I wanted to shift and develop my career in development communications so this MA was the perfect opportunity for me

Why are you doing an MA?

I come from a business background, with work experience in entrepreneurship as well as consulting in development communications. After working in the business sector for a couple of years, I wanted to shift and develop my career in development communications so this MA was the perfect opportunity for me.

What’s it like being a postgraduate in the School of Languages & Cultures?

As a postgraduate in the SLC, I am surrounded by a diverse, supportive and growth-oriented community. The tutors are very active and passionate in their respective fields and they've been a big source of motivation to strive through a rigorous year-long MA experience. I've also enjoyed opportunities to collaborate with fellow students for both academic and extra curricular opportunities while representing student voices to the department as an Academic Rep.

How did you find the first few months, in particular?

The first few months were really tough, particularly owing to the pandemic situation. I was also joining an educational system that is so different to what I have been growing up with, and that too online. I recall a session we had within the first few weeks where our tutor opened the floor to share our academic struggles as international students, and shared her knowledge of the UK education system - it really helped me cope better with the teaching methodology and assessments.

What’s been your highlight of your course?

The biggest highlight of my course has to be the people I've met this year. From fellow classmates to tutors and staff, I've enjoyed learning in a diverse environment where we get insights from all over the world. I value the network I've been able to find through this course. The people definitely make the whole experience special.

What support do you receive?

As an international postgraduate student, I've received academic and personal support throughout the course. Having a Personal Tutor has been a blessing. My Personal Tutor has been supportive from the very beginning in helping me adjust to a new education system here in the UK and adapt to the new environment. I've also been grateful to receive personal support from various student services at the university.

What additional opportunities are there in the School?

There are lots of additional opportunities in the School. As a part of my Ethnography course, I volunteered with a local charity while conducting a small research project in my first semester. I've continued volunteering with them after the project too, and that has helped me gain a lot of transferable skills. I have also got the opportunity to develop an intercultural orientation program for an international event as a part of my Intercultural Communication in Practice module.

What are your plans for after your MA?

I plan to go back to Nepal and advance my career in development communications as well as continue working on my personal ventures in the field of gender and education.

Can you describe the School in 3 words?

Welcoming, Resourceful, Community

What you have learnt on your field trip/placement?

I got the opportunity to work with a local organization for 2 months as a part of my dissertation placement. As an international student, I really value the experience of working with a UK based organization. From learning about the work culture, to working beside professionals in advancing their work in the community, I had a wholesome placement experience as a MAICID student. Doing a dissertation with placement in an organization of my interest also allowed me to narrow down my dissertation topic based on first-hand field experience, which in turn resulted in quite a practical outcome. My dissertation with placement experience has also given me a sense of direction for my future career advancement. I’ve always been interested to work in the field of education, focusing on gendered issues. This placement helped me get a glance at current work being done in the field of gender and education, and get a first hand experience of the prospects I have moving forward. Additionally, I also got to expand my network of professionals in education and gender who are working to train teachers and encourage challenging stereotypes in schools. I feel fortunate to have this opportunity to develop my own leadership and transferable skills through the placement.