The Master’s Degree Programme in Language, Globalization and Intercultural Communication aligned perfectly with my requirements of studying a master’s degree that was applicable to real life and in a multicultural and multilingual environment.
Sometimes the best decisions in life are the spontaneous ones, but even the seemingly spontaneous decisions are not all that spontaneous. After graduating from the University of Texas at Austin I dove into a year of Arabic studies in Morocco and then went into the workforce and worked in the fields of education, social work, and technology.
However, after three years of being out of school I missed the academic environment and felt that in order to further my career I needed to get my master’s degree. Initially, the options felt limitless. There were so many interesting fields of studies and places where I could pursue my master’s.
From the start of my search for a master’s programme I knew for certain that I wanted to study in an interdisciplinary programme that focused on not only theory, but making the studies applicable to real life for students, a multicultural and multilingual environment, and to experience nature different from what I was used to in Texas.
LAGIC: studies of intercultural communication with a practical focus
While searching for programmes, I remembered that as an undergraduate student in linguistics, my thesis advisor spoke highly of linguistic programmes in the Nordic countries. That’s when I found the Language, Globalization, and Intercultural Communication (LAGIC) master’s degree programme at the Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥. The programme focused on multilingualism, communication, and touted a focus on interdisciplinary studies with a practical focus.
The programme aligned perfectly with my requirements of studying a master’s degree that was applicable to real life, in a multicultural and multilingual environment, and definitely an environment different from the heat of Texas. I decided at that moment to give it my best shot and apply for the programme, there was no harm in trying right?
New opportunities in the heart of an active city
Initially I had no idea what to expect of life in Jyväskylä especially being used to living in larger cities, I was unsure of what my daily life and routine would look like. After being in Jyväskylä for over a year, I have found that despite living in a smaller city than what I am accustomed to, there are constant activities ranging from outdoor activities, sports, arts, and leisure.
In Jyväskylä I have grown to feel fulfilled academically, personally, and socially. I have gotten to enjoy the changing of weather and nature across all four seasons, go out late at night in search of the northern lights, and simply enjoy coffee with new friends.
To this day when I’m asked about why I decided to study in Finland I still say it was quite a spontaneous decision, but by that I mean that it was an unexpected decision and has led me to a path far from what I originally envisioned myself, but all in a positively unexpected manner.
New angles of thinking
Studying in Finland has pushed me out of my comfort zone and made me find and apply new angles on my ways of thinking and life. I cannot deny that pursuing graduate studies abroad does not come without its share of difficulties and navigating various bureaucratic functions is not easy at first.
However, it is well worth the effort, and the experiences and knowledge that you will gain while at the Ä¢¹½Ö±²¥ will guide you to opportunities and directions in life that you didn’t even know about.
Stephanie Davidson-Mendez
Language, Globalization and Intercultural Communication
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
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