Key Skills from my Graduate Experience
My undergraduate experience was predominately focused on a surface level of understanding of communications, specifically in writing. In four years, I spent most of my time practicing AP style and writing media kits. No doubt all of that was incredibly helpful, but I was missing core levels of understanding about what exactly the communication field was capable of in the larger scope of our society. I soon decided after graduation that I wanted to return to school to expand my understanding of communications while working a full-time job and pursuing a freelance career as a PR and digital media consultant. I applied to a few universities, but something about a local university, even if it was an online program, was appealing to me. I had no idea just how fulfilling that decision would be and how much I would learn and grow in the process. From a basic understanding of communication theory to a deeper understanding of communication practices in the online space, I have had the opportunity to dive into themes, theories, and trends I find fascinating about our current culture. Below are some key takeaways surrounding my two years in the M.A. program at Queens University.
Theory in Practice (COM 658)
In originally applying to programs, I was focused on trying to find a program that allowed me to apply practical knowledge to a theoretical understanding. Queens did just that. Theoretical Literacy was of vital importance throughout the course of our program. It wasn’t until about halfway through I realized I had begun using theory throughout the course of my career as well. I was able to see and understand specific areas in which I could apply theoretical approaches, like human resources and organizational strategy. This was most apparent in my first attempt at an inquiry project in COM 658. I was able to begin a deeper understanding of theory, such as Robert Putnam’s social capital theory and Erving Goffman’s presentation of self through this research. I wrote a strategic connectivity plan designed within the context of digital fan communities in building trust, identity, and collaboration within participatory culture. In the plan, I was looking specifically at how the online presences of this fan culture has gained the momentum for this kind of power and influence, specifically related to the superhero fandom and Marvel’s cinematic universe. Fandoms are garnering support and are now considered “box-office gold” when it comes to corporate entertainment. In the project, I was able to observe reach and impacts in the digital space through popular social media platforms, specifically Twitter and Reddit, while actively engaging with the fandoms themselves to gauge the potential level of influence. Although this was a while ago when I first began this research, it largely impacted how I thought about my academic research. I began to think about communication in a larger context than just my past experience as an undergraduate or what limited career experience I had. I was also able to apply my new theoretical knowledge to a field I was not only a fan of, but would one day want to work in. You can see an example of this below.
Research at it’s core (COM 680)
Although I had written plenty of research papers before, I had never had the opportunity to do research like the level I was able to in this program. My past experience with research had been limited to textual analyses of films or case studies in my undergraduate program. However, in my master’s coursework, I was given the opportunity to study various processes that included grounded theory using coding, strategic communication plans, and more. In my final proposal in COM 680, before submitting my inquiry paper in COM 681, I was able to analyze tweets and use specific research methods that allowed me to pull sources of literature and directly connect them to my dataset. The study specifically focused around a textual analysis of posts surrounding the final season of the Game of Thrones television series on HBO. To gauge fan engagement and investment, I specifically observed the participatory media platforms of Facebook and Twitter, during the concluding six episodes of the series. I utilized thematic analysis and coding processes to observe, select, and analyze the tweets and posts from the six weeks the final season ran. Over the course of two years, I have acquired an understanding of research that allowed me to combine methods while still understanding the basic concepts that informed them. You can see more of the research and methods used in the link below.
Digital Media Literacy (COM 616)
I had grown up with a knowledge of technology since I was fortunate to have a family that had a computer in the house from an early age. When our first assignments were to design videos and record podcasts, I knew that was an area I could do well in. However, the ability to integrate theoretical ideas and properties was something new. In COM 616, I was able to take ideas surrounding theory and apply them to corporate decisions. In this presentation, I studied Blockbuster’s case, focusing on the democratic and contextual approaches to communications ethics while using the sociocultural and cybernetic approaches to further understand the interaction between cultural and professional decision-making. I used a video presentation and voice over to provide a visual walkthrough of the case. It was a great experience to be able to apply my existing knowledge with a new application. I have since used the tools learned in the class, and overall program, in my own personal life as well as freelance work. Through the program, I worked with simple programs like iMovie and master programs like Adobe AfterEffects and Premiere. It was a challenge, but one I was happy to take on.
