Laura Chevalier is a student on the MA Digital and Social Journalism course.
What were you doing before applying for a postgraduate degree?
Before applying for a postgraduate degree, I was doing an undergraduate degree in Film Production at the University of Portsmouth, where I made short films and worked in different film departments.
I also worked on a factual filmmaking freelance project for the Prince's Trust at Waltham Forest College in London during my three years at university.
Why did you choose City?
City is number one in journalism; that motivated me to apply and later accept the offer to come and study here. The recognition I will get from my degree will help me get a good job when I graduate. Besides, the facilities at the Department of Journalism are excellent, and the staff comprises working journalists, which motivated me further to choose City.
What has been your favourite module or aspect of your course so far?
I can't choose between Political Headlines and Audience Strategy. Political Headlines was very well structured; many famous guests came to speak to us and answer our questions. We also spent the day at Westminster which was very interesting as we met influential politicians and were able to interview them.
The module Audience Strategy is the one that will prepare me the most for a future career. We are running our own website/social platforms, Interhacktives, so we get to see the inner working of the journalism industry at a small level.
The lectures are great, we get nice and constructive feedback on our work. The degree's practical aspect is the most challenging and exciting.
What knowledge and skills has your course helped you develop?
The modules which helped the most are Audience Strategy and Data Visualisation helped. I learnt to work on industry softwares. Running Interhacktives allowed me to practise SEO and social media management, but I also discovered Adobe Express and Canva.
Other modules, such as Multimedia Storytelling, enabled me to work on podcast production and discover Audition. We also worked on Adobe Premiere Pro. The use of these softwares are usually required for working in a newsroom as social media or audience manager.
The course has helped me develop my time-management and teamwork skills. I feel better-prepared thanks to the practical aspect of the degree.
What opportunities and experiences has City offered you so far?
City has offered some placements opportunities which I found good and for which I applied.
The language courses available are excellent; it is so important to be able to get access to free language classes to broaden our job search outside of the UK.
The opportunity to be a course representative was good because I was able to develop new communication skills. I attended meetings to provide students feedback and was able to help my classmates with issues.
The guest speaker sessions offered are very good, and it covers many topics so that everyone can find something they are interested in. Of all that City offers, these sessions are what I prefer the most.
What are your career plans and how has City prepared you for them?
I would like to find a job in social media news content production or work in the audience department for a media outlet. My goal is to find a job that will help me develop further the skills acquired here at City.
I am also thinking of finding a placement in any European country to get a new experience and have a new challenge to engage with. City is offering work placements abroad with the international programme for students enrolled in a journalism or communication course. This is a fantastic opportunity for which I applied.
Overall, the exigence expected from the course has helped me be better prepared for what awaits me in future employment.
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