Kseniya Pasiukevich

Why did you choose the University of Westminster?

When choosing which university to attend, I knew that I wanted to move away from my small hometown to a city that never sleeps, and the University of Westminster was able to provide me with that. By being in the heart of London, I knew that I would be able to experience different lifestyles and cultures, which I was never exposed to back home. Studying at Westminster offered me so many more career opportunities in London than I would’ve got studying elsewhere. I loved the topics my course covered, as well as the flexibility to choose my modules throughout the years, which really allowed me to shape my degree to what I wanted to progress into in the future.

Tell us about your course (what have you particularly enjoyed about the programme)?

My course is English Language and Linguistics, covering many different subjects such as phonology, forensics, and the media. I enjoyed the flexibility that the course offered me, which has really allowed me to adapt my degree to subjects I had particular interests in. I’ve also enjoyed being taught by lecturers who are greatly passionate about their subject, which makes the learning experience much more collaborative.

How have you found academic/lecturer support as part of your studies?

The staff on my course are extremely understanding, and are able to support me through both academic and personal issues. They are extremely adaptable to each student’s schedule, and always try their best to make the time to discuss any problems we may have. As classes moved online during the pandemic, they were able to set up virtual meetings during their staff hours to discuss any issues we may have had during a particularly difficult time, which has been greatly appreciated.

What would your advice be to someone considering studying at Westminster?

I would say to definitely place the University of Westminster as your top choice. Not only are the staff and students very understanding and welcoming, but you can't get any better opportunities than studying in London.

What was the application process for your placement?

For the application process, I had to email my CV and cover letter through to the University of Westminster editorial team, as this was where I was planning to do my placement. Once I had done that, I was invited to an interview with senior and junior editors, following which I was given a short writing task to complete.

How has your course helped you with your work placement?

I received an email from my course leader about the opportunity with an attached brief explaining how the placement module would work.

With the flexibility of my course, I’ve been able to choose creative modules as well as academic ones, which has taught me how to adapt my writing to various styles of text for different occasions.

Please provide examples of the type of work you undertook on your placement?

During my placement, I have completed a number of tasks as the editorial assistant. As part of my role, I was responsible for creating a social media plan for the week, writing news stories, contacting people involved for quotes and pictures, and uploading the stories on the University's website.

What have you learnt and what skills did you gain during your placement?

I have learnt how to appropriately structure my news stories for the targeted audience, as well as how to professionally approach and communicate with academics or students who may be involved in a story. Along with soft skills, I have also gained technical skills such as photo editing and working with content management systems (CMS) to upload stories to the university's website.

How do you plan to use your placement experience in your professional future?

I plan to use my experience as the editorial assistant for the University of Westminster by applying the soft and technical skills that I have learnt to future job opportunities, as well as improving my writing techniques.