Siza Dube

What made you want to apply to your course and to Leeds? 

It’s a long story but I felt very compatible with with the schools and not just the degree. I was looking for creative freedom and the room to explore the social discourses that mattered the most to me.

What’s unique about my degree is that it goes across two schools, FAHACS and Media and Communications, and I knew that I would be getting the best of both worlds and that over three years I would have an opportunity to shape my degree into what fit me best. 

Additionally, both Schools are highly ranked in the country and globally, I knew that this would give me more graduate job opportunities as well as more options  if I wanted to continue on to postgraduate study. 

What is it that makes you passionate about your area of study? 

It feels like we are making a difference in the world by engaging with important social and historical discourses. I feel like I’ve been stretched, and my mind has been opened to critically think in ways I’ve never done before. My degree gives me the tools, language, context and awareness I need to be part of addressing social issues and to cultivate belonging and inclusivity in the world at large. 

Have you worked closely with a particular tutor or member or the University’s academic staff? Tell us about that experience.  

I’ve been lucky to be surrounded my great professors and mentors throughout my degree.

Cultural and Media Studies requires you to work closely with members of staff if you are going improve your grades.For example, for each essay topic I choose I will meet with the professor teaching the module several times to toss ideas around. I’ll also likely meet with other professors who specialise in the area I’ve chosen.

There is plenty of help if you are willing to reach out and you always have an academic tutor on hand to support you. 

What other activities are available for students to take part in outside of their studies, and which ones have you tried out yourself? 

There are plenty of societies to get involved with. I’ve participated in LSTV, Her Campus, kickboxing and freestyle.

What do you plan to do when you’ve finished your course, and how do you think the skills and knowledge you’ve developed so far at Leeds will help with these plans? 

The great thing about a creative degree is that you don’t have to do just one thing, there are so many things you can do. I have several careers I want to have in my lifetime including becoming a professor one day. I’ve learned to not limit myself to one thing.

Over the summer I completed several internships, the first was research-based, the second consisted of marketing, comms and events for a gallery and the most recent was doing comms as part LEEDS 2023 within the Leeds Cultural Education Partnership network.