University: Griffith College Dublin

City: Dublin

Country: Ireland

Continent: Europe

Field of study: journalism

Study type: Master’s degree

I am currently doing my Masters in Journalism and Media Communications at Griffith College Dublin, where I also spent my Bachelors semester abroad. My semester abroad was also organized by MicroEdu and since everything went smoothly, I gratefully accepted MicroEdu’s help for my master’s application. The application process was very easy, I was always assured of quick responses and MicroEdu put me in touch with Griffith College whenever I had questions. There were also helpful tips and regular follow-up questions when I arrived in Dublin. Especially during the semester abroad, I was reassured that I still had a German contact point. Check mcat-test-centers.com to see California State University San Marcos.

I immediately felt at home here at Griffith College Dublin. And both the courses and working atmosphere as well as the city itself made me want to return. The master’s is just right for me and I’m happy to be able to do it here. I have theoretical courses such as media sociology, media law and cultural perspectives as well as practical courses such as radio, television and photojournalism. In contrast to Germany, the courses are far more practical overall and the grade is not only based on an exam or homework, but on shorter essays, presentations and possibly an exam. I like that we have smaller assignments throughout the semester instead of just one big one.

The college is quite small compared to others here in Dublin and this contributes to a great learning atmosphere. We all know the lecturers by their first names and we can always go to them if we have problems or questions. We are between 20 and 25 with us in the Master, come from all over the world and have grown into a small community. We organize parties, go out to eat or drink cocktails together. For example, we had our own Halloween party and a festive Christmas dinner together. This semester we have grown and the three “newcomers” were immediately warmly welcomed by us. There’s just a great atmosphere here.

The practical experience we get here is great. And most of all it’s really fun. In the first semester we had four Fridays when we were sent off like real journalists with a story that had to be finished by the evening. For example, I was at a National Youth Council conference and in court where I was allowed to hear real trials. These days were always exciting and in the evening the whole course got together over a glass of wine and exchanged experiences.

The next practical highlight came at the end of January. We went live with the college radio station for a week. It was like working at one of the big networks for a week. Including the stress, the excitement and the feeling that what we produced is actually going to be heard by someone. This semester I have two more hands-on courses, TV and Photojournalism. I will shoot a short documentary and create a photo series.

I live on campus, which is super convenient. During my semester abroad, I first tried to find an apartment on my own, but when I arrived here, my landlord was unreachable. I was taken to college and luckily I was able to get a room there. I didn’t take that on myself this time and booked a room here straight away from Germany. It’s a bit pricey, but it’s worth it. I’ve visited many off campus and many live in houses with mold, have problems with their landlords, or have other problems. A friend of mine was really lucky with her house, but she also pays another 100 euros more than me. You don’t have to worry about anything here on campus. Everything is paid for and if anything is wrong just let us know and it will be fixed.
There is plenty to do and see here in Dublin and Ireland. The GCD student council organizes several inexpensive day and weekend trips and lots of parties throughout the year. You can also travel around Ireland on your own. Buses and trains are fairly cheap and everything can be reached in 4 hours or less. I was in Belfast, which was also organized by the GCD and it was really worth it. I probably wouldn’t have gone there because I wasn’t that interested, but when it was offered I went along. We toured the city and visited the Titanic Center, which I highly recommend! But closer destinations are also worthwhile. For example, I’ve often been to Howth, a peninsula above Dublin. After only 20 minutes by train you are at the sea with seals in the harbor basin.

I just feel completely at home here. Ireland gave me a sense of freedom from the start and the people here have always given me a warm welcome. I particularly like Dublin because it reminds me of my hometown of Bremen. I highly recommend everyone to visit the island of leprechauns, 100 greens, Guinness or whatever you want to call it. Once here I never want to leave. Or at least keep coming back. And I did.