• History

Archives, industrial sites and cultural institutions: occasions and opportunities to develop practical skills and build a professional network while at the same time benefiting from the advantages of online and part-time study.

Visits to archives and sites, in person or online, together with opportunities to take part in research colloquia or conferences: this semester the occasions followed one another and enabled Master’s students in History to become acquainted with professional practices both on site and remotely. Excursions to the Constellium industrial site in Sierre (as part of the module “Sources and Data” by Prof. Dr. Sabine Pitteloud), meetings with staff of the Swiss Federal Archives in Bern (open to all interested Master’s students) and a presentation of the UN archives in Geneva (as part of the “Analysis” module by Dr. Martin Grandjean) offered chances to interrogate sources, exchange with specialists and understand the concrete challenges facing cultural institutions.

Opportunities aligned with our teaching strategy and professional requirements

The pedagogical model of our Master’s programme promotes practice-oriented learning. In particular, the 12 ECTS of Block 2 can be earned through self-study modules, an internship at a partner institution and/or participation in a scientific event. Beyond single visits, the curriculum also foresees longer-term formats – contributing to the organisation of colloquia, conducting interviews, producing reports and the digital preparation of student work (short videos, interviews, visualisations) – which strengthen both methodological competences and the ability to communicate research findings.

These offers are voluntary but constitute a valuable complement to the programme and are also directed at Bachelor students: numerous modules include archival work and excursions to provide Bachelor students with early insights into professional realities. Recent offerings include working sessions at the Municipal Archive of Renens, at the Swiss Social Archives in Zurich and a visit to Museum Enter. By combining theoretical knowledge with practical experience, these activities bring history closer to society, foster the development of professional and academic networks, and grant students privileged access to certain sources and archival holdings; at the same time they raise awareness of the challenges facing historical sciences and digitalisation.

 

*Cover image: Guided tour of the Constellium site in Sierre.

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