Why MARS was chosen?
MARS (Media and Area Studies) is a Master’s programme belonging to the Faculty of Social Sciences (FSV), Charles University.
There are at least two main reasons for me to select MARS for my master’s degree. I called it “the vibe” and “the design”.
The ancient vibe of Prague
I like the vibe of Prague. From the beginning, my first impression of Prague based on just a few pictures I had seen online was:
1. Position – a capital in Central and Eastern Europe
2. The attractiveness of ancient buildings and
3. A sense of peace and safety in one place
Moreover, I was immediately thrilled at the prestige of Charles University, one of the world’s oldest universities since 1348. Aside from that, the website’s minimalist design and English-friendly layout caught my attention.
Below is an excerpt from the cover letter in the application package that I submitted:
“During the process of applying to the Erasmus Mundus Master’s programme ‘Journalism, Media, and Globalisation’ (EMJ), I became familiar with Charles University and the Faculty of Social Sciences (FSV UK) in general. Regrettably, my personal financial burden prevents me from accepting the shortlist of 90 available candidates for the Mundus Journalism program. Luckily, I have found a second chance to pursue higher education in Prague.”
Furthermore, as I mentioned in a previous post, do you agree with me?
Would it be better to select a prestigious university in a small country rather than a no-name college in a bigger state?
The design of the course
English-friendly websites make it simple for me to obtain all the information on the main and subpages of English courses.
You can find more information here.
Media and Society
Communications and Politics
Czech Media System in European Comparison
Conflict and media in southern Europe
Introduction to Postcolonial Theory
Political Geography
Theorising Memory: Social and Cultural Remembering
The Political Systems of East European Countries Today
EU Institutions
The Grand Debates on European Integration
Methodology of the Social Sciences
Academic Writing
I remember two years ago how relieved I was when I looked over this list. Let me explain it to you.
1. Not many “domestic” subjects.
There is only one compulsory Czech course, which is “Czech Media System”. Like many other international students, I am not really into “local” subjects. Honestly, I’m afraid that without thorough Czech knowledge, I cannot handle the final written exams or essays.
2. Combination between “media” and “area” studies.
MARS is actually a collaboration between the Institute of Communication Studies and Journalism and the Institute of International Studies. In other words, it is especially tailor-made for students seeking to advance their knowledge of both social and political contexts, the cultural and historical position of media, and media communication within the geographic area of Central Eastern Europe. Based on journalism, I did search for some related journalistic programmes; however, the majority of them will be taught in local languages.
That’s why MARS seems ideal for me, who already has five years of journalism experience but has no knowledge of “areas” or “European regions.”
Prior fears
Studying abroad at the age of 29, my concerns could be somewhat different from those of other academic peers. Their fears could be related to:
Money/ Homesick/ Loneliness/ Independence
Regional languages/ Cultural, food shock / Weather shock
….
Before departure, my only major fear is theory. After briefly reading through the descriptions of all required courses, I was a bit afraid that the programme would prioritise theory over empirical knowledge, which could make me feel overwhelmed at first. Of course, we cannot predict it until we experience it.
In reality
The course is fully theoretical, but most teachers often try to illustrate these theories, concepts, or ideas through case studies or empirical examples.
Two important pieces of information that I wish I had explored before:
1. Many designs of the course
Going back 13 years, when I was still in university, our Vietnamese classroom layouts were somewhat similar. Basically, you should be aware of the types of classes you register for in advance.
- Lecture: Lecturers (and possibly guests) will primarily lead the lecture. Your contribution is not required and is not under review.
- Seminar: Your active participation will help to shape the course. The lecturer’s role in the class was considered to be that of chairman and supporter. Your participation will be part of the final evaluation. Most of my “area” courses are designed as seminars.
- Practical exercise: A group of students will work on a variety of practical tasks together.
You will receive either a specific number of credits or a Pass/Fail status.
- Final exam: written test or online test
- Final assignment: research paper, essay, or assignment addressing questions.
- Oral exam
- Project
- Participation: For example, unless you are absent for more than 3 days, you will receive credits. It typically applied to some physical education courses that I attended, such as swimming and pilates.
A brief review of some courses
Media part
Not many topics fascinate me “from head to toe” like this one. The explanation could be that we humans are naturally drawn to conflict matters, and, for me, I am always interested in how Western nations portray these problematic issues in the media.
This course takes the form of a lecture; hence, the lecturer will be mostly in charge of running the classroom. He and his guests provided unique points of view from many contexts around the world, in particular. Upon the conclusion of each lecture, the most engaging aspect is the portrayal of this particular topic in local media.
This subject was quite challenging for me because I was not fully acquainted with Czech history. Luckily, I “survived” and got an A on the topic “Autonomy of Czech journalists under the ownership of Andrej Babiš.”
