Interview: What's it like studying Financial Journalism at City?
Every year, about 90,000 international
students come from around the globe to study in the City of London. Patricia
Luhanga is one of the thousands of international students who joined London
universities this past September. The Zambian national is studying for a
Masters in Financial Journalism at City, University of London,
one of the most prestigious journalism schools in the UK.
Patricia describes her experience
studying at the Islington-based school as "amazing".
"One of my favourite things about
the course is that we get a mix of theory and practice. We ask, if X happened,
what should we expect next? You really get to learn how to be analytical as a
journalist,” says Patricia.
The Financial Journalism masters
programme is highly competitive, with only 12 students in the 2017-18 class.
Some of its alumni go on to work with the top tier international news
organisations after graduation such the Financial Times, Bloomberg,
Reuters. Besides studying economics and finance, Patricia is also learning
data journalism and, social and digital media skills, which are in high
demand in the modern newsrooms.
From Zambia to City
Patricia previously worked as a Public
Relations official in Zambia. She was motivated to take the Financial
Journalism course at City due to the skill gap in her country.
"My last role was in the banking
sector and I would interact with media on a daily basis particularly on issues
about the general economic outlook. I would read material produced by
economists in banks and I wouldn't really understand much of it. The way
financial matters were also reported in the media indicated that journalists
too were struggling to grasp these issues,”she recalls.
"I realised there was almost
nobody in the country who had formal training in financial journalism. Most
journalists are general practitioners and have to learn on the job. So, I
looked for courses and found the one at City's, which is world known,” she
adds.
One of the perks of
studying at City is the opportunity to visit leading financial media
institutions such as Bloomberg and Financial Times. As part of their learning
Patricia's class will also travel to Belgium, China, and the USA. This
will be an opportunity to meet the heads of financial institutions, regulators,
and leading financial journalists
Winning a future leaders scholarship
award
Patricia's masters is fully covered by
the Chevening Scholarship, the UK Government’s international scholarship scheme
aimed to developing global leaders. She is one of 17 students from Zambia who
were awarded the scholarship in the 2017-18 academic year.
"The Chevening
Scholarship is one of the most exciting things that has ever
happened in my life. It is a prestigious and highly competitive scholarship
where you really have to prove your worth in the application. To be among 1,700
scholars chosen out of over 63,000 applicants worldwide is absolutely
amazing," says Patricia.
Adjusting to life in the City of London
Patricia has travelled to some African
countries, but her studies at City brought her to the UK for the first time.
Like many other international students she has faced some challenges when
adjusting to life in the UK.
"Imagine engaging with someone who
asks, ‘where is Zambia?’ Sometimes you feel like the odd one out. But that
makes me special. Perhaps me being here gives someone an opportunity to know
about Zambia. I never hesitate to sell my country to my lecturers and
classmates, " she enthuses.
Patricia has also struggled with the
food in London.
"I lost about 4 kilos in
my first weeks here. Everywhere I look I see bread. I hate bread. During
the first weeks I had challenges because I just didn't know what to eat. I have
now found a South African shop that sells some Zambian food and I can
cook Nshima occasionally. Nshima is my favourite dish!” says Patricia. Nshima
is Zambia's staple food, made from maize flour and water.
What does the future hold for Patricia?
"I would like to work with
academia and media institutions to help train financial journalists in Zambia.
It would be great to have more journalists in Zambia reporting the Bloomberg
way,” she says.
For those looking to study at Financial
Journalism at City, Patricia has some advice:
"On
my application I reflected on the skills gaps we have in Zambia. I think
my previous academic performance was also an advantage. I have always been an A
student,” says Patricia. "It is a very competitive programme, so you need
to write an application that will stand out. You should reflect on why you need
this skill and why you think you are qualified to take the course."
Photos courtesy of Patricia Luhanga
This article was originally published on https://citypowerwomen.wixsite.com/home/single-post/2017/11/05/Interview-What%E2%80%99s-it-like-studying-Financial-Journalism-at-City
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