NEW DELHI/JAMMU: While many look forward to some downtime amid retirement, one of the University of Dundee’s soon-to-be graduates was embarking on a Master's degree. Michael Harrigan, 75, decided to turn his childhood hobby of knitting into a business, after retiring from a career in professional development training for lawyers and financial service providers.
Michael’s passion for knitting led him to discover the traditional Scottish bonnet – flat caps knitted from sheep’s wool which are still worn to this day, along with traditional Scottish dress. His interest in the bonnet makers sparked a desire to learn more about Scottish history, and Michael applied to the University’s School of Humanities, Social Sciences, and Law to study an MLitt in Scottish History.
Michael applied for the University of Dundee he said “My applications were very direct, in that I said exactly what area of Scottish history I was interested in researching alongside course modules.
Michael received a positive response from Dundee and that level of support has continued throughout the course. Michael, originally from northern New York State, USA, currently lives in Thailand and has studied part-time for the last three years as a distance learning student. “I’ve made a few friends and have a real respect for the professors who went out of their way to make sure we are all digging in deep enough, learning all we can and getting what we need to out of our studies.”
As part of his MLitt, Michael, who is also a Knitting Guild certified ‘Master Hand Knitter’, learned how to research and interpret handwriting from many centuries ago. Alongside the course’s six modules and a dissertation, he carried out his research into the Scottish bonnet makers. Michael carried out his research through the national record of Scotland. “Michael’s further research into the accounts of the bonnet makers is what led him to make the connection between shipping and the varying successes of the different businesses. Modules within the course that were unconnected to the Scottish bonnet makers provided new areas of focus for Michael’s research.
He said, “A lot of information in the modules helped me to look places I would have never thought to look and prompted me to study periods and events in a different context.” Michael intends to carry on his research beyond graduation, in awe of his peers who shared their admiration of his continued studies at a recent reunion in his hometown. He said, “Try not to think about it as a lot of work. If you take one day at a time and find something you’re genuinely interested in, it’s very enjoyable.”
For more information about studying at the University of Dundee as a mature student, see our webpage: https://www.dundee.ac.uk/guides/support-mature-students
