Student Blog

This is a guest blog post by Olamaide Agbor who is studying MA International Political Communication.

I’ve been studying at Bournemouth University (BU) for eight months, but I already feel that pursuing a master’s degree in International Political Communication (IPC) is one of my finest professional and academic choices in recent times. I’ll tell you everything about it.

Prior to now, I worked professionally in corporate communications and public relations with one of the top PR firms, Hill+Knowlton Strategies. While I enjoyed working with clients from a variety of markets and industries on numerous brand-related projects, I secretly nurtured my desire to embark on political activities like election campaigns, political consulting, political reporting, public diplomacy, and so on. All of these and more are what my degree has been about. The program is loaded with units that not only help us understand the real world of politics and communications, but also shape and prepare us for successful careers in these sectors.

Although the degree has a considerable emphasis on academic readings and materials, the practical/professional emphasis is excellent. Working professionals have been invited as guest speakers at various points to share their wealth of experiences and lend credibility to what is being taught in class. Also, we’ve had the opportunity to put their academic lessons into practise. For me, the highlights included being able to publish articles based on my research on the Nigerian general election, which I closely followed (you can read more here and here). Although being outside of Nigeria, this opportunity has allowed me to express my viewpoint. In addition, I discussed Suella Braverman’s initiative regarding international students. You can read this here.

What’s more? Just like the name, the programme is truly international in nature. Tutors come from a variety of countries, including Romania, Greece, Britain, and many others. This diversity also extends into the classroom; Europe, Africa, and Asia are just a few of the continents represented by students. This enables us to draw on one other’s distinctive experiences and stories, making us true students of INTERNATIONAL political communications. That’s not all.

There are certainly many experiences available outside of the classroom when you study at BU. I personally chose to work as a student ambassador, which has given me the chance to not only communicate with colleagues from different countries and learn about their cultures, but also to share the wonderful stories of Bournemouth institutions with everyone who is willing to listen. I have also discovered communities of lovely people within the bigger Bournemouth city.

I could say so much more, but if I don’t highlight how stunning Bournemouth is, this blog would be lacking. It’s not just a location to go to school or visit, it’s a place to live! Overall, studying IPC here has been a wonderful experience, and I urge as many people as possible to join the train.