After almost a decade of working in different newsrooms in India, I decided I wanted to pursue a master’s degree in journalism. Especially given the changing landscape of the media industry and its shift towards digital media.
I got through the two-year joint Erasmus Mundus programme 2022-2024. The application process included submitting an online form for motivation assessment, academic records, reference letters and work samples. The applicants are evaluated based on academic track record, professional experience, language proficiency and determination to pursue the programme.
The Erasmus Mundus journalism master’s lets you study at leading universities in at least two European countries, and work with top researchers in media studies, political science and journalism.
I started my course in September 2022 in the picturesque city of Aarhus in Denmark. I was in a class of 90 from 42 different countries.
It felt like hitting the reset button. Transitioning meant not just saying goodbye to a familiar setup in India but also bridging an age gap to connect with my new peers, some of whom are eight to nine years my junior. Academically, it involved engaging with reading material — European politics, media, history — much of which was new to me. The shift in role — from professional to student — meant that I had to structure my days afresh. I also worked part-time to supplement my finances.
This year, the Mundus Journalism Consortium is extending its support to four exceptional applicants with a special scholarship worth €10,000 for the two-year course. The rest get an Erasmus+ stipend of up to €6,000. Healthcare and civil liability insurance is fully covered under the programme for all.
All students spend their first year in Denmark, studying at Aarhus University and the Danish School of Media and Journalism. Students can choose between a taught course and an internship in the second semester of Year 1.
A select lot gets to spend their second semester at one of these credit-awarding universities — University of Technology Sydney in Australia; Pontificia Universidad Católica in Chile; Fudan University in Shanghai, China; University of Hamburg in Germany; University of Cape Town in South Africa; and the Lebanese American University in Lebanon.
For my second semester, I chose to stay on in Denmark and pursue the elective of SPSS Statistics software. This course involves theory-driven quantitative research, collecting and analysing data using statistical software, and reporting findings ethically in journalistic formats. It includes narrative techniques for data-driven storytelling and data analysis.
Year 1 has been busy and rich with learnings. I learnt the use of various software tools that are in use by journalists today, such as website creation, video production, podcast production. There were also classes on interviewing techniques, artificial intelligence tools and research. Initially, managing extensive daily readings was daunting. I was learning new design and AI tools as a mature student.
I attended conferences such as the 9th European Communication Conference organised by the European Communication Research and Education Association and a live talk by American linguist Noam Chomsky. The class was often introduced to visiting professional journalists and academics. We were also given the opportunity to learn Danish.
Year 2 has just begun. This year, all students have to select their area of specialisation. I picked Totalitarianism and Transition at Charles University in Prague, the Czech Republic. The other choices were Politics and Communication at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands; Crisis and Conflict at City, the University of London in the UK; and Cultures and Contexts at Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München in Germany.
The second semester will involve writing a thesis.
