I chose the MA in Children’s and Young Adult Literature programme because I am an advocate when it comes to encouraging curiosity and wonder in young readers. I believe that the books we read as children open the door to the wider world of literature and a love of reading can be life changing. 

During my BA, my favourite English literature module in my final year was the children’s and young adult literature module. I knew then that I was fascinated by, and passionate about this topic and I wanted to study it further at MA level.

 The highlights of my postgraduate experience at DCU were getting to return to campus in person after completing the last two years of my BA programme online due to the pandemic. It was really nice to be able to see my lecturers again in person. 

I loved being able to explore a topic that I love in much more detail. I feel that I have become more well-rounded in my studies, as studying at MA level encouraged me to be more precise. I feel that I’ve become a more confident writer. 

I also really enjoyed meeting my new classmates. The group was much smaller compared to my BA and it was really nice getting to learn and collaborate in a more intimate setting. I was very lucky to be surrounded by very kind, and very talented people, and so I feel that I made new friends and learned a lot from my classmates as well.

This Master’s has had a significant impact on my life. I feel that I have become more confident and outgoing. I feel that I have been given brilliant opportunities such as invitations to book launches etc. 

There were many experiences that helped me put myself out there and gain more confidence as well as develop my CV. I now work in the publishing industry which has been my goal since I was sixteen. 

I have a job that I absolutely love and the best part is that I am finally working in a field that is directly connected to my degree and I hope to keep working up the ladder as I gain more experience, complete this MA programme, and obtain my master’s. My long-term goal is to be an editor and possibly pursue a PhD. 

I am now a reviewer for several Irish publications and organisations such as HarperCollins Ireland and Children’s Books Ireland and I can’t say for certain that I’d be doing the things I love doing today if I had not enrolled on this MA programme.

I don’t love giving advice, because in my opinion it often sounds very cliché, but I will speak from personal experience and say that I did not listen to anyone else or copy anyone else when it came to my studies. 

I knew I wanted to study English literature and Media Studies at DCU and I didn’t let anyone talk me out of it. In my final year of my BA, when I felt that doing the MA in Children’s and Young Adult literature was right for me, I went for that too, again only going with what I felt was right for me. 

I’ve always done what I loved the most and I’ve always given it my all, so I think the advice I would give to incoming students would be to choose something you love. 

Find a passion, realise that there will be hard work ahead, and pick a course that you’re genuinely interested in. If you love what you do, the hard work is easier due to personal interest, and loving what you study can lead to a job and other opportunities that you will really enjoy. Most of all, enjoy your time at DCU because it is a great place to study.

DCU Prospectus - Back to MA in Children's and Young Adult Literature