CAREERS

I want to study Media and Sociology because in the future I wish to work in the media industry but I also want to be able to use my media as a platform for social commentaries, like theatre practitioner Bertold Brecht and director Spike Lee. I want to do this so that I can make a difference and positively impact the media industry to improve lives because I want to use media to influence reality for the better. 

I am currently studying Media UAL and Sociology. Studying Media has also helped me make this decision of studying Media and Sociology as the theorists we have studied have helped me understand the media unit and theories in sociology as both subjects share some theorists. I have been able to use my sociological knowledge in Media, too, as it made studying audience factors easier to understand, for example why certain classes are more drawn to different types of media or how and why your social status and social roles affect the media you consume. Essay projects that I have done for Media have been about the topics of race as I, a Black woman, have many opinions on how racism impacts how characters are portrayed and how the intersectionality of being black and a woman affects their portrayal and treatment. To help me, I used  theorists I learned about in sociology to explain patterns in the media that are a result of racism. I will benefit from studying this course as I’ve always been interested in observing society and seeing how its problems are reflected in the media.

Studying Geography at GCSE taught me about human and physical geography and how they each affect the world we live in and what it means for the future of our society. Learning about the social issues of climate change and globalisation made me feel more confident in studying A-Level Sociology as these topics came up in the course as my previous knowledge made them easier to understand and grasp. This aspect of geography fascinated me because I have always had an interest in human behaviour and how different aspects of identity affect their views on social issues. Studying Media and Sociology would fuel my discussions about the complexity of human identity and how the factors of identity shape social views and actions would feed my curiosity.

Having studied English and Religious Studies at GCSE will also help me with the course as they strengthened my essay writing skills and they gave me the skills needed to be confident in debating for both sides of an argument. I learned to be able to see the positive in an opposing side even if I did not agree with it and taught me to be properly prepared and well researched for an argument so that my essay conclusions were balanced and well thought out. Learning about different religions has also helped me understand the different teachings and interpretations and how they not only affect the people practicing the religion but society, it’s laws and social norms.

Outside of school, I play the violin and have played for the past 9 years. I wasn’t able to pay for music lessons so I worked hard and was able to achieve the Mayor’s Music Scholarship to fund my lessons. It has helped me develop skills such as concentration, self discipline and multitasking. I believe these skills will help me cope with the work that a university course would expect. Being part of an orchestra has also strengthened my skills in cooperation and listening as I had to work with other violinists and I had to look out for anyone who sounded off key as I was also the concertmaster. Being concertmaster gave me experience in leadership, problem solving and communication which will really benefit me in my university life as I am confident in leading projects, communicating any problems and solving them.

I think that studying Media and Sociology with you will expand my knowledge on the media’s effects on societal behaviour and constructs. This will bring me one step closer to helping me acquire a job that would give me the possibility to achieve my goals.