MA in Political Communications

Past student experiences

Some experiences of recent graduates of the MA in Political Communications at Goldsmiths (July 2009)

Karl Baldauf (Canada):

"I completed my MA in Political Communications and focused my dissertation on  political marketing. Earlier, I completed my BA (Hons) from the University of Toronto, studying domestic political science and semiotic communications. Prior to beginning the Masters degree, I worked as an Issues Adviser and Media Analyst to the Ontario Minister of Transportation, a Communications Assistant to the Minister of Enterprise, Opportunity and Innovation, and travelled Korea as a UNESCO cultural ambassador. During the research for my dissertation, I conducted interviews with dozens of Canada's leading politicians, government relations experts, and political journalists. On graduation, I was hired at Veritas Communications in Toronto as a Senior Consultant for Corporate and Public Affairs. Britain has long been a leader in the field of political communications and the British Westminster political model is the same political system used in Canada. The more you talk to academics around the world in media and communications, the more you realize the value and reputation of Goldsmiths. Frankly, it offered the open-minded environment that rewards innovative thought, and hard work, while challenging students to bring something new to the table rather than regurgitating a tired canon of work. Most importantly, I enjoyed my degree. I had access to internationally renowned academics and resources while my classmates represented a dozen different countries with a myriad of backgrounds from academia to journalism, activism, and politics itself. Because of my time at Goldsmiths, I'm now considering going back to school in the next few years to continue graduate work. The world of political communications is growing rapidly and increasingly recognized as an important academic discipline, integral to assessing the health of a representative democracy. Goldsmiths continues to be at the forefront of this study and will continue to set the bar high."

Luc Benyon (UK):

"I studied my undergraduate degree in Culture, Media and Communications at Lancaster University. I really enjoyed the experience, it opened my eyes to many subjects which I had not encountered before but it was theory that I enjoyed the most; I soaked up cultural and political philosophy and thoroughly enjoyed writing on the subject. when I left university I found that this focus on abstract theory did not place me in line for any specific job. I earned money working in the events industry and gained experience of working in the voluntary sector by helping out at the Amnesty international offices in Edinburgh. After 2 years out of university I was frustrated at not stretching my brain and so decided to take an MA course. Goldsmiths appealed for a number of reasons. Firstly it is well renowned for its political connections, the Student Union has a very lively political scene and there are constantly lectures and events from well known speakers such as last years Anti-war ‘teach-in’. I was also keen to have first hand teaching experience from some of the writers I had studied at Lancaster such as Angela McRobbie, Scott Lash and James Curran. New Cross immediately appealed with its bohemian bars and friendly atmosphere, not to mention the eccentric characters. I made friends and settled in near-by, village-like Brockley, where I still live. I was involved with the Goldsmiths Green Party, Amnesty International Group and Radio Station. I found the political Communications course enriching and exciting. Our group was made up of people from across the globe each of whom had a new and interesting take on each topic. We had some very lively debates that carried on late into the night in the pub after class. On the day I handed in my dissertation I had an interview for a job at an NGO and I still work there now. Having an MA from Goldsmiths really counts for a lot and people are always interested to hear of your experience there."

Stephen Colwell (UK):

"I applied to Goldsmiths for the Political Communication MA for two reasons; the subject area was one that I had been immersed in for over 35 years as a media practitioner and I wanted to look at it from a theoretical perspective. Also I wanted to teach in higher education full time and couldn’t until I obtained an academic qualification. The course did everything I hoped for and more. The MA at Goldsmiths not only helped me to gain a wider perspective of communication media to add to my practice expertise it changed my attitude to the importance of a theoretical perspective to practitioners. As a mature student with no previous experience of academic study I was daunted but the Faculty and my fellow students were most supportive. The course was extremely demanding but it became one of the most enjoyable experiences I have had and one of the most valuable. The course has had a profound impact on my career. At present I am working as a Senior Lecturer teaching on media production practice based BA Hons courses. I am planning a research programme that will, hopefully, result in a signature pedagogy that facilitates a synthesis of political, social and cultural theory and practice based teaching and learning in Communication Media. I couldn’t have contemplated such a radical career move without having taken the Political Communication MA at Goldsmiths."

Val Oliveira (Brazil):

"After graduating in journalism in Brazil in 2005 I had several different jobs, as a press officer and then a freelance feature writer in London for several Brazilian media outlets. The chance to study at Goldsmiths, with its reputation for being open-minded, renowned and with an extremely successful teaching record, was a one in a life time opportunity. The course by and large was very dynamic and offered topics ranging from many fields, and this undoubtedly opened my mind to a wide set of knowledges and experiences. The MA provided me with awareness and understanding of current political issues and British politics as well as an insight into how the media works. Furthermore, Goldsmith’s warm welcome to international students meant that I had the pleasure of exchanging experiences with students from China to Russia, further opening my mind to a range of diverse cultural backgrounds and granting me with an insight into other’s countries’ political and cultural profiles. I also feel deeply indebted to Goldsmiths for granting me access to such a professional and personal teaching body. Researching for my dissertation proved to be a tough task and I would not have done so well nor enjoyed the whole process had it not been for the extremely personal and passionate tutorial advice I received throughout the period. I felt like my tutor cared and I wasn’t just another student taking up their time. The knowledge and experience I gained from the MA was vital in getting my first job as a Communications Officer for Liberal International. It was a golden opportunity to enhance my already developed communications skills as well as develop strong relationships with key policy makers and parliamentarians. This opportunity, allied to the research for my own dissertation, has undoubtedly turned me into an experienced professional in the research field. I am currently serving as the Regional Coordinator for Western Europe for the study ‘Global Report on the Status of Women in News Media’. I’m responsible for seeking, hiring, training and supervising researchers in the UK and Germany as well as responsible for conducting the research in England, Wales and Scotland. This has been one of the most exciting and challenging projects I have ever been involved with. The main reason I was offered the job both at Liberal International and IWMF was because I had been at Goldsmiths. Its media department’s reputation goes beyond Europe and brings students from all over the world every year eager to enhance their academic and professional profile. I had never before considered doing research for a living as I lacked theoretical and field experience but it turns out to be a very promising area and may indeed be the beginning of a long, new career ahead."

Jen Pufky (USA):

"My first degree was in Broadcasting/Politics at the State University of New York at Oswego. I began my career in the Office of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton in Washington, DC and had previous experience working as a Production Assistant at the Fox News Channel in New York City. As Regional Communications Manager at The White House Project I organised and led national and regional media trainings, panel discussions, press briefings and networking receptions. One of my cornerstone initiatives was SheSource.org, a national online database of women experts for journalists. In the UK, I also worked for the London Labour Party media team during the 2005 General Election where I helped organize press events and campaign visits for candidates, MPs, Cabinet members and the Prime Minister. I’m passionate about the role social media can play in enhancing democratic engagement and my dissertation looked at Facebook Politics during the 2008 Presidential Campaign period. The political communications programme at Goldsmiths provided me with the holistic experience I was looking for in a taught master’s curriculum.  The professors are always accessible for support and guidance, and the taught courses are interactive and dynamic, with student perspectives from around the globe.  Now, in London, I’ve been able to combine my professional experience with the academic skill set I acquired while working for a public affairs consultancy in Westminster. I’m currently a Senior Account Executive at Insight Public Affairs. I chose Goldsmiths because of their outstanding reputation for delivering a creative learning experience."