us laboratory work. We have

environmental niche on the earth. We study Archaeology to know who we were and to know where we have come from. Archaeology at Lampeter is an internationally recognised field of study where our tutors can introduce you to a range of subjects from nautical

nods toward the buildings around us and the green hills

dedicated bone and soil analysis labs where students will have

surrounding them to the south and east. ‘This is - I think - a

seminars and learn about the variety of ways for dating,

beautiful campus. It’s seen at its best at this time of year.

understanding and unlocking the secrets of the material culture

Lampeter offers somewhere away from the city, there is a good all around. It’s actually quite a hands-on programme; you

archaeology to the archaeology of battlefields, from pre historic societies to medieval

quality of life here and it is friendly and safe. It’s pretty cheap

definitely are not sat around in hot stuffy lecture theatres. Our

castles. Its also where you will get first hand fieldwork experience from our own

to live here as well! We want students to flourish and the way

advice to all incoming students is bring your hard boots and a

archaeological dig just 20 minutes from Lampeter, the ruined medieval abbey site of

in which we teach is intended to nurture and support talent.

tough weatherproof coat.’

Strata Florida.

Achieving that goal is made easier when you are in a community like Lampeter. It’s easier to live, easier to learn, in a pleasant environment.’

‘At Lampeter it is not only what you learn that is important, it is how you learn it.’ Louise Steel continues, ‘From year one, a Lampeter student in Archaeology will be engaged in experiencing artefacts and original materials firsthand. In the first year we go to the Ashmolean Museum and students choose to research an object from the collection.’

‘In the second and third year, there are field projects. In the next academic year we are going to Athens. Past expeditions have been to Tarragona and Pompeii. You don’t just sit in a lecture theatre, you go out into the world and see the ancient sites yourself and experience them firsthand.’

‘One of my colleagues is involved with a project at Cyfartha Castle. There is an Egyptology collection there. Every year some of those artefacts are brought to the Roderic Bowen Archives to be catalogued. Students can see the objects, handle them and in some cases will be among the very first people to see them since they were brought from Egypt.’

‘It’s not only learning through essays. We encourage our students to learn and engage with the materials they write about in a more practical way.’

‘We put great emphasis on the practical. Our archaeological excavation at Strata Florida is just 20 minutes up the road. It’s

A Student Voice HANNAH EPICHEFF is a student finishing off her MA in Heritage Practice who did her BA in Archaeology at Lampeter.

‘I loved my archaeology degree. It opened my eyes to possibilities and it’s why I’ve gone into further study in heritage with the hope of getting a job in the sector when I leave. I can remember coming to an open day and just loved the place and the tutors. I had a chat with Ros and then again on the phone afterward. She was really nice. She gave me time, talked me through the course, what I’d do and what was expected of me.

So when I arrived I felt more comfortable, as if I knew someone already, and that was really important. The tutors are nice; friendly and really approachable. Particularly Quentin who taught me battlefield archaeology - he really knew his stuff and brought the subject alive. He also helped me at Strata Florida which was definitely the highlight of my course. Before I arrived at Lampeter I had never done any real archaeology - in the field so to speak, only what I’d read in books. It was great - really hands-on which I found is more me.’

‘My first year went so fast but I remember that there were a lot of field trips. I enjoyed those, especially to Tenby and Haford. It was great, the way they weaved the archaeology, history and anthropology together into one narrative that made sense when you wandered around. It all seemed to put the world into perspective. It was just great.’

38 I U N I V E R S I T Y O F WA L E S T R I N I T Y S A I N T D AV I D L A M P E T E R

ANTHROPOLOGY nthropology combines course work with practical ‘in-the-field’ training. The study of

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“who we are and how we came to be that way” not only provides a well-rounded

education, it also engages students in the world around them and gives an understanding of

T H E L A M P E T E R D I F F E R E N C E I 39

Creative and Practical: Luci Attala’s office is a melange of flowers, books and objects

LUCI ATTALA

‘Fieldwork, real experience, is central to study at Lampeter. In

dotted on shelves that heave with books. But what it is most

the first term you do your first piece of fieldwork, your second

filled with is Luci’s personality; a conversation with her is a

in your second term. That pattern continues. The University

breathless, kinetic experience.

offers support for students to carry out their own independent

‘The key for me is questioning, rather than simply hearing,

research project.’

