Hi, I’m Katrina and I’m in my second year of the Master of Strategic Communication at UWA.
I started my UWA journey in 2016, enrolling in an undergraduate Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in Marketing and Management. During undergrad, I learned about advertising, branding and consumer preferences, as well as organisational management and effective leadership. I got the opportunity to undertake various volunteering efforts and to complete two internships at Scoop Digital and within the UWA Arts, Business, Law and Education as a Student Experience Communications Intern, which strengthened my understanding of the theory I was learning in class.
During my Bachelor of Commerce, I realised I wanted to continue on to postgraduate study, and a Master of Strategic Communication became the front-running option. I’d always been interested in the impact of the media on society and I understand just how important communication is in today’s world. I also enjoy keeping up-to-date with current affairs.
I knew a Master of Strategic Communication was right for me because:
- It stimulates my understanding of the world around me and helps me understand issues from a global perspective and interact with students from various backgrounds.
- I think the skills we learn are extremely relevant to the modern workforce and are transferable across many industries, meaning we have greater employment opportunities upon graduation. I’ve learnt how to best tailor marketing campaigns to suit an appropriate audience and become an effective leader by communicating in an appropriate manner.
- I enjoyed the public relations, media and communications side of marketing and management in my undergraduate degree and thought this degree would be the perfect way to further my understanding of this area.
What’s the first year of study like?
The first year of my master’s degree was a lot easier than I thought it would be because I enrolled for the UniMentor program and was assigned a wonderful mentor to help with any issues I had settling in. I found the first year of study to be very rewarding.
What’s the second year of study like?
My second year of study has been interesting to say the least, especially considering the implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on our classes. So far, I have really been enjoying the units I am completing this semester which include COMM4106 – Advanced Topics In Media and Communication. I am excited to start COMM5303 – Communication Strategies for Change later this semester. I am really grateful to have supportive tutors to help us adjust to a new way of learning.
“I love the flexibility that comes with being a Communications student, so I’m able to work and study at the same time. The dedication of the teachers and support from staff is incredible, along with the wide range of internship opportunities and career support available to all students.”
Katrina
My typical day
AM
Before uni, I’m usually at work at the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) so I have an early start to the day. As a postgraduate student, there aren’t many classes early on in the day, but I’m a morning person so I really enjoy these classes if I do have one.
Lunch
There are so many great options for lunch at uni, and having options is what I enjoy the most. I usually bring my own lunch in, but it’s hard to say no to bubble tea on campus at Utopia.
PM
Most of my classes are during the afternoon or towards the evening, so I usually head to uni early and meet my classmates or group members to discuss any upcoming assignments or get a head-start on readings for my next class.
Extracurricular
Outside uni, I love watching reality TV and the AFL, going to the beach and the gym, and catching up with friends. I feel like being a master’s student gives me the flexibility to do all this and maintain a good work-life balance.
Future plans
At the end of this degree, it would be great to be employed in a role where I can make a genuine difference through using the skills I’ve picked up in the variety of units this degree encompasses.
The best part about being a Master of Strategic Communication student is it opens your mind up to the world of options available to you after graduation. I would love to work in the media or sport industry ideally; however, it would be fantastic to be employed in a role where I feel like my work has a real impact on the community that it serves.
Our Master of Strategic Communication, Graduate Diploma in Strategic Communication and Graduate Certificate in Strategic Communication are all subsidised by the Australian Government as a Commonwealth Supported Place (CSP), so they're now more affordable than ever.