Writing Literacy (COM 624)
Needless to say, master’s work is incredibly writing intensive. Although balancing a conversational and informative tone was important in some of my more casual blog posts, the ability to educate and engage with more academic writing had to be just as important in more intensive papers. During my Communication & Culture class (COM 624), I had to write a series of short papers focusing on different subjects. Some were more reflexive, while others focused on a more academic approach. Throughout the course of the class, I wrote six papers all ranging in tone, subject, and length, which provided me with the chance to stretch the writing muscles I had developed in the program thus far. I major flaw in my writing was my citation style. Over the years, I had been taught a few different ways of citing sources, varying in citation style and professor, so it was difficult to be consistent. Luckily, through turning in these consistent papers, I was able to practice incorporating my citations more fluidly into my work rather than just slipping into a quote when I didn’t know what to say. The consistent writing got me in the habit of thinking more critically about the events going on around me, which made it easy to write since I was constantly thinking of things to say. It was a great way to prepare myself for the marathon that would soon be our final inquiry project. You can read these papers at the link below.
Ethical Application (COM 638)
Ethics was always a point of pride for me when it came to communication. I was used to thinking critically about the way things were communicated to and from me so when it was brought up in various scenarios in the program, I really had to take a step back. Ethics is more than just saying or doing the right thing, especially when it comes to communications. I was able to investigate this in my strategic communications course. This particular course was at an incredibly difficult time in my life. The ability to dive into research is something I’m incredibly grateful for now, however, at the time it was difficult for me to even look at a computer screen (you can read more on that at the bottom)*. However, I wrote two papers focused on particularly serious topics in the field of ethical communication strategies. One was on the #deletefacebook campaign, observing the power of communicating data violations and the impacts to the users and taking a strategic look at understanding the power these platforms hold targeted marketing and the significance of data mining. The other was the power of communication in disaster situations, and the ethics of holding onto information too late. I was able to research ideas surrounding big ideas impacting global communication moments and left with a better understanding of how important ethical decision making is. You can read these at the link below.
Global Audience Awareness
Over the course of the program, I was given a new perspective on old things I thought I knew. In our strategic communication for a global audience class, as mentioned, I specifically studied the ideas of global disaster scenarios and how they are communicated. This hit close to home for me as my hometown was struck by Hurricane Florence in 2018. My parents evacuated at the last possible moment due to poor communication on the part of the local government, so it felt incredibly important to understand what lack of communication could do on a global scale. Also, E-waste (a topic that was brought up in various classes but was focused on in COM 624), was something I unconsciously knew about but didn’t actively address in my day to day life. I am a big tech user with multiple devices with a thousand cords and cables. However, discussing this in a classroom setting really opened my eyes to how much I consume. In the time since that class, I’ve actively tried to be more conscious of my decisions when it came to my tech purchases as well as how I dispose of my broken technology. I’ve also sought out organizations I can donate my outdated tech devices to rather than throw them away, so they can be refurbished and provided to those who need them.
Integrating Theory & Application
It’s no secret if you’ve made any progress in reading my library of papers, that I’m a fan when it comes to pop-culture. I have been fortunate enough to apply my new knowledge of theory to that love in my final inquiry projects and short papers. From Netflix to Disney, to Game of Thrones, I have always enjoyed digital content and media. As an undergraduate, I minored in Film Studies, working to understand a theoretical approach to the films I watched all of the time. It changed the way I watched movies forever. Now, with the theoretical knowledge of how we communicate as an audience, engaging in online conversations around those same films or shows will never be the same. In an age of 24/7 connection, fandoms are a microcosm of how we engage with our culture, specifically trans-media properties. Some are passionate to the point of action and investment; others are blissfully just enjoying good television. However, in the age of constant communication, fans are more passionate than ever about the stories that they have a specific and undeniable relationship to, and the entertainment industry is well aware of it. This is an industry I’m fortunate enough to now work in, putting my new theoretical knowledge to the test daily and remaining a diehard fan in the process.
*Context: In the summer of 2018, due to a series of unfortunate life events out of my own control, my academic ambitions were put on hold. Should you need additional clarification, I am more than happy to provide definitive answers (you can contact me here).