Studying a Pathway has opened a world of opportunities

Our Pathways programme is a route for adult learners to achieve often long-held dreams to study an undergraduate degree.  Ioan’s story will inspire others as his studies at Cardiff University lead him to Oslo and then to Oxford to study an MSc. The future looks bright for Ioan.

After completing the Exploring the Past Pathway at Continuing and Professional Education in 2015, Ioan McCarthy graduated from Cardiff University’s School of History, Archaeology and Religion in 2019, with a 1^st class honours BA in Archaeology and History. In 2016-17, Ioan became the first pathways student to participate in the university’s degree with a year of study abroad.

“I decided to come back to Higher Education after six years at work. I met the Exploring the Past Coordinator at an Open Day and he explained how affordable and accessible the pathway was, thanks to the finance options available, so I decided to sign up.

After starting my degree, I took the opportunity to study abroad, which I did at one of Scandinavia’s finest institutions, the University of Oslo, through the degree with a year of study abroad scheme.  Soon I found myself living in a beautiful and fascinating country. I had not expected to be able to pursue this upon entering the Exploring the Past Pathway and owe this happy opportunity to the programme.

I would encourage anyone interested in History (ancient, medieval or modern), Archaeology or Religious Studies to follow my footsteps. Often, when speaking to others who share my interests, I hear things such as ‘It’s too late for me’ or ‘it’s just not affordable’ but when I show them the opportunities available, the same opportunities I was given, you can see the aspiration come alive as it did for me.”

If you would like to open a world of opportunities like Ioan, find out more here