Case Study

I chose to study at the University of Sunderland because it offered a niche course which I’m now studying: BA (Hons) Media, Culture and Communication. I wanted to stay in the North East and was given a welcoming and positive experience when I attended an Open Day at Sunderland. I got to meet lecturers on my course and get to know more about what I’d be studying by asking questions and visiting the facilities.  

I previously studied at Manchester Metropolitan University, doing Multimedia Journalism, but I didn’t feel like the course was the right fit for me. When joining the Media, Culture and Communication course at Sunderland, I was able to choose whether I wanted to go for a more theoretical or practical route when picking my optional modules – allowing me to tailor my degree to my needs. 

There are many things about my course that I could choose as my favourite thing, but if I had to narrow it down it would have to be my lecturers. Each person I have had the pleasure of being taught by has given me such a wonderful, fun, and attentive experience. Even through a mental health crisis, I’ve had full support from them, and throughout my time studying I have always been able to easily communicate with them and get all the support I need. 

Throughout the course, I have found that I have a passion for magazine design. I realised this when I chose my optional modules in my second year and had to create some pages of a magazine for an assignment. I’m currently producing a magazine for one of my final projects, and with the help of some of my lecturers and their connections, I want to integrate magazine design into my career aims. 

My advice to prospective students would be to attend as many open days as you can – I attended several, from mini open days to full open days with tours. This gave me an insight as to what the University was like before I even started my degree, and it gave me a chance to speak to different people and explore both the campus and the city of Sunderland. 

I’ve really enjoyed my time here at the University of Sunderland, and I’m so grateful for those I’ve met along the way. Through my experience I have been able to clarify what I want to do for my future career, which wasn’t something I knew beforehand. And I have made some life-long friends.”

Published 7 March 2022