My postgraduate experience so far

Hi everyone! My name is Mimi, and I study MSc International Management. Before I became a student in September, I had been in a full-time job for years after graduating from my undergraduate. The decision to come back to higher education was not a decision I had taken lightly. It involved many personal sacrifices, including leaving my full-time job and moving to a different city. I was anxious about whether I would be the only one in my course not studying their Master’s degree straight after an undergraduate. Thankfully, I quickly realised that I was not the only one and that there were plenty of students in the same position as me across the University.

Before I started my course, I did not know what to expect from studying at The University of Sheffield. I was unable to attend any of the postgraduate open days, so instead researched my course and the Management School through the website, reading about the modules on offer and the School’s excellent reputation. The course sounded interesting to me, and the idea that by studying my Master’s I could get one step closer to my dream career was exciting, so I made the decision to apply.

My first few weeks at university were spent getting my head around being a student again and finding my way around the city and the campus. I was amazed by the facilities that the University of Sheffield offered. In my second week, I learnt about the Corporate Information and Computing Services department (CiCS) who, as well as helping with any IT issues you may have, can loan out high-tech cameras and provide facilities such as recording booths, editing suites and a TV studio! All of this came in handy when we were asked to film a video about a current ethical issue, as part of a marketing module on my course. I was able to use the facilities offered by CiCS first hand, which was something I really enjoyed. I was a little nervous, as I do not have a background in making or editing film, but I felt it was a good learning experience and an opportunity to gain basic skills in this area.

Another thing that I learnt was that the Students’ Union had been ranked as the best Students’ Union in the UK for the past ten years, and I now know why! As well as the cinema, food and shops on offer, there are countless opportunities to get involved, with “Give it Go” and volunteering activities. I recently volunteered at the Whirlow Hall Farm Trust Christmas Fayre. It is something I have never done before, but I thought that this would be a fantastic opportunity to spend some time with local people in Sheffield by helping the local education charity raise funds. I also had the chance to buy some Christmas gifts!

I spent the day volunteering in the craft room where I made ‘reindeer hats’ with the children. I was also able to spend some time seeing the animals, which I loved. Opportunities like this allow you to contribute to the local community and build your skill set and make friends with people from the city. I highly recommend that you get involved with such activities. After all, the university is not just about gaining academic knowledge but also about the experiences you gain.

My favourite Semester 1 module

nadiaHi all! I’m Nadia, a postgraduate student studying MSc International Management. I get asked a lot about what my course involves, especially from my friends in Malaysia, because it sounds really broad. Well, I am learning about management on a global scale, to gain a critical understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing both multinationals and SMEs in a rapidly evolving and dynamic global economy.

What first attracted me to the course were the modules listed on the university’s website prior to my application. I saw the words ‘Economics’, ‘Marketing’ and ‘Business Strategy’, and I was sold! My previous undergraduate studies in Analytical Economics mainly involved research and mathematical subjects, so I was thrilled to learn something different. I have always wanted to learn business skills and real-world solutions which I can apply later on within the workplace, from internationally-known experts in their respective fields. In my course, I am also exposed to case studies and lots of group work to develop intercultural collaboration with my course mates.

In my first semester of MSc International Management, my favourite module was Marketing. I fell in love with learning about core marketing concepts such as marketing mix, consumer behaviour, ethical issues and pricing strategies by companies. I particularly loved how the module organiser, Dr Nicki, approached the subject, as it was a very interactive module. At the end of the semester, there was a group film submission on ethical issues in marketing.

My group mates and I (who had never before had any experience in directing, filming, video-editing or script-writing) had the opportunity to write and produce a short film from scratch! We decided to create a film on behavioural advertising and privacy concerns. To put it simply, behavioural advertising is a practice carried out by companies to deliver adverts to web users which reflect their interests and preferences, based on their web-browsing behaviour information. We wanted to increase the public awareness on the latest EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), which will be enforced across the EU from 25 May 2018 and will address some major privacy concerns online.

Before we began filming, the University of Sheffield CiCS Creative Medianadia-camera team was more than helpful in explaining the function of each piece of equipment before they loaned them to us. We turned our storyboard into reality by starting off our film with a fictional piece depicting the breach of online privacy, which was then followed by a quick talk show on behavioural advertising.

I wish I didn’t have to return any of the camera or lighting – I felt so attached to them! Although sometimes it did make me feel a little short…

nadia-awardsAnother great aspect was that the module team held an awards ceremony, giving out awards for various categories such as best on-screen talent, best sound effect and best film overall. Kudos to Nicki and Jesse, who made our learning experience a very rewarding one! Overall, they were impressed with the quality of the videos produced by the students. And my group did not go back empty-handed, of course! *clears throat*

Steve Jobs said “the only way to do great work is to love what you do”. I definitely think this has proved his point!