I haven’t studied this subject before. Consequently, the concept of “methodology” is entirely unfamiliar to me. Generally, the course could be more interesting if the lectures spent more time elaborating on various types of methods, such as data collection methods or analytic methods.
Area part
These courses, which are part of “area” subjects, are both fascinating and challenging for me and other non-European students who haven’t had enough information about “area” yet.
Some “lecture-designed” courses, like “Political Systems of East European Countries Today” or “EU Institutions”, provide an engaging learning environment where we can actively participate and gain insights from the lectures. The majority of “area” classes, however, are seminars. In other words, we have to contribute to the lecture by actively sharing our own opinions. The amount of required/assigned/suggested reading for “area” courses is huge. It is actually good for us, as non-European students, to build a foundation on a particular topic. However, being aware of something for a short time does not enable you to debate about it. This is why many MARS students were initially hesitant to enroll in the “Grand Debates of European Integration” course, as it necessitates active communication and discussion of ideas.
This course consisted of two sections: theory and practice. I felt grateful because the course began with the second section: reality. One time, the writer highlighted Vietnam when discussing the “hard” and “soft” ties between China and India. Still bearing in my mind today is the sense of national pride when my little country was referred to as one of the neighbouring countries that India wished to be close friends with to preserve their position in relations with China. More interestingly, I could hear other classmates in the discussion section talking about Vietnam, China, and India, and their ties with other surrounding nations.
This course surprised me the most. Before, I didn’t understand why this subject was mandatory for MARS (Media and Area Studies) students. Eventually, I realised that memory in many ways, constructs social and cultural memory.
We learned about several interesting topics: “Nostalgia and Memory (and Forgetting)”; “Collective Memory and Cultural Remembering”; “Transmission of Memory” …
Should you find yourself in the theoretical memory matrix, initially it would be too abstract and complex to grasp. Though the subject seems fascinating, it hides several layers of vague ideas. More interestingly, I began to see the study of memory all around—yes, everywhere—in readings assigned alongside other courses such as Political Geography or Ethnic Conflicts … Intellectuals tend to use “collective memory” as a “weapon” to analyse other political and social issues.
In other words, my mind was open regarding the reason why the course was designed as a compulsory course. The main reason is the significant role of theoretical memory in social science research. Indeed, our memory was constructed and influenced by many factors. Despite history or some facts that we often take for granted, everything, even our memory, was not naturally created.
How has memory been constructed?
Why, and in what ways, have people influenced this process?
This course has somewhat eased these concerns.
Similar to Theorising Memory, this course with the title … theory gives a warning to every future MARS student that we will study theory … again.
Despite the lecturer’s friendliness and patience, I can’t confidently admit that I fully understand everything he said, particularly the complex concepts related to historical materialism by K. Marx and Engels. Our lecturer is truly a master of post-colonial theory, however, for some beginners like me who have not studied this topic before, it may be a little daunting when a lot of sophisticated terms and ideas are presented in a short period (approximately 10 classes/10 weeks). At least my brain needs time to process those theories. It would be better if, at first, my professor just introduced some very basic or key ideas of post-colonial theory, just a little. And then, through case studies, examples, and exercises, he helps us to fully understand a few concepts.
On the other hand, I believe that four out of ten colleagues chose to focus their theses on post-colonial theory. This could indicate the effectiveness of the course in motivating us to delve deeper into the topic. Moreover, most of my friends with whom I spoke about this outside of the classroom expressed their curiosity and said, “Wow“, and wanted to come to this session. Unfortunately, not everyone can enrol in this course without the lecturer’s approval.
This specific post-colonial theory is designed especially for MARS students.
Overall, if you’re seeking an English programme that incorporates a unique blend of media and CEE (and European) studies, MARS can be a perfect choice.
Actually, Charles University, or the Faculty of Social Sciences (FSV), is a “rare” gem providing various English-taught programmes for international students in Europe generally. Currently, the Faculty offers 04 Bachelor’s degree programmes and 14 two-year English-language Master’s degree programmes, fully accredited by the Czech Ministry of Education.
MARS is a young (just 4 years ago) and diverse student body. Therefore, the design of the course will be constantly updated following feedback received from MARS students.
Each year, the total number of MARS students is around 10. As one of MARSer Gen 3, I am proud to be the first (and only) student from Vietnam at the moment. At the age of 30, I’m learning from 20-somethings from all over the world. Despite my “old” age, my peers inspired and encouraged me a lot.
After all, I felt very lucky and grateful that I decided to come here to Prague and have a wonderful experience with MARS. Besides studying, living here for nearly two years has allowed me to explore Prague more with my camera. I always discover something new following every walk. But it is time for me to go, to another place.
I realised that if our knowledge about the world is only a little like a dot of sand, why don’t we just go, interact, and learn?
It’s never never never late to study because our world is so broad.
You will never feel old when you still ask a question.
"Hang on to your youthful enthusiasms, you will be able to use them better when you are older" - Seneca
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