Making history students enterprising: ‘Independent study?s at Manchester polytechnic

Abstract

‘Independent Study in History˚s is an optional unit developed at Manchester Polytechnic (United Kingdom) as part of recent course reviews, and its shape and content has been influenced by the Polytechnic's participation in the Enterprise in Higher Education scheme. The unit aims to allow students both to apply their historical knowledge and training and to extend their range of skills by providing them with the opportunity to undertake project work of an historical kind for external clients. ‘Independent Study˚s is currently (Spring, 1991) in its second year of operation. Thus far, 21 students have taken the unit and they have been placed with a wide variety of clients drawn from industry and commerce, libraries and museums, and community bodies. Contracts specifying the scope of the project and the manner of its assessment are negotiated between the client, student and tutor. The clients are closely involved in the assessment and monitoring of the course. ‘Independent Study˚s has already begun to change the content of the history programme and is slowly involving more of the history staff in it or in related proactive learning strategies. The long-term aim is to supplement the conventional academic programme by providing all history students at Manchester Polytechnic with the opportunity to pursue at least some skills-based and enterprise-related activities.