The University of Sheffield is the best place ever. Great city, great students, great tutors.
Alycia McNamara
News Reporter, Daily Express / Reach PLC
MA Journalism
MA Journalism graduate Alycia is now a news reporter for the Daily Express. She feels her course prepared her for the workplace with its practical and skills focus.
I am currently a news reporter at the Daily Express. After graduating, I began with freelance shifts at the Express. When a role became available, I applied and was successful, starting as a full-time reporter. I write news articles and features both for print and online.
The University of Sheffield is the best place ever. Great city, great students, great tutors. It is so welcoming and makes you feel at home straight away. I attended 3 universities and Sheffield is without a doubt the best one.
How my studies prepared me for my current career
I was able to practice finding stories which prepared me for the real world and the day to day tasks of the job. The law training and ethics training are thorough and helpful for real life application at work.
I also completed work experience placements at LeftLion Magazine in Nottingham and at PA Media in London. These definitely helped me get my job as employers liked seeing reputable names on my CV.
My advice for future students
Do some freelancing where you can. There are plenty of opportunities if you add the right people on LinkedIn. It can help you earn some money while also building up a portfolio and thinking about what type of place you want to work at.