Karen Cullen - UHI-Centre for History

Interview with Karen Cullen

Karen Cullen has a job on her hands. She is the Scottish History programme leader for the Centre For History at the UHI Millenium Institute, based at North Highland College, Dornoch. Karen did an undergraduate history degree at the University of Dundee. She followed that with a PhD at the same institution, researching the famines of the 1690s. Her main research interest is in the social, economic and demographic history of Scotland in the 17^th and 18^th centuries. After another year at Dundee as a research assistant, she moved to Inverness College and thence to Dornoch.

Her present role there is to co-ordinate the undergraduate teaching of history within the UHIMI., at the moment focussed on a BA Honours degree in Scottish History,. It will be delivered for the first time in September 2007. The first year has been developed, and by September 2008 the second year will be, while running the first year concurrently. This model will continue, until there is a full four year course developed.

Karen is keen to stress the flexibility of the modular structure. “At each point there are exit awards; at the end of first year, for example, the student would get a Certificate in Higher Education. So, in addition to full-time study, students could also study part-time or even choose single modules for interest or professional development. Next year, even transfers from other educational establishments into second year, may be possible.”

DELIVERY

The course will be delivered using video conferencing throughout the network, so both students and staff can participate from a variety of venues, in both lectures and seminars, with a lot of content being put up on the web in the UHIMI’s own Virtual Learning Network, or VLN. Students can access lecture materials, assessment guides and reading lists. Each partner college retains its own library, but using the internal interlibrary loan system students can get books from anywhere in the network, within a few days. There will be source material selected from Am Baile, SCRAN and other online archives.

The Centre for history has also had discussions with the local authorities within the network about access to both library items and primary sources through the archives in the area. Highland Council has been particularly good in consultation with the Centre with respect to its plans for a revised core and spokes model archival system. With the other excellent regional archives in the network, there is a rich store of material for senior students and postgraduates.

“There is also a lot of interesting primary material held locally in museums, heritage centres and local history groups, some with complimentary secondary research. The Centre hopes eventually to be in a position to draw on these, and affirm its bond with communities. I am trying to build up a picture of what is available.”

There is no Gaelic content currently within the Course, says Karen, “but the Centre is working in partnership with Sabhal Mor Ostaig to bring this about. Gaelic modules can be taken as electives within the degree however”

Lectures will be given by lecturers at UHIMI partner colleges, the postgraduates in Dornoch, and also guests from other Universities who have a strong Highland connection. Ewan Cameron, Fiona Watson and Marjorie Harper are names well known to those interested in the history of Scotland. As a trial, the Centre has run some video-linked evening class courses from Dornoch, linking to Inverness, Wick Thurso and some centres in Argyll. “The response has been very affirmative, both for the technology and the content.”

 As well as exciting delivery methods, Karen feels the content breaks new ground too. “Most Scottish History degrees only offer Highland content in the 3^rd or 4^th year, but we were determined to make sure that there was a Highland thread running through the degree from the start, whilst not neglecting other external linkages with Europe, America and the wider world. Migration has been enormously important.”

The Course will also run a strand on historiography from the first year. “We wanted to make sure that students know that history is a manufactured thing. This will be carried on throughout the degree.” It also features strong interdisciplinary elements. “History draws across many other subject areas, so this was something we were keen to build into the course – not just politics, demographics and economics, but also the environment and literature. These all inform our understanding of history and the other subject areas. The variety keeps it fresh.”

 “We are also studying comparative approaches to history – Scotland in a European, and British context, but also particularly, Irish ways of understanding and demonstrating nationhood.”

 APPEAL

 “The course has a broad appeal – some of those expressing interest have come straight from school and college, others are interested in a career shift. Many, more mature, applicants have said that this was an option not available to them when they were at school. They want to catch up.”

 “It offers a variety of subjects and approaches, which is coupled with the flexibility of structures, through the modular approach. They will also get a chance to pursue their own interest through their Honours year dissertation. Getting in about the real research, that’s what history is all about!”