Since I know I need to get a master’s degree in peace studies to work in the sector—an MA is the entry level qualification—I have booked onto various university open days to shop around for where to do one. My undergraduate degree will be with the Open University but they have nothing like a Peace Studies MA so they cannot help me.
I know about Coventry’s link to peace firstly because of knowing the history of the city in World War 2 and how it was bombed and the stories surrounding that, code breaking and whether Winston Churchill knew it was coming or not. Secondly, through being in Coventry House (properly, The House of the Resurgent City and Cathedral Church of St Michael and all Angels at Coventry) at school, we knew the history of the city’s reaction to the bombing, how it became a city of peace and reconciliation, twinned with the likes of Stalingrad, Dresden, Warsaw and Arnhem and other war-ravaged cities.
Hence I expected Coventry University’s peace studies department to be large, very active, extensive, impressive and prestigious.
The open day for postgraduates (13th June 2015) began with a presentation where they went on about being a “modern university” which I realised is code for “we were a polytechnic”. They were spinning that into a good thing, but it did not work. Much of this talk was waffle, bullshit and FUD. The campus is a building site and they were at lengths to say this was a good thing and it would continue for some years. Not a good thing for students during those years, however.
They boasted they were aware of the need for, but do not have, a post-graduate centre. Not a clever thing to say on post-graduate open day.
They did say they do have a—note the singular ‘a’—research expert. Just the one.
Attendance at a second lecture entitled “funding” later in the day was a waste of an hour. It was exactly the same welcome presentation I saw in the morning. Putting on the same presentation twice under two different names does not count as two different presentations. That was really annoying since it was necessary to hang around to wait for the second one. And it was of no use, just saying “See the gov.uk web site”.
There was a table for the Peace Studies department. They packed up at lunchtime so when I went back with more questions for them… they had gone. Since my discussion with them in the morning about their two (just the two) peace-related MAs told me little more than one of them was being dropped, I can only conclude Coventry University has ceased to be interested in peace studies.
The two MAs they do are focussed on people working in the field on the ground, and for one of them you have to have significant work experience. So, neither are suitable for what I want.
It would have been nice to see the library. It was closed. On an Open Day. On a Saturday. In exam season (mid-June).
I was left with the feeling that Coventry University is focussed on growth, remodelling streets, putting up buildings and not at all interested in students.
Such a shame. I had such high hopes.