Dina Grinevica - BA (Hons) Journalism

I’ve always been passionate about politics, international news and the stories of regular people, so I knew I wanted to study journalism when I finished my high school in my home country Latvia.

Before applying to university, I moved to Scotland to undertake a gap year, which immensely improved my English skills and helped me familiarise with British culture. Beforehand, I was worried about studying a degree in a language that wasn’t my native one. Despite that, I have absolutely loved my journey at the University of Portsmouth and have completed a course that has significantly helped my professional development and boosted my future career prospects.

After the second year of my course, I was able to undertake a placement year at Spirit FM, a local radio station, where my journalistic knowledge and skills acquired from the Journalism course proved essential. During my final year, I worked on a project researching the anti-vaccination movement, allowing people to tell their personal stories, and it has become a part of my portfolio that I am proud to showcase to potential future employers.

I will continue working as a freelance writer after graduation, but I will also undertake a Master’s degree in Digital Marketing to boost my skillset and enhance my employability. The media industry is rapidly growing, and it’s important to keep up with its demands. Hence, a postgraduate degree will ensure I have the flexibility to choose a wider range of careers in media, public relations or marketing.