What our students say

Priscille Biehlmann, France (2018)

 'The MSc in Political Communication is very flexible and gives you the freedom to focus on the things that interest you. For instance, I was particularly interested in political journalism and the EU, and the professors allowed me to focus each of my assignments specifically on those topics, while my classmates tailored their coursework to other issues like campaigns, public relations, and digital communications.

The University of Glasgow is also great for being very international – our class was made up of students from the UK, Greece, Turkey, Cuba, Zimbabwe and China, and we had professors from Italy, Romania, Germany, and Argentina. This made for very interesting debates in the classroom and allowed us to discuss issues from many perspectives.

On the whole, the Master offers loads of opportunities, but you have to be ready to take initiative. The year can be very busy and exciting if you participate in everything that’s going on both on campus and around Glasgow.'

Fabelyn Walean, Indonesia (2017-18)

 'I chose to study Political Communication at the University of Glasgow because of my interest to learn about media and communication, and my previous working experience as the strategic communication team for the 6th President of the Republic of Indonesia. I chose to study Political Communication because I knew that if I want to thrive in this business, it is not simply about having years of experience but also requires stellar theoretical comprehension. The programme offers an advanced media and communication skill that will become an asset in social, cultural and political interactions. I feel that the programme has developed my capacity immeasurably. It helped me to emphasise my critical examination towards the government-media nexus. 

The diversity in the class is one of the best things about the programme. I learned a lot about other countries' political climate from their own citizens. From the US, UK, and German elections, the Scottish independence referendum, and how the media played a role in each of those events, to the relationship between the government and media in Russia and China. I established good contacts and networks with international academics and practitioners alike. The international exchange of information from the students gave me extra quality as the job market values a more internationally exposed individual. For all these reasons, I would recommend anyone who would like to learn about government-media nexus to take this programme. 

While the programme surely strengthens the students' theoretical foundation, as a foreign student, the experience of living in another country for a year has really sharpened my personal capacity. The year I lived in Glasgow is one of the best years of my life. I met a lot of wonderful people. The city's tagline – People Make Glasgow –  is the perfect presentation of its friendly people, its vibrant lifestyle, and its unique culture. Glasgow will always be missed by those who have flown away to their home country.’

Matthew McLaughlin, USA (2017-18)

  

'I worked in communications for the public and non-profit sectors in the US but I wanted to continue my education and work in a more political atmosphere. I also wanted to live and study outside my home country. The University of Glasgow’s programme offered an ideal blend of media, politics and communication studies, as opposed to studying one versus the other. As someone who was interested in doing communications for a political actor or organisation, this was the perfect academic programme for me. In addition, the staff and faculty of the University went above and beyond to be helpful and answer questions prior to my application. I was pleasantly surprised about the personalised attention I received throughout the application process, and this definitely had an influence on my choosing Glasgow. 

The classes were centred on lively discussion and debate and the faculty – particularly for our core courses – were excellent, enlightening and challenging facilitators. Lectures were equally as enlightening, and I felt the calibre of the faculty was excellent. But also my class was made up of people from all over the world. This added another layer of depth to the courses as we were able to share thoughts and ideas, and challenge one another, about political and media systems in our respective countries. I would recommend this programme and at the University of Glasgow – the faculty are excellent, the course selection diverse, the material challenging. I especially feel like I grew a lot as a writer, researcher, and analytical thinker. I have been able to use the material I studied and researched in interviews.

I am back in the US now, but while in Scotland I worked for a year as a communications officer and researcher to a Member of Scottish Parliament. This involved a large degree of media relations and a significant amount of speech writing. Being able to speak about concepts I had learned from my course in my interview was a big advantage and, I think, really separated me from my competition. In the job, the research and writing skills I had gained from the University of Glasgow were significant assets.’

Trudi Hamer, UK (2017-18)

 'Before starting my studies at the University of Glasow I had studied BA Politics at the University of Westminster, graduating with First Class Honours. I developed a keen interest in the interplay between political actors and the media. My undergraduate thesis was very much centred on media management, PR and the spin doctor. Before that I had over 10 years solid work experience in not-for-profit organisations and in my work I undertook a lot of press liaison. The best things about the programme were the teaching staff and the library facilities. There are not many universities offering Masters programmes in this field so I was pleased that Glasgow offered this at an affordable fee. As for the city of Glasgow, even the rain was offset by the benefits: the cost of living and the warmth of the local people.’