At Lampeter you will learn to observe, to record and to describe complex social behaviour

listening and absorbing.’ She pauses. She does not do it often,

‘University should not be boring: it should be exciting and

as it happens. Study Anthropology at Lampeter and you will engage in hands-on research,

‘I want to inspire people to think differently about the world. I dynamic. There is a wider world of which we are all part.

the tensions and dynamics underpinning the most fundamental of human behaviours.

involving active participation in the community, be that in a local monastery or as part of one of our established fieldwork projects in Kenya or in Canada. Such cross-cultural experience is increasingly attractive to many employers, from social service organisations to multinational corporations.

want to make students think, make them question, make them Looking at the prickly issues and exploring them is vital.’ challenge and feel the world. I want to promote a different

‘I think there is quite a lot of misunderstanding about

way of learning.’

sustainability. People tend to think it is all about having

‘I draw upon my experiences in nursing, teaching and interest

recycling bins and organic food. That is a misrepresentation of

in drama to encourage students to explore the material, roll

what it is. Anthropology is about human relationships, how

about with it, and find out if I am wrong. I want my students

we relate to other humans and the world about us. So, when

to challenge me - ‘you said this, I found that.’

teaching about sustainability, we are learning about human

‘To learn is to question, to engage in dialogue. I want students

activity and how humans relate to the planet to ensure a

to feel able to speak out and question - that means lectures

workable future for all life forms. That is a really exciting thing,

sometimes get diverted - but the experience is better for that.

something relevant to where we are now.’

Lampeter students are encouraged to speak out and question:

Luci speaks more emphatically to hammer home her point,

there is a culture of doing things differently.’

‘Applied Anthropology looks specifically at how to use the

‘There isn’t a stuffy sense of hierarchy, here. There is freedom

knowledge we gather. Part of that is looking at the relationship

of expression between academic staff and that filters down to

between different cultures; for example, examining the

students. Speak up. You will be heard. There is a sense that

dynamics of interactions between big business and emerging

lecturers and students work together toward something

and less developed economies. Students who go out and

dynamic, creative and inclusive. To me, creativity is so

create relationships with different cultures and communities

important. You can get real magic from thinking creatively.’

gain a depth of understanding, an awareness, of the

‘My hope is that we get people coming out of Lampeter, who

complications in creating such relationships.’

are thinking about how humanity goes forward in a

‘At Lampeter we have connections with charities and

sustainable way and are embedded in ideas of social justice

businesses. Our students can find out what it is like to live in

and equality.’

Kenya. My students go out to Africa to experience different

Luci stops, blinks and continues at speed as the ideas tumble

cultures. That is the beauty of Anthropology: you are put in a

out. ‘I think that studying Anthropology at Lampeter is

place where you are being one of these people, you are being

genuinely unique. We focus on practice and not on theory. We part of their community, you are experiencing things directly. don’t ignore the theory. It is important. However, we do not

These are transformative experiences.’

focus on second-hand experiences, we focus on getting

She smiles one more time, ‘I think we are ahead of the curve

students out and doing and being Anthropologist, learning for

on this one; happily, ahead of the curve. I think other

themselves.’

universities will follow our lead.’

‘Going out into the world is an essential part of students’ learning, part of their degree. But it is an important part of their life.’

40 I U N I V E R S I T Y O F WA L E S T R I N I T Y S A I N T D AV I D L A M P E T E R

THEOLOGY, RELIGIOUS STUDIES AND ISLAMIC STUDIES ven in a supposedly secular society, religion plays a central role in social, political, and

E

economic events. As religion and spirituality continues as part of the lives of

communities and individuals, so there remains a need for reflection upon and understanding of religious traditions, issues, questions, and values.

T H E L A M P E T E R D I F F E R E N C E I 41

Widening the Field:

CATRIN WILLIAMS

I am speaking with Dr Catrin Williams, who is the Head of

‘In TRSIS, each of those areas of study are linked into the way

School and a widely recognised expert on the gospel of John.

in which people do religion now, how it is lived today and the

‘Lampeter’s the kind of place that is of a size that allows strong contexts from which those beliefs and faiths arise. We try to connections to be made. Students get individual attention of a

break down assumptions, preconceptions, and show the

type that you are simply unlikely to get elsewhere. There is no continuing relevance of faiths and religious heritage in modern identikit student here and no identikit lecturers.’

society. That underlines the importance of the interdisciplinary

‘We put a lot of effort into students developing important

links you can forge in a place like Lampeter.’

Studying in the School of TRSIS promotes such reflection through excellence in scholarship

skills: skills that will be important not only while they are

and teaching in the field of religion. We want our students to be aware of the importance of

studying for a degree but those that will be valuable

religion in the world and to apply the critical thinking and analytical skills they develop

throughout their lives.’

through their study beyond their studies and into their future lives.

