Category: MSc Marketing Management Practice

Sheffield, one of the masterpieces of England

By Zipeng Zhou, MSc Marketing Management Practice

As an international student from China, I believe many international students like me are impressed by the charm of Sheffield. Sheffield is one of the masterpieces of England and there are many amazing sights in Sheffield whenever and wherever.

  1. Everyday beauty of Sheffield

As a student of the Management School, I think the charm of Sheffield starts from the first ray of sunshine at the school gate in the morning. The old school badge shines brightly in the sun, which makes me feel that the pioneers’ spirit of explored the truth is still well inherited since 1828 when the University of Sheffield was founded. 

At noon in Sheffield, the sky is blue, the clouds are white, and occasionally there is a rainbow after rain. What changes is the weather, and what does not change is the beauty of nature. As long as it’s sunny, you can see it everywhere in Sheffield. Imagine that you are sitting in a coffee shop, ordering a cappuccino or latte and looking out the window. Maybe that’s how life feels.

At sunset, students from the Diamond, the University of Sheffield’s library, are greeted by a fuchsia sunset. The setting sun and the lamplight of the steps echo each other, sketching an aesthetic picture of the fusion of nature and humanity. I believe that all students who study hard and seek the truth deserve to enjoy the beautiful sunset.

Throughout the day, you will find that the sun is the most competent decoration workers in Sheffield and it not only dotted the city day as well as night, but also living in this land to bring comfort to the people.

2. A trip to Sheffield

Sheffield is located in the heart of the whole of the UK, and it is very convenient for travellers to travel to other parts of the UK. Public transport in Sheffield is very convenient. In the morning before dawn, you can take the first trains to different cities.

Chatsworth House, not far from Sheffield, is a must-see attraction. On a rainy winter day, the staff of Chatsworth House, displaying the gentlemanly attitude of the English people, invited me to use the fireplace in Chatsworth House. This brings me back to the Dukes of Devonshire era. 

Walking into the magnificent and reserved hall of Chatsworth House, I was deeply impressed by the numerous precious paintings and furniture. I have also been to royal gardens or houses in France, Austria and other countries, but Chatsworth House is obviously different from those in these countries. Everywhere is a kind of astringent nobility, a kind of gentleman’s taste. It’s also a great place to take silhouette photos. Don’t forget, Chatsworth House is just one of Sheffield’s many attractions. I hope to share more of Sheffield with you.

Exploring the Peaks

By Abigail Cook, MSc Management

If you’re looking to get out of Sheffield, explore the surrounding areas, and do something a bit different, there are plenty of exciting places to visit nearby. These are a few places that I found out about and enjoyed visiting at the weekends when I wanted a break from lectures and the library.

Poole’s Cavern:

Poole’s Cavern is a natural cavern in the Peak District, approximately an hour’s drive from Sheffield. A one hour guided tour takes you around the cave and you can also learn more in the exhibition centre. Remember to take a jumper or a coat as it can be a bit chilly underground in the cave! You can also spend some time visiting the café and the shop. While you’re there, it’s also worth visiting the panoramic viewpoint at Solomon’s Temple. It’s a very pretty and tranquil walk through the woodland which takes about 30 minutes. Poole’s Cavern makes a great day out if you’re looking for something a bit different or unusual. 

Renishaw Hall and Gardens:

Renishaw Hall and Gardens is another enjoyable day out. It is still a lived-in family home, so it can only be viewed by a guided tour which lasts about one hour. You can also explore the stunning gardens and, if you’re feeling a bit more adventurous, you can walk through the woodland and down to the lakes as well. If you start to feel hungry after all your exploring, the café also has a great selection of food and drinks. There are lots of different events that take place here throughout the year, so it’s worth checking out their website before you go to see if there’s anything exciting on.

Stanage Edge:

My final recommendation for a day out in the Peak District is Stanage Edge. This is one of my favourite places in the Peaks that I never get bored of exploring because of its amazing rock formations and beautiful views. Stanage Edge is particularly popular with rock climbers, who can usually be seen clambering up the dramatic rock face. There are several different ways that you can walk to Stanage Edge across the Peak District and you can take in some of the scenic views along the way. This is definitely worth saving for a sunny day, especially because it can get a bit windy and chilly near to the top!

Top tips from my year in Sheffield

By Abigail Cook, MSc Management

After living in Sheffield for the past year, I have discovered several things which I would like to share with other students to help them make the most of their time in Sheffield. 

Join societies and clubs:

My first top tip for any student, whether they’re new to Sheffield or not, is: join societies and clubs! At the start of the academic year, it’s worth going along to the Activities Fair at the Students’ Union, where you can get involved with hundreds of different societies. Societies allow you to meet new people, try new things and develop your hobbies and interests. It’s also fun to be involved with something outside your degree course. 

