Andrea Gudmundsdottir

What was important in making up your mind?
Due my positive experience with IBCoM, I decided to pursue a Master program within the same faculty. Although my focus areas in IBCoM leaned towards another Master program, I reviewed the broad range of courses that I had taken during IBCoM and realized that my strengths and interests were more aligned with the Master in Media, Culture & Society. In my case, reading the course descriptions for this master program was very helpful because I got a better idea of what to expect in terms of content, which confirmed my interest in the program. 

What made you decide to choose for this master?
Accreditation of the program and the university, my positive experience with the faculty, as well as the research orientation and the international aspect of the program were all important factors in my decision. Having graduated from IBCoM, these decision factors needed no second thoughts. Instead, what was difficult for me in the decision-making process was to be sure that I was making the “right” decision (I emphasize the word “right” because there is no right or wrong decisions). Being an overthinker, I tried to predict my future career and include that as a factor in my decision. However, as it turns out, it can be hard to include that in your decision if you are uncertain about your future career plans. Therefore, my decision ultimately came down to listening to my strengths and interests. It might sound cliché but I realized that the only way for me to excel in my future career would be to build it on a master program that I’m passionate about. It was as simple as that; I just did not see it as clearly at the time.

How would you describe the connection between IBCoM and your master?
While there is a strong connection between IBCoM and Media, Culture and Society, the knowledge that you acquire during the master is more advanced. While you ‘dip your toes’ into many different aspects in IBCoM, you delve deeper into selective aspects in this master. What you learn in the Media, Culture & Society program is thus certainly not a repetition of what you learn in IBCoM!  

How would you describe your master?

• Intense but doable. You should expect a busy year, but it’s all worth it in the end. 
• Focused yet broad, meaning that you have the freedom to tailor the program to your interests within the realm of Media, Culture & Society. I was positively surprised to experience the different interests of my classmates, which was reflected in the diverse master thesis topics.
• Hands-on approach to the studies. More often than not, the students take the central role in this master through class discussions, presentations, debates etc.

In hindsight, what would you have liked to have known before, what you know now?
In hindsight, what I would have liked to realize more before, especially if you are graduating from IBCoM and you think that you know exactly what to expect: The Master in Media, Culture & Society is not the same as IBCoM or other Bachelor programs. It is on the next level and the expectations are in line with that (like it should be, of course). In my experience, your studies automatically become more of a priority in your master compared to before. This might seem evident, but many of us did not realize it beforehand. I guess you only know what I mean after experiencing it first-hand.

Any other points you’d like to add?
Studying and living in an international environment is, in my experience, one of the greatest ways of learning and developing as a person. The teaching approach in this master program, namely to explore the course subjects through discussions with students from many different backgrounds, takes great advantage of that. Consequently, you develop a more culturally sensitive and reflective attitude towards your studies, and surprisingly towards yourself.

More information about the Master can be found here: www.eshcc.eur.nl/english/mamedia/