I am so lucky to only have classes three days a week, with Thursday-Sunday off for exciting weekend adventures. For the days that I do have class, I’m sure to start my day with a Starbucks cup in hand, to keep me engaged throughout my three-hour-long classes in London.
My favorite class that I am taking while studying abroad in London is my digital journalism class. In this class, I am creating my own WordPress site from scratch featuring three original investigative journalism pieces. Learning how to use WordPress will give me a competitive advantage in today’s digital landscape which will help me complete professional tasks in the future.
Additionally, I plan on using the website that I create to create an ongoing digital portfolio where I can showcase the digital content that I create.
As an advertising minor, I am required to complete and introduction to marketing course, and my principles of marketing course exactly matches that requirement at my home university. Upon completion of this course, I will have the fundamental knowledge of the marketing industry as a whole. I am required to present a brand’s current marketing strategy and make suggestions on how to improve it. This will help me develop my public speaking skills, and will teach me how to conduct professional research as it pertains to a company’s marketing strategy.
Another class that I have been loving so far is my communications manager class. I am learning how managers achieve communications objectives within a wide array of industries. As part of our formative assessment, we are working in groups to evaluate and formulate a marketing plan for a non-alcoholic beer. This week, I visited shops and pubs to conduct market research about this product. I am excited to be partaking in this project for all that I will learn, and my professors back home would never send us to a bar, especially during class time!
Lastly, the London City of Change class that I am enrolled in is full of international students studying abroad at London South Bank University. So far, we have learned about the art of flaneur, which is a fancy way of saying walking with purpose. Alongside other international students from all over the world, I will get to walk around the city through guided walking tours, visits to local exhibits and more!
All of the classes I’m taking in London are interesting and different from classes I've taken so far at home. Studying things that I am passionate about in a new setting is exciting. Furthermore, gaining knowledge from a different perspective than my peers who are not studying abroad will give me a competitive advantage as I enter the workforce in the near future.