One of my favourite things about this year was being a member of the Dance Society, which is actually one of the biggest societies within the University. The Dance Society holds workshops and weekly classes in lots of different styles which range from beginner to advanced level, so there is something to suit everyone. This year, I joined one of the competition teams, so I was able to compete at several competitions against other universities. Competitions are great fun because you get to travel around the country and meet other people who share the same interests as you from different universities. I also enjoyed going to lots of socials and balls throughout the year with the Dance Society. Overall, being part of the Dance Society was a great experience, which is why I would highly recommend joining societies and clubs during your time at Sheffield.

Explore the Management School’s opportunities:

My next top tip is to explore what the Management School has to offer. In addition to teaching, lectures and tutorials, the School offers lots of different opportunities for you to get involved with outside of your degree programme. It’s also worth taking the time to visit the Employability Hub located on the School site, which enables students to access careers support, job and placement vacancies, and attend skills workshops. 

This year, I was fortunate enough to go to Canada with the Management School to attend the International Graduate Competition. I spent one week in Montreal with three other students from the Management School, and we met, worked with and competed against teams from other universities from around the world. As well as attending lectures and workshops, and putting together our own reports and presentations, we also had a bit of free time to explore Montreal. This was definitely one of the highlights of my year in Sheffield, and it was all arranged through the Management School.  

Discover Sheffield:

My final tip for anyone studying at Sheffield University is: explore the city! Sheffield has so much to offer for everyone, and there are always new things happening. If you walk around the city centre, you’ll find some lovely cafes, shops and restaurants which are only a short walk from the Students’ Union and the IC. Many different events also take place in Sheffield throughout the year, such as Tramlines, a three-day long festival in the city. Whilst you’re studying at Sheffield, it’s a great opportunity to explore and discover the city that you’re living in.  

 

Taking part in the International Graduate Competition in Montréal!

By Nicola Hodson, MSc Marketing Management Practice

Just over a month ago, I was fortunate enough to be taken to Montréal in Canada to participate in the International Graduate Competition, along with three other students from Sheffield University Management School. Teams from around the world took part in this competition, representing Australia, Taiwan and Spain, to name a few. After spending a couple of days getting to know the other participants and attending some interesting lectures and workshops centered around innovation, the competition began.

We were given a business case study and had 48 hours working in our teams to resolve it, producing a 20 page report, a 10 minute long presentation and a half hour long presentation. We endured little sleep whilst the competition took place, pushing ourselves to the limit to produce the best work we could. Teamwork was absolutely vital and we all pulled together and kept each other’s moral up when we were tired and struggling, having plenty of laughs along the way! It’s safe to say we were absolutely exhausted by the end of the 48 hours! Almost immediately upon handing everything in, we presented our solution to the business case to a panel of judges and I think I can speak for all of our team when I say how proud we felt at what we had produced under such pressure and with such limited time and sleep!

It wasn’t all work however – We managed to find enough time once we had finished the competition to explore a bit of Montréal including the Grand Prix track! We also saw a wild beaver which we were all very excited about, attended a gala dinner with the rest of the competition participants and visited the Olympic Park!

Attending the International Graduate Competition has honestly been one of the highlights of my university experience- it challenged me, it provided me with lifelong friends and it was just such a fun week. I learnt how to work as a consultant and I learnt just how much you are capable of if you put your mind to it. I’m so grateful for such an incredible opportunity!

My experience of the Postgraduate Advantage Scheme

By Nicola Hodson, MSc Marketing Management Practice

One of the many amazing opportunities you get given as a postgraduate student at Sheffield University Management School is something called the Postgraduate Advantage Scheme (PAS), which offers opportunities for students within the Faculty of Social Sciences to carry out a 100 hour long internship for an organisation in Sheffield.

I recently completed my internship as a Production and Marketing Intern for Sort Of…Films, a film and video production company in Sheffield. During my internship, I tried my hand at many things I have never done before, such as assisting on film shoots, including a shoot about women in engineering and a shoot at Sheffield Town Hall about the care system. Previously, I knew next to nothing about cameras and filming, so to be given the opportunity to learn how to do this was really interesting and fun.

The majority of my internship was spent putting together a marketing strategy for the company. This was a brilliant experience to put what I have learnt during my degree into practice and produce something meaningful for the organisation. I was given a huge amount of responsibility during this process, and can genuinely say I was extremely proud of what I produced. This experience has definitely boosted my employability and has been incredibly valuable in terms of skills I can take forwards into a job.

Sort Of…Films were great throughout my whole internship, ensuring that I felt happy with my experience every step of the way and letting me guide the internship depending on my interests. I think the Postgraduate Advantage Scheme is such a fantastic opportunity and one which has helped prepare me for my future career once leaving university.

Top 3 Indian restaurants in Sheffield

By Anais Cherian, MSc Marketing Management Practice

Living in Sheffield for the past three years has allowed me to explore the city and its variety of restaurants. From Italian to Chinese, Lebanese to American, the options here are endless. However, being an Indian myself, I was on the hunt for authentic Indian food, something that would remind me of home. If you want the same, this guide is here to make your hunt easier! Here are my top three Indian restaurants in Sheffield.

