We caught up with Emily McLean, who recently graduated from the Energy and Power Systems MSc, to see how her studies went, and to see what her future plans are.
Emily Mclean
Hiya, my name is Emily McLean, I am 23 and from Liverpool.
I am a recent MSc Energy and Power Systems and BEng Electrical Engineering graduate from the University of Liverpool.
For me, I was always interested in renewable energy and really enjoyed Mathematics, so Electrical Engineering seemed interesting and had a wide range of great opportunities. Now I have completed it, I am very happy with my degree choice.
Before my degree I was studying my A levels in Maths, History and Physics and then took a year out to get some work experience and decide on my next steps.
I have had an amazing experience at Liverpool University. The Electrical Engineering Department has a community feel and I have had some great lecturers, very helpful tutors and the Electrical Engineering support office staff are always a great help. The department motivates you to do well but are also very understanding when need be.
The best thing about my course was that you get to study a very wide range of topics and find out what you most enjoy. For me, it was the electrical and power topics which I specialised in during my third year. I really enjoyed the individual and group projects, they helped me a lot to improve my understanding. I was able to choose all my projects to specialise in renewable energy, you are also given the option to propose your own project if you have a specific idea in mind.
If I think about how I was supported during my time, I would say that the allocated tutor system works well and they have always helped when I have had any problems. The office staff are always very helpful and quick to get back to you. I also made great friends from my course, everyone was very friendly and open to help.
Being from Liverpool I have always loved the city and I am still not bored of living here. There is always lots going on and I love that the campus is in the city centre. The Albert Dock is a must visit. It is my favourite part of the city. Also the student housing I stayed in is a 15 minute bus ride however I liked this as it is near some nice parks.
During my time at Uni I was part of the University Cheerleading competition team. I loved this aspect of university social life. We travelled to many competitions all around the UK, and because of this I have made some great friends, with similar interests to me.
My top tips for studying is to find a routine that works for you. For example, sometimes I would work best in the evening when the libraries were quieter. And also to surround yourself with people who motivate you to work hard. The Pomerado method was the best revision technique for me
So what about the future? Well, I completed my Masters degree a couple of month's ago and I am currently looking for my first full time job, hopefully something to do with renewable energy. All of my course mates who graduated before me have managed to find great engineering jobs all around the UK or have gone on to further research at Liverpool University.