Maria Perez a community educator - moved from Spain to the UK after accepting a job offer. After living in England for a few months, Maria soon moved north of the border for work.泭As time passed, she began seeking out professional development opportunities and began looking at masters offerings at Scottish institutions. She soon stumbled across the then-new MSc Digital Campaigning and Content Creation course at Queen Margaret University (QMU) and shes never looked back!
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My name is Maria. Im originally from Spain. Ive been living in Scotland for the past four years, studying at Queen Margaret for the past year.泭
Im a community educator and泭I was working in the third sector in Spain泭as both a volunteer and professional at different times.泭The economic crisis hit and泭I decided I wanted to learn English and develop myself more professionally so I came to the UK, first to England where I lived for a few months, and泭then I moved to Scotland and that changed everything.泭
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How did you find out about QMU and the MSc Digital Campaigning and Content Creation course?泭
I was looking for all the masters degrees available in Scotland. I went through all the lists in every university for weeks,泭looking for a particular masters that I liked and there was nothing. Then, I guess it was about the time the masters [at QMU] got approval that I stumbled into it. As soon as I looked at it I knew This is it! This is the kind of thing I want to do.泭
Im interested in all things social, like food, community development, children, education, etc.泭When I looked at the masters I knew that what I was, was basically an activist. So with this masters I could be a professional and support any of those social missions, and thats why I chose it.泭
I came into QMU looking for a masters that was really focused on real skills. Not so much泭heavily focused泭on the theoretical泭or泭conceptual泭side of things泭 although thats interesting but I wanted to learn something I could really apply to a profession, and that could lead me to progressing my career.泭
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What has been the most enjoyable element of the course?泭
I have to say泭the core modules of the course.泭I think they are all fantastic. I was a bit scared whether I would be able to work泭on the technical side of things like behind the camera -泭or whether the PR bit would be too much, but Im finding that I like all of it and they make sense together.泭
Ive taken full泭advantage of all the opportunities the university provides.泭There are泭internships, mentoring泭programmes, and travel funds;泭students泭should泭take泭the泭opportunity to explore all of them as theyre so beneficial to your learning experience.泭
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Can you name one thing about the course that you think sets QMU apart from other institutions?泭
For me what makes a difference with this course泭are泭the lecturers. The way they work together, the wealth of knowledge they bring to class every day, the fact theyre always supporting and encouraging and pushing you to泭take泭the next step I dont know, sometimes they have more faith in you than you have in yourself.泭
I feel very lucky that Ive got them around and I think泭many泭people in my course feel the same way.泭
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How have you found life in Edinburgh, and Scotland in general?泭
Edinburgh is one of the most beautiful cities Ive been to and Ive lived in Rome! Scotland feels like home. People are friendly and welcoming and they are open and question things.泭泭
I really have trouble explaining what I find so special about Scotland. The moment I stepped off the bus on Waverley泭Bridge, it was life-changing.泭I just knew I was supposed to be here.泭
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[Published June 2019]泭
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"Edinburgh is one of the most beautiful cities I’ve been to… and I’ve lived in Rome! Scotland feels like home. People are friendly and welcoming, and they are open and question things."