#1 The Cats Pyjamas

Location: 631 Ecclesall Road, S11 8PT

In search of authentic Indian food? Look no further! Cats Pyjamas is the place to go. Their wide variety of curries and street food options will take you through a journey from the Punjabi tandoors to the Kerelan fish curries. Their food is reasonably priced for students, and the restaurant itself is very cool looking, making it a great place for gatherings.

#2 Maveli’s

Location: 223 Glossop Road, S10 2GW

This Indian restaurant is one of the very few restaurants in Sheffield that serve South Indian food, the comfort food for Indians worldwide. Maveli’s offer a wide range of south Indian curries and dishes that remind you of home. However, the one thing that gave Maveli its spot on the top 3 list is….. DOSAS! Yes, they do serve dosas, something we all dearly miss when we live abroad. So go check this place out if your tummy craves some amazing south Indian food.

#3 Urban Choola

Location: 842 Ecclesall Road, S11 8TD

If you’re craving some delicious kebabs and chaat’s, this is the place for you. Their incredible dishes transport you straight to the north India, the place of spice, rice and everything nice! The restaurant is very Instagram-friendly and their food is reasonably priced. This should definitely be on your bucket list if you’re a big foodie in Sheffield.

I hope that this has inspired you to explore the Indian restaurants of Sheffield, and if you have any other favourites let us know!

What studying for a Master’s degree has taught me

By Nicola Hodson, MSc Marketing Management Practice

When I first began my Master’s, I expected to learn a lot, but what I didn’t expect is just how much extra life experience I would learn. You don’t just get a degree from Sheffield, you get so much more than that – it sounds cliché, but it’s true. I wanted to share some of the things I have learnt since beginning my MSc.

Time management

Definitely one of the most useful skills I have learnt whilst doing my Masters is time management. As the deadlines begin piling up, staying on top of your work and maintaining a social life can be challenging, but I found that I learnt to do this quickly. This is a skill which will prove incredibly beneficial to have when entering the world of work and will ensure you are able to balance working hard and having fun!

Learning about different cultures

Studying alongside other students who have come from such a wide range of countries is amazing- I find that I now have friends from all over the world! From Ecuador, to India, to China, I have been able to learn about so many different cultures. Some of my friends are currently trying to teach me Mandarin!

Confidence

My Master’s course has given me a huge amount of confidence when it comes to presenting my work to an audience. We are regularly given the opportunity in seminars to present what we have been discussing in our groups. I was terrified of this at first, but the more I have done it, the more my confidence grows and I even enjoy presenting now! Having this skill will be really helpful when it comes to interviews and future careers.

Teamwork

Master’s courses often involve a lot of group work. Whilst you may not always see eye to eye with your fellow group members, teamwork is such a valuable life skill and one which is very rewarding. Listening to other’s ideas can be really interesting, particularly to see the different ways in which everyone approaches the work. One of my favourite moments so far was celebrating a successful group presentation with my team by going out for hot pot at a Chinese restaurant!

You are guaranteed to learn so much at university – sometimes the most valuable things you learn aren’t what you came to study! My Master’s course is not only teaching me all about Marketing, but I have found that it has taught me much more, and I will leave university as a more well-rounded individual than when I first arrived.

Choosing the Master’s that’s right for you

By Samuel Volpe, MSc Marketing Management Practice

The idea of a Master’s degree didn’t really cross my mind until the start of my final undergraduate year. It doesn’t always have to be your plan from the beginning, things change throughout your time at university and the horizon of its end comes all too quickly into view. In my situation I was studying a BA in English Language and Linguistics and scratching my head in terms of what to do with it and how particularly to go about it. One thing I was certain about was what route I didn’t want to go be going up, and that was back home to the north with no plan.

With English being such a broad subject I started to do some research into what career options were on offer. The buzzword that I kept being drawn to was ‘communication’. From doing this, I learned that buzzwords are helpful across all stages of job hunting; from the initial search to the interviews. From this point, I did as much research into careers in ‘communication’ as I could, reading around the area and searching through LinkedIn to see what other people were doing. Then it clicked; sitting back and thinking about it I realised what I want to do is create messages. I had been studying messages all through my undergraduate, I had been watching messages on TV, the internet, on everything really. Fitting this idea to a profession led me to marketing and advertising, the people who think of what a brand would like to portray, and work on how best to portray it.

The next step was working out how to do get there. This is where my postgraduate journey began. I wanted to specialise my then current communication skills in the real world context that marketing provided. With little marketing experience under my belt I came to the decision that an extra year to specialise and sort out my CV, packing it with experience and other activities is what I needed. That’s where University of Sheffield Management School came to the rescue with the MSc Marketing Management Practice. With a great mix of practice and theory, the course suited perfectly.

Coming to the end of my masters now, I do not regret my decision. I have enjoyed my course, specialised my skills and boosted my CV. Remember it doesn’t matter when you make your plan, it just helps if you make one! Buzzwords aren’t bad either.