'Museum and Heritage Studies Recording and Publicising Career Success Project.'
Romana Douglas-Bardetti
When prospective students think about postgraduate study, they often imagine seminars, dissertations, archival research, and late nights in the library. Less visible is the question that inevitably follows: where does a postgraduate degree lead? While there is no definitive answer, the Museum and Heritage Studies Recording and Publicising Career Success Project set out to make those possibilities more tangible by showcasing the diverse career journeys of former postgraduate students.
As part of the project, I worked alongside Dr Bruno Brulon Soares and Dr Billy Rough to research the career progression of MGS and MHS alumni. Throughout the internship, I have been interested not only in the project’s outcomes but also in the process of designing, managing, and communicating research. Contributing to a project with longterm value for future students gave me a greater appreciation of how careful planning, collaboration, and organisiation underpin successful research.
One of my first responsibilities was completing the project’s ethics application. Although it was a detailed process, it gave me a much greater appreciation of the care required when working with participants and their data, as well as the importance of ethical practice in producing credible research. Alongside this, I designed promotional graphics to encourage alumni participation, developing my skills in Canva, digital communication, and audience engagement. Futher, I also learnt how to use other digital tools, such as Qualtrics, to support my data collection, strengthening my digital literacy while exploring how technology can improve the efficiency and organisation of research projects.
Perhaps the aspect I am most looking forward to is reading the alumni testimonies once the findings have been published. I hope seeing the variety of career paths taken by graduates will reinforce how transferable the research, analytical, communication, and creative problem-solving skills developed through the MGS and MHS programmes can be.
Looking back, this project has strengthened my research, communication, and digital skills, while encouraging me to take greater initiative and think more critically about project planning and engagement. More importantly, it shifted my perspective on postgraduate study and the value of alumni networks. Overall, this project reminded me that meaningful research extends beyond collecting data by creating resources that help others make informed decisions and better understand the opportunities that lie ahead.