Alex

From a passion for media to a future in the industry

I studied media for GCSE and A-Level, so I knew I wanted to go into something related to media at university. I chose the Media, Culture and Journalism course to expand on that and further develop my skills.

Celebrating culture through cinema

I'm enjoying setting up the cinema project. We’re putting on a screening in the cinema room on the theme of celebration. We chose The Lorax because we thought it would be a fun movie to show, and we want to theme it as a celebration of environmental conservation. We’re inviting environmental groups from Cardiff and hopefully we'll get a guest speaker to talk about the importance of conservation. We’re also working with first- and second-year students on the event materials.

Learning by doing: practical media experience 

I’ve definitely grown in confidence since being on the Media, Culture and Journalism course. One of my first assignments was interviewing people on the street, so I was thrown in at the deep end! I was a bit nervous at the time but looking back, that was fantastic because it was something I'd never done before. A lot of people just love talking about their lives when you interview them. So if you build the confidence to interview somebody, it'll become second nature. And I think that's a really valuable skill I've learned.

As part of the course, I’ve also had work experience at Remake Newport – a non-profit community repair shop and cafe. During my placement, I managed their social media and also worked on a feature. I filmed a sit-down interview and wrote an online article. I published the piece on a resource recommended to me by my course leader called Shorthand, so it was displayed in an engaging way. I was proud of that.

Once I’ve graduated, I’m considering studying a postgraduate course.  I’d also consider a job in journalism though - something that allows me to travel and explore the world a bit!

Looking at the media through a critical lens

I’d absolutely recommend the Media, Culture and Journalism course to anyone whose interested in the media. You get a really good chance to question things on this course, to come to your own conclusion. There's a lot of discussion, letting your opinions be heard, and you get to learn while expressing yourself. 

Now more than ever, we have to be critical thinkers. There's AI, there's misinformation, there's Donald Trump. So, you've really got to look at the media and ask - is what's being presented to me the truth?

This course also teaches you about culture and identity. It's about who the media is for, why a message is being given to us. We’re learning about how culture changes, how it is now and why it is the way it is.