Q-and-As with Erasmus Master students in a post-Bachelor’s world
Guest-writing this blogpost is none other than your resident copy editor and fellow BA-3, Clement. As you might have guessed, one of the Big Things on my schedule is planning ahead: whether it’s for internships, jobs, or Master programs, I’m sure plenty of us soon-to-be (hopefully) graduates – and even the precocious second year – are wondering what the next step in our academic careers might be. So if you’re wondering what it’s like to take on Media & Business, Media, Culture & Society, or Marketing Management Master programs at our university, look no further. Here are a few insights from current (and past) students on the MA lifestyle in the world of “adulthood” as we will soon know it.
Marko Polovina & Laurin Ivetić, Media & Business
Why did you choose this program?
Both Marko and Laurin come from communication backgrounds, having completed their bachelors in universities abroad, before joining EUR. They chose Media & Business after deciding a more specific field within media studies, and after searching for international programs that didn’t seem to offer specific routes, they stumbled upon EUR. When it came to deciding between broader media studies and a business-oriented MA program, they decided to choose the latter: it provided a more applicable background as well as the reputation of a university that spoke beyond it (thanks, Erasmus).
Any favorite courses or facets of your study you enjoyed most?
Their favorite courses ranged from Media Entrepreneurship to Impression Management – both highly applicable, dynamic courses where discussions demanded more from students than a lecture-led classroom. Deepening knowledge on Public Relations was also a big plus: there were insights that led to a feeling of real-world job preparedness that students felt was a strong suit of this program. There is a highlight on ethics and decision-making, a discussion that is always necessary for future experience, whether it be in the corporate setting or in the neck-breaking speed of start-up environments.
Professor ratings… did you have favorites?
Both students refrained from using names (sadly for the rep of some, thankfully for others, perhaps) but a great facet of their learning environment was the emphasis on personal relationships enforced in the classroom. Students are encouraged to discuss their perspectives, and an atmosphere that welcomes – and actively supports – opinionated speakers was a highlight.
What do you think your future will look like after this program is done?
A lot of the work behind this program involves not only specifying your field of interest by applying it to the final project – the MA thesis – but by pursuing extracurricular activities, which might (and do) foster connections with people outside of the university environment. Again, the emphasis lied in the practical side of media and business studies, something that comes in handy for those who don’t wish to pursue academia in the future. Lastly, the openness to discuss employment was welcome, with experienced professors not only within but also outside of the education world.
Sarah Parsisson, Media, Culture & Society
Why did you choose this program?
Sarah is currently following the Master Media, Culture and Society and chose it because she thought it was a good combination of two topics she really enjoys studying: sociology and culture. She wants to work in cultural communication, so she thought it was a good way to be critical about all the changes that are happening in our society concerning the media and new technologies.
Any favorite courses or facets of your study you enjoyed most?
The class she enjoyed the most was actually the very first one she attended: Socio-Cultural Change. The subjects tackled were really interesting and the organisation of the course was good for students to develop their critical thinking. There was an emphasis on participation and exchange of ideas, especially since the groups were relatively small, with a maximum of 16 students, providing for a very interesting learning environment.
Professor ratings… did you have favorites?
Overall, the professors were really good. Students really feel equal to them, allowing them to share their personal thoughts about a certain societal issue. Sarah felt that all teachers managed to balance well the combination between letting them self-express and providing guidance into deepening their knowledge regarding various topics.
What do you think your future will look like after this program is done?
Sarah is not sure yet about what her future will look like, but highlights the personal gains she’s made from it, such as becoming more confident in her ideas and oral presentations, and maturing in terms of what her place in society should be. It is up to every student, she highlights, as this program allows them to work in many different areas post-studies – maybe a bit more towards the cultural sector than those corporate/business oriented. Sarah discusses that students can talk about extremely general subjects, highly applicable to everyone: “it’s about society, so it really helps you understanding how society and media work together, and what issues it can trigger.” However, she doesn’t think that this program might help you find what specific career track to follow, as courses are theoretical in nature – the choice of a career path is very individual and independent – this is how Sarah felt about her own.
Differently from Media & Business, Media, Culture & Society is more oriented towards people who would like to stay in the education environment. However, it is also a good way for people who need a year to figure out what they want to do in their life, to have time to think about it while they keep learning, Sarah says.
Job Karstens, Marketing Management
Why did you choose this program?
Job always knew his passion lied with marketing, as the field is very broad and allows you to choose many different directions (such as brand management, product, PR, events, strategy, among others). After finishing his Bachelor of Business Administration at RSM, it was more than logical to continue at the same school. The high level of education and international appeal of an RSM diploma made it easy for him to decide.
Any favorite courses or facets of your study you enjoyed most?
As a student, Job really enjoyed Consumer Behavior, calling it a mix between marketing, psychology and consumer studies that was most appealing to him.
Professor ratings… did you have favorites?
He found all of his professors very passionate, committed and experienced. All lectures were of quite a high level, which was important as the topics are also quite high level. Job especially liked working with Stefano Puntoni, as he was also his thesis coach and always brought a lot of humor and passion to their meetings and lectures together.
What do you think your future will look like after this program is done?
Job graduated in 2013 – after that he received his first job at Nestlé as a junior brand manager (and later brand manager). The broad subjects offered by the program helped him prepare, however in the end, Job highlights that the real experience does come from actually working. He emphasizes how strongly a student’s way of thinking can be influenced by their previous studies, by learning how to look at complex problems and knowing how to properly structure them, looking for a solution and making it work in their favor – something he learned when pursuing this post-graduate study. He highlights it is a very important skill in the hectic life of a marketeer.
Job’s main interest laid in consumer studies and communication, emphasizing the ‘people person’ in him, and as someone who enjoys streamlining communications and using his creativity to convey a message. He now works as a PR & Events Marketing Manager at EVBox, where he’s in charge of a broad spectrum of (brand) communications. Lastly, Job thinks a master’s degree from EUR’s RSM is a very valuable one, opening a lot of doors in terms of career futures; something definitely for those who wish to be career-people.