‘People work together. Every student is given a chance to thrive and cross-fertilisation and an interdisciplinary approach are important in achieving that. They make for stronger study experiences. At Lampeter we do not separate the study of

A Student Voice

Theology from Religious Studies, even though they are

PAUL ROUSSELLE, a small, bearded bundle of enthusiasm. Paul Rousselle, a recently graduated Lampeter student, walks into the bar and says hello to everyone there. He looks thoughtful as we speak.

‘It is a long time since I first came to Lampeter. I was about 13-14 years old and involved in a charity called Peace Mala. I sort of fell in love with the place there and then. The teacher involved with the charity inspired me to follow Religious Studies and some years later, I came to the campus on an open day.’

‘I remember, I handed my personal statement to one of the senior lecturers and got a personal letter back. He met me again during a further open day. They knew who I was. In fact, he knew all of us. He spoke to us about the virtues of the studying at Lampeter. ‘It was that which sold it to me, the personal experience and personal attention.

‘The lecturers were all prepared to engage with the students and students were given the chance to direct their work so it was important and relevant to us.’

There is a long pause in our conversation as Paul thinks carefully about his words, ‘but if I had to choose one thing that has been most positive about my time in Lampeter it is personal development. This is not something I could have got anywhere else. You were never more than a few minutes away from someone you knew.’

‘You were always pushed by your lecturers and friends. Lampeter pushes you to strive for greater and better, not only academically but in terms of your personal development as well.’

‘That meant that we learned more about ourselves, our own abilities even our own shortcomings - than we would have done at a larger University. There was never a chance to just fly under the radar or coast by.’

followed as distinct and separate degrees. Theology does not exist separately from people’s experience of lived religion.’ ‘… We do not only study religion as contained in ancient texts.

We are not a School that considers individual and communal religious experiences as belonging on a checklist of what each religion professes by way of faith. In TRSIS we all look at forms of religion today - how people do religion - how it is relevant to their daily lives.’

‘That means that working across Schools is a large part of how Theology and Religion are studied at Lampeter. For example, we consider the relationship between Islam and the West or religion and conflict. That is not possible in isolation, without those things being based in a broad context, as opposed to a narrow scholastic one. Our new degree programme on Religion, Culture and Society is an extension of the same approach.’

‘Importantly, we do not limit ourselves to a study of the Abrahamic faiths. My own area of expertise is in 1st Century Christianity, the origins of Christian faith in the Jewish tradition. I have colleagues who teach on modern Hinduism and the Indian faith diaspora; other colleagues who look at religion and conflict, on the interactions between Muslims and Muslim communities around the world; other colleagues research and teach about New Age religions, Voodoo and shamanism.’

42 I U N I V E R S I T Y O F WA L E S T R I N I T Y S A I N T D AV I D L A M P E T E R

ENGLISH & CREATIVE WRITING iterature has the power to expand our minds and to teach us new ways of seeing the world.

L

The study of literature at degree level instils an understanding of the context in which

literature was produced and through what mechanisms it is transmitted and received. Literature provides insights into human thought and the human condition that cold, hard facts cannot

T H E L A M P E T E R D I F F E R E N C E I 43

Independent and Inspired: The recent hot weather has been replaced by a leaden,

PETER MITCHELL

‘Lampeter is geographically, culturally and academically

cloud-filled sky. In his office in the Rowland Williams building, distinctive.’ He begins again and soon pauses to gather his Peter Mitchell sits with his legs crossed in front of him while

train of thought, ‘there are tangible reasons for students to

the lamp on his desk illuminates the right side of his face. His

enjoy their time here. You are so close to the community in

voice is quiet, his words considered. He occasionally steeples

which you live. Friends, activities - academic and otherwise -

convey.

his fingers when he is thinking of the next point he wants to

are a real focus. You make closer ties. A benefit of that is that

Study Creative Writing at Lampeter and you will do more than just get tips and tricks on how to

make.

the students’ interaction with the university is more focused.

work with texts on the page. You will have the chance to work in close co-operation with both your fellow students and your lecturers in an inclusive and supportive environment. We want you to develop practical writing skills that provide you with the tools for a successful future career.

‘I am a Senior Lecturer in early modern English literature: 16th At a larger university, the relationship between the student and and 17th centuries. My research is more specifically within

the institution might be diffuse and distant.’

literature of that period - literature dealing with medicine and

‘At Lampeter, a student is assigned a personal tutor at the

science. Even within the scientific literature there is an

beginning of their degree programme. All things remaining

The skills of close analysis and argumentation acquired in the study of English have wide and

awareness of its analogy of the body politic. Of literature’s

equal, the personal tutor is constant throughout undergraduate

attractive applications for employers after graduation. At Lampeter, those skills are developed on a

relevance to the whole: to it not being separate and remote.’

study. In every case the individual student has a chance to

course that emphasizes the close relationship between literature and the way humans experience the world around them.

