By Sam Volpe, MSc Marketing Management Practice
Completing a postgraduate brings its benefits, however it does require hard work. The other thing it requires is your summer. Or does it?
Having completed my first three years at University of Sheffield for my undergraduate, I was used to hard work throughout the year topped off with a lengthy summer. This gave you time to sit back and relax or travel until your heart’s content, and usually allowed time to pick up some of that precious work experience to set you up for your future. However, with the added third semester from June till September, your opportunity to get away and utilise your free time is spent on your dissertation.
If I wanted to make the most of my summer, I was going to have to do some serious thinking. Fortunately, I didn’t have to. Shortly after commencing my MSc in Marketing Management Practice, I received an email from Sheffield University Management School informing me of the opportunity to attend an international summer school programme on a scholarship. Yes, that’s right, a scholarship. For free. The selection provided was Barcelona, Vienna and a few more. Pairing with a prestigious business school or university in each of the cities, the opportunity to get away to some sun, beach and culture whilst also gaining valuable experience both socially, academically and professionally seemed too good to be true.
After a successful application process, which fortunately wasn’t too daunting, I found myself on a plane to Barcelona’s ESADE Business School, the top of its kind in Spain, with three of my close friends. What followed was two of the most enjoyable weeks I had experienced whilst at university. Accompanied by course mates from all over the world, we lived on campus and lapped up the sun and the experience. A usual day would consist of 
attending class from 9am till 2pm. I selected Public Speaking and Entrepreneurship, and was blown away by the quality of teaching and how enjoyable the lectures were. After this, we would head to the beach as a group and enjoy the sun, beach, sea, culture and most importantly, the World Cup. The summer school provided the perfect mix of academic and social experience with fun. The best part about it was that it was geared to not be to intense, but still provide extremely good quality teaching and content.
If you are thinking of attending, I would just advise you apply. I attended from the 1st till the 16th July, and before you get too worried you are automatically granted an extension to your dissertation if you are successful in application, with the length being dependant on the duration of your summer school. It’s an experience I’ll never forget, and I hope that some of you get to experience it too!