Postgraduate Student Profiles
Master of Communications Students
Mehak Joshi
Mehak is an on-campus student from India.
Why did you choose to study the Master of Communications at Monash?
Monash is one of the top ranking universities in the world and a member of the group of eight in Australia. It is even the second best university in Australia. This was my prime reason for choosing Monash University for my postgraduate degree. Besides, Monash has such a high percentage of international students. Studying here will give me international exposure and a chance to meet new people and learn about other cultures.
What features of the course do you find enjoyable or rewarding?
I like the method of teaching in this course. The classes are very interactive and that gives me a chance to put my viewpoint on the table. This also allows me to gain new insights into concepts that are taught in the course. The professors are very helpful and generous with their time, so being an international student I find it easy to adjust to the new study pattern.
*What are you future plans and how do you think the degree might assist you in achieving your goals? *
I want to enter the media industry. As we all know, communications is a big part of any industry. The concepts that I am learning here are sure to help me in my future prospects. I find units like ‘Researching global audiences’, which gives an insight into how audiences are formed, and ‘Strategic communication’, which teaches all about PR, very helpful. I am sure the knowledge gained by studying these units will help me in my chosen career path.
Stefan Kostarelis
Stefan is an off-campus student based in Taiwan.
Why did you choose to study the Master of Communications at Monash?
Being a New Zealander and having lived in Australia, postgraduate studies in Australia seemed like a natural choice. I first discovered online masters programs through several friends, also living in Taipei, who were advancing their careers through distance learning. After researching Australia’s top universities I then selected Monash on the basis of the depth of online courses offered, its prestigious reputation and on the recommendation of a friend who is a Monash alumnus.
What features of the course do you find enjoyable or rewarding?
The great thing about learning off-campus with Monash is the user interface of the website is well-designed and easy to use. With the click of a button I can access mp3s of the latest lecture, participate in an online tutorial or download the latest lecture notes. In addition, so far all the courses I’ve taken have been well organized and informative, with plenty of support offered from Monash’s superb teaching staff.
What are you future plans and how do you think the degree might assist you in achieving your goals?
One of the best aspects of the Master of Communications is the breadth of the curriculum. The subjects I have completed at Monash so far have already garnered interest from prospective employers in the fields of journalism, marketing and technical writing. In the future I plan to take full advantage of the options the Master of Communications has given me and pursue a career focusing on business-to-business communication within Asia. The Master of Communications will help me achieve my goals by providing me with the essential tools of a communication professional.
Erin McFadden
Erin is a Melbourne-based student studying the Master of Communications part-time in off-campus mode.
Why did you choose to study the Master of Communications at Monash?
I was looking for a way to enhance my career in the communications industry without having to compromise on my current, full time working arrangements. This course appealed to me because its structure is flexible, and I could choose interesting subjects that were relevant to me.
What features of the course do you find enjoyable or rewarding?
I find the course content challenging and rewarding at the same time. There is a certain satisfaction in being able to apply what I’ve learnt in class to my everyday the work practices. Studying alongside a variety of people in the industry is not only insightful, but it also helps to contextualise communications within wider business needs.
What are you future plans and how do you think the degree might assist you in achieving your goals?
This course has helped me to consolidate communication theory with my current working knowledge in the area, which will provide me with a competitive edge in an evolving industry. Being able to understand the different facets of communications will greatly improve career opportunities and help me develop my skill set.
Higher Degree by Research (HDR) Students
Julie Freeman (Ph.D)
Viable Democracy? Local Government and the Connected Citizen
Julie’s project investigates local government policy frameworks and the impact they have upon constituents’ capacity for democratic participation through networked communication technologies. By utilising a ‘grounded’ theoretical approach, her study aims to provide empirical evidence into the ways in which methods of participation and enactment of public life are taking place in contemporary society. She hopes to illustrate the ways in which local governments can potentially facilitate new forms of participation by adapting their practices through information and communication technologies to create new public spaces.
Amy Gibbs (M.Phil)
A Real History: Why Histories Matter in Determining Whether Online Communities Flourish or Die
Amy’s research examines the issue of why some online communities last for years while others die within months of conception. She is looking at both formal and informal fandom communities residing within blogging networks, and argues that far from being an oddity or proof of fickle online communication, there are concrete reasons for a community’s success or failure. Central to the success of a community is the concept of a communally known ‘community history’.
J. Ranilo B. Hermida (Ph.D)
My name is Ranilo B. Hermida and I am a postgraduate research student from Manila, Philippines. I am studying at Monash University on a scholarship grant to finish my doctorate in philosophy.
I am writing my doctoral dissertation on the political theory of Jurgen Habermas which I am employing to analyze the democratic institutions and processes in my country. After finishing my degree I hope to return to my country and resume my teaching and research activities at the Ateneo de Manila University.
I have been enjoying my stint at Monash thus far. My supervisors and the faculty staff have all been very encouraging, and I am assured that I will have all the support - professional expertise, library plus other resources - that I will need to complete my research work and earn my degree.
Jürgen Habermas on the Paradoxes and Prospects of Deliberative Democracy and Discursive Politics – A Theoretical Framework for the Critical Analysis of the Philippine Constitutional and Political Institutions and Processes
The theoretical framework for Ranilo’s doctoral research is taken from Jürgen Habermas and his body of writing on deliberative democracy and discursive politics. Critiquing and building from Habermas, Ranilo is undertaking a critical analysis of Philippine constitutional structures and processes against the backdrop of the Habermasian theory of law and democracy and his normative reconstruction of society.
Rebeka Vidic (M.A. - research)
I completed a Bachelor of Communications at Monash Berwick and wrote an Honours thesis on “The Re-emergence of Ritual in Television Studies” in my fourth year.
I hope to use my Masters degree – I’m writing a thesis on “Terrorism and a Controlled Society: The Media and its Effects on the Future Rights of Citizens” – as a stepping-stone to PhD studies in Media and Communications.
My time at Monash has equipped me with the tools to better understand the media-saturated world in which we live.