‘That research activity comes into my teaching and my

develop an ongoing academic relationship with a particular

contribution to the programme offered within the School:

member of staff, even if they are not taught by them for any

firstly, most of my teaching is within my period of research;

modules. The advantage of this is that the personal tutor gains

more broadly, and by necessity as it is part of the expectation

an understanding of what makes their students tick. You can

in English - I cover the major writers: Sidney, Spenser,

see what kind of strengths they have and help them with areas

Shakespeare, Milton.’

on which they might need to work. That contact is vital. Over

‘So, Lampeter students get a very wide grounding on the

three years, academics get to know students and students get

emergence of certain formulations of what it means to be a

to know academics. That creates the possibility of an informed

person. Those formulations arguably emerge in later medieval

approach to individual academic development.’

and early modern literature. We can trace those developments

‘So, among other reasons I think Lampeter is a good place to

from their developments in medieval literature through the

study English. Another reason is to do with research: we are

profound changes in the 16th and 17th centuries culminating

just a short drive from National Library - one of seven

in the work of Milton which is, in many respects, an

copyright libraries in the UK - and the Roderic Bowen Library

apotheosis of some of those developments in English literary

and Archives is on campus.’

culture.’

‘In terms of proximity to the materials that matter to ambitious

There is a brief nod and a smile. ‘Standard English degree

students wanting to carry out their own research, we are in an

programmes cover from Shakespeare on. We have a strong

excellent position. In one particular case, independent research

tradition of teaching about medieval and early modern

led to an unexpected outcome. A student carried out a

literature here. We are in competition with a very small

bibliographical exercise on early Milton. She went into her

number of institutions that offer the chance to study medieval

final year, did her dissertation on one of the versions of

literature and early literature. Perhaps most importantly you

Paradise Lost. She shone. The experience of working with the

will be taught by people whose research is directly applicable

material in the Archives and Special Collection inspired her.

to the courses they teach.’

Lampeter gives its students those chances to be independent

Peter stops, and in the short pause I look at the crowded - and

and to be inspired.’

in contrast to other offices I have visited - tidy, well-organized shelves heaving with books on his area of expertise.

44 I U N I V E R S I T Y O F WA L E S T R I N I T Y S A I N T D AV I D L A M P E T E R

A VIBRANT RESEARCH COMMUNITY

T H E L A M P E T E R D I F F E R E N C E I 45

46 I U N I V E R S I T Y O F WA L E S T R I N I T Y S A I N T D AV I D L A M P E T E R

UNIQUEcollaborativeINTERNATIONAL

ONE-ON-ONEEXPLOREDISCOVER

SPLENDOURbeautifulLEARNING TRADITIONCREATIVEWELCOMING challengingACADEMICpersonal

CHALLENGINGTHEuplifting ENLIGHTENING PROVOCATIVE dynamicLAMPETERFOCUSED CONSCIENTIOUSCOMMITTED IMPASSIONEDDIFFERENCEheart

SpecialIMPORTANTeducation COMMUNITYDISCUSSIONopportunity FACULTY OF HUMANITIES UNIVERSITY OF WALES TRINITY SAINT DAVID LAMPETER CAMPUS CEREDIGION SA48 7ED Tel: 01570 422351 www.trinitysaintdavid.ac.uk

INDIVIDUALdedicatedCONNECTED INDEPENDENCEKNOWLEDGE challengingACADEMICpersonal ENTHUSIASMlifetimeNETWORKS SKILLSFreedomEXPLOREpassionb understandingINQUISITIVEacquire RESEARCHbenefitPARTICIPATE

“I came to Lampeter because I’m a mature student and I wanted to study on a small campus where I would not just be a number but I would be a face, and I could get to know people. The classes have been fantastic. The lecturers have been so supportive and the subjects that we’ve had have been interesting, I’ve absolutely loved what we’ve done and I’ve found a real passion for Greek literature.

I’ve had so much support from everybody, the lecturers, the academic staff and the support staff. It’s been a fantastic experience in a beautiful place.”

Lisa Thomkinson, Graduated 2013

“And finally there is Lampeter itself. It is a great place to live, as well as a great place to work. I like the fact I can walk to work. I like the fact that I see people I know while I walk to the campus. I like smallness of scale, the beauty of the countryside, waking up in the morning and seeing hills. I know it doesn’t suit everybody, but even if you don’t grow up in an environment like this, you learn to appreciate and value it.”

Janet Burton, Medieval Historian and Lampeter Professor