It’s probably my weird academic luck – to take up courses that try to marry seemingly ill-matched subjects. Linguistics and macroeconomics? Done. Absurdist literature today, capital markets tomorrow? No problem. I have been stuck in this academic limbo for five years at my BA in Intercultural Business Communication. Who knew I would enter the same river twice?
Well, not really the same, although our Warwick’s MA in Creative & Media Enterprises (CME) is deemed to be too interdisciplinary to find its well-defined place in the university’s structural divisions. Don’t look for it at Warwick Business School. We are not actually in Theatre Studies either, as one may find in various subheadings. We grasp all this – and more – at once, and you are going to hear first-hand accounts on how the MA is doing this.
Half a year into the programme, we have finished two terms packed with both compulsory and optional modules, one of them being truly quint essential as to how to overcome prejudices about arts in business (or vice versa) and make another step to reconcile them. This is Cultural Entrepreneurship – one of the optional 10-week modules that some of our creative entrepreneurial students picked from 15 different choices.
One of these students is Onur – coming from Istanbul, Turkey, he has long been concerned with bridging the gap between art and business administration, as he vividly emphasized in his Warwick TEDx talk last autumn. As an aspiring musician and song-writer not devoid of business acumen (in fact, he inspired and brought to life a whole new student radio station in Istanbul!), Onur took up Cultural Entrepreneurship for no small reason:
Now imagine an optional module that takes your individual entrepreneurial skills and passions into account and works as a simulation before you get on working for the real world out there! Talking to real investors, brainstorming with both knowledgeable and practicing academics, and – the greatest part – collaborating with your colleagues. The Cultural Entrepreneurship module provided all of those assets and more, which made me a better observer and potentially an entrepreneur. I will never forget the whole weekend of business simulation when we developed our own businesses in groups with full professionalism and instruction from our tutors. I knew studying at the CME would be a surpassing step towards my entrepreneurial targets, but the module itself was a climax that actually opened new doors and got me engaged with the real business life. Massive thanks to the module tutor Ruth Leary and my super-creative and innovative classmates who made it possible to experiment with our dreams!
- Onur from Istanbul, Turkey
Onur presents at TEDx Warwick, 2014. Photo by Geoffrey Lim
His groupmate at the same module, Ankita has long been devoted to Bollywood dancing (yes, we even enjoyed some impromptu performances!), and – as she said – this module was her foremost reason for applying to the CME. She continues:
Entrepreneurship is something that you need to learn through experience and not through books and innumerable theories. I was interested in doing my Masters in a subject that would help me understand the creative industries better and thereby provide a sense of direction to set up my own enterprise. Cultural Entrepreneurship is a task-based module including blog posts on cultural entrepreneurs, 2-days business simulation, individual business pitch, the art of presenting sessions and series of 5 tasks to know yourself better. Over a span of 10 weeks, I learnt the importance of shedding all inhibitions and hustling for what you need to achieve, developing ideas into business plans, understanding cash flow as well as other financial concepts, significance of voice and body language while delivering presentations, time-management, creativity, and working as a team. A personal achievement for me was being able to convince the panel of my individual business pitch. It always feels good when you love a particular subject and the hard work that you have put in reaps the right results! In the end, the reflective thinking session on our journey made me realize that this was a required first step to a journey of a thousand miles! It is a module that provides you with the basic kit, gives you the space to explore your ideas and then leaves you to challenge yourself in a real world setting with the lessons learnt. I always knew that dance was something I wanted to pursue, and this module helped me generate more achievable ideas regarding the path that I can take. More than anything, I have learnt to believe in myself and my dreams more. I don’t think of them as distant anymore, they are achievable.
- Ankita
Ankita performs at Warwick's Got Talent, 2015. Photo by The One World Week Society
As the year progresses, none of us is overlooking our personal aspirations – be it film, music, dance, design or theatre. The CME just added this lingering awareness of self-fulfillment through entrepreneurship that inspires us, like hundreds of postgrads before us.
MA in Creative and Media Enterprises隶属于Centre for Cultural Policy Studies（文化政策研究中心），该中心一度让华威傲居全英媒体研究排名榜首，除了CME课程外，该中心还另设三个授课型硕士项目，分别为：
MA in International Cultural Policy and Management
MA in Global Media and Communication
MA in Arts, Enterprise and Development
CCPS吸引了大批热爱媒体、艺术与设计的学生，以下为几位校友的自我介绍和他们选择来CCPS的原因：
Darya Yafimava | MA in Creative and Media Enterprises
Hi, I'm Darya and this is my first year abroad. I came from a small spot on the Eastern European map called Belarus to do my MA in Creative & Media Enterprises at the Centre for Cultural Policy Studies. This is no simple task as I'm on the mission to launch my own brand in textile crafts, so watch out for news and tips from the desk of aspiring entrepreneurs!
Apart from this not-so-utopian dream, I have three years of professional copywriting behind me that I did for both corporations and startups, and somewhere along this career I also volunteered for an independent cinema festival, directed my own experimental short movie, got my hand into crowd-funding, performed as a live statue and wrote a selection of short stories. Looks like a whole lot of disparate bits, but believe me – when you look closer this is all about either marketing or arts, my two great passions.
Nora Marschall | MA in International Cultural Policy and Management
I am a postgraduate student at the Centre for Cultural Policy Studies, currently doing my Masters in International Cultural Policy and Management. I am originally from Berlin but decided to move my life to England around 2 years ago.
When I’m not studying, I spend most of my time in London and am always on the hunt for new cafés, restaurants and markets. Art galleries and museums are very high on the list of my favourite things to do and I love impressionist art. Although I am a very passionate baker, I prefer making cakes instead of eating them!
Julia Wessels | MA in Global Media and Communication
Hi everyone! I completed my undergraduate degree in Ancient History and Classical Archaeology in the Summer of 2015 and for just over a year of my degree I was a student blogger, giving you tips and advice on Classics at Warwick! I am now continuing my studies at Warwick by completing a master’s degree in Global Media and Communication with the Centre for Cultural Policy Studies. It may seem like quite an academic leap, studying Classics and then shifting to Global Media, but I would like to work in the Marketing/PR sector and my degree will really help me achieve this. Plus, it’s incredibly interesting and varied, covering many topics such as marketing, creativity, technology, public policy and journalism, all of which resonate with me and make me want to learn as much as I can. As I blog about my master’s and Warwick, I hope to give you some real insight into the Centre for Cultural Policy Studies and what life at postgraduate level is like at Warwick.
申请条件及入口
➤ A first or upper second class honours bachelor's degree from a UK university or an equivalent qualification from an overseas university. Ideally your degree should be in an arts, humanities, media or business related subject;
➤ IELTS requirement: Band B: 7.0 two at 6.0/6.5 & rest 7.0+ .
