Optimising your time at WBS

Our MSc ambassador, Gunel, shares her advice on how to make the most of your year at WBS while studying an MSc course.

Prepare yourself mentally

In order to be academically successful, you also need to be mentally ready for the workload. When you first applied to WBS you probably considered the quality of education and how rigorous the programmes are. In preparation for this, you should ensure you are well-rested and mentally prepare yourself to work hard in order to face the workload of the programme.

I would recommend that you revise problem sets and your lecture notes regularly, as well as arranging your schedule in a systematic way so that you are well-prepared for your deadlines and exams. For my course, MSc Finance & Economics, we had exams and several individual and group project deadlines at the end of each term, and so we couldn’t afford to leave revision to the last minute.

At WBS you will be a part of a close-knit cohort of bright and intellectual students who are diligent and very professional; hence, for group projects, if you all have good time management, consistent meetings and fair allocation of the work, generally you shouldn’t face any issues. However, for individual projects and test preparation, you should have a detailed and well-organised schedule to cope with the arduous work demand of the programme as it requires a high degree of independent learning, self-directed reading and critical analysis. Needless to say, I would definitely suggest studying in the Postgraduate Student Hub where you can collaborate extensively with your groupmates and other students both academically and socially.

Consider your extra-curricular activities

I would definitely recommend that future MSc students participate in extra-curricular activities. Postgraduate education is not only about academics, but you must also take advantage of all the activities and opportunities outside of your studies that will be available to you. Therefore, do not hesitate to join different societies or the student council as it is an informal way to learn more and meet incredible people in the WBS community. I was a chair of the Student Staff Liaison Committee (SSLC) as well as an MSc Marketing and Recruitment ambassador for the MSc Finance & Economics programme. These roles enabled me to contribute to the development of my course for the future, and I was also able to help prospective students with any questions they had about my course. As a Chevening scholar, I have made extraordinary friends through our Warwick Cheveners’ group that gathers outstanding students who have been awarded by the UK government as future world leaders. These kind of interactions helped increase my confidence and also allowed me to grow my network of academic and non-academic connections.

Enjoy the multicultural environment at WBS

Being a part of an extensively diverse cohort provides a wide spectrum of opinions and experiences, which can definitely expand your field of view and help to look at obstacles from different perspectives. Moreover, you can widen your horizons by learning about different cultures, ethnicities and nationalities on a day-to-day basis. For non-English speakers, it is also a good opportunity to enhance your language skills. Enjoying the moment is as essential as getting good grades, so de-stress, unwind, relax and make sure you make unforgettable memories.

In a nutshell, postgraduate study is a marathon, not a sprint. Try to