Sophia Malak

Challenging perspectives

As someone who was trying to break into the elusive world of children's publishing, attending the MA in Children's Literature at Goldsmiths was one of the best decisions I ever made. The Theoretical Approaches pathway challenged the way I interacted with and thought about children's literature.

Culturally relevant and industry-focused modules

I especially appreciated the care with which the course explored culturally relevant issues. There was a commitment to diversity and inclusion, with one entire course dedicated to how culture and diversity affect children's literature. The Theoretical Approaches pathway allowed me to explore different areas of interest, such as postcolonialism, feminism, and archetypal theory as they relate to Young Adult novels.

I was even able to take a children’s publishing course that focused on the different roles within publishing, which helped me narrow down where I felt that I would fit. Within that class, we were introduced to industry professionals, who gave essential insight into what the industry is like.

Life after Goldsmiths

This MA gave me the confidence to apply for a mentorship at a literary agency, which I was later awarded along with the WNDB (We Need Diverse Books) internship grant. I am now a literary assistant at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency, working toward becoming a literary agent.

I owe a lot of my success to this MA’s excellent courses, in-depth conversations, and knowledgeable staff who supported me and my goals throughout the year.

Well-connected campus

As someone who lived in student accommodations further from campus, I was impressed by how well-connected it was – two stations are very close to campus. New Cross was a lovely area with multiple coffee shops, a bookstore, and many cafes.

Moving to London

I was pleasantly surprised by how well the transition from home to London was. The Goldsmiths staff were very good at sending emails and information regarding visas or anything else we needed.

I was also surprised by how international of a school it was. I was able to make friends from all over the world, as well as many people from my own home country.

Advice for future students

University is a time for you to push yourself and grow. Whether that is living in a student dorm, meeting new people, or joining a club or sports team, this is a time for you to find out who you truly are and what you truly want.

I moved halfway across the world for this experience, to learn and to grow, and it became one of the best years of my life. If you don't take risks, you'll never grow.