What course are you currently studying?
I’m currently studying MSc Finance
Why did you choose undergraduate/postgraduate study at the University of Liverpool?
Before this I studied BSc Economics and Finance. I chose to continue onto a master's course because I felt I was succeeding at undergraduate level and wanted to continue this study before I entered the 9-5 work environment. The course was of interest to me because of the corporate finance-related modules (financial statement analysis, financial risk management, and of course corporate finance itself), and this is the career I wish to go down.
I chose Liverpool because I fell in love with the city. There’s always so much to do, so many things happening, and lots to learn about the city. I’d recommend making the most of the differences that Liverpool has compared to other cities (e.g., try new restaurants – Maggie Fu is a strong recommendation, located both in the city centre and along Smithdown road, a common student accommodation). The University is also part of The Russell Group, which always looks good for future career prospects. The University facilities are also great, with plenty of study areas available (not just the library), and plenty of sports and societies to join. There’s also plenty of refreshments around campus, with the city centre being a mere 10-minute walk away (if that!).
What kind of support do you get from tutors?
The tutors are extremely helpful no matter the student – but from my experience, if you help them, they’ll help you. If you keep your attendance high, regularly get involved in class discussions etc., you’ll naturally make yourself known to them, growing stronger relationships without even really trying. My advice is to use their office hours, they’re there for a reason! Even if you only have one question, or you think you know something but you’re not 100% certain, don’t be afraid to ask – no question is a silly question to them.
How do you believe undertaking undergraduate/postgraduate study will help your career prospects?
Postgraduate study I believe will really help with your career prospects. For some, you might have a better idea of your career path at this stage, and third year might be a little too overwhelming to think about careers with your dissertation ahead of you (this was me). For others, you may just wish to expand your knowledge into “harder” study. But postgraduate also offers many other skills and provides you with multiple opportunities to develop your communication, leadership, teamwork skills etc., through many extra-curricular activities such as the ‘We Can Work It Out’ Consultancy challenge, which I highly recommend! If you’re someone who lacks experience in finance, this will boost that and will look great to future employers, and it’s only a 4-week task alongside your study. It will also show your initiative to think outside of the box and develop and share knowledge from other people studying different subjects.
What advice would you give to anybody considering undergraduate/postgraduate study?
My advice, study-wise, would be to keep up with the study, even if you don’t think you need to, as the workload catches up with you. The master's course itself is not too difficult if you keep at it – the difficult part is when you’re overwhelmed with everything that you’ve left until the last minute. Another piece of advice would be to reach out to lecturers of specific modules beforehand and ask them for further details about them. I’d recommend this especially if you’ve previously studied finance, as some of the modules are very similar to undergrad (just a bit more advanced). If this is for you, that’s fine, but for me, I got a little bored in these modules, which meant I lost motivation. I much more enjoy new modules I’ve not studied before. But that all depends on personal preference. My final advice would simply be to get involved! It’s only for a year, so don’t be afraid to join or sign up for different activities, it’ll really help in the long-term career-wise.
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