Matthew Hurst

Philosophy, graduating 2015

Matthew is currently a PhD student in the History Department at the University of York.

He talks about his path since graduating from Manchester and his decision to return to academia in 2020.

My current role and how I got there

After graduating from Manchester in 2015, I spent several years working in the film industry followed by various consultancy roles. I then returned to academia with a Master’s in Chinese Studies at the University of Oxford in 2020.

Currently, I am researching the final two decades of the British administration in Hong Kong supported by the White Rose College of the Arts and Humanities (WRoCAH), an AHRC consortium.

My experience at Manchester

When I was considering my options for undergraduate studies, I felt it was important to balance the programme of study and university with choosing a city I would like to live in. I read about many interesting Philosophy programmes at very respectable universities across the UK, but the deciding moment for me was attending a UoM open day.

There, I was able to experience both the University in-person and become more familiar with the city in which it sits. Feeling at home both at the University and in Manchester itself, I had no doubts about choosing UoM and remain very glad that I did so.

How did your course set you up for your career path?

Taking Philosophy allowed me to explore all sorts of different interests because Philosophy is a highly versatile discipline. What I had not anticipated was returning to academia some five years later.

This decision Philosophy – especially the modern, highly analytical sort that was the focus of Manchester’s Philosophy department when I was there – equipped me with sharp critical thinking skills, the confidence to form and communicate my own opinions, and formal logic skills. Every role I have held since graduating has valued these skills.

Moreover, having enjoyed the freedom to explore different topics within Philosophy, this gave me an appetite for following my interests and exploring where they took me. was in no small part influenced by the times I enjoyed while at UoM!

My advice for future students

Remain open to the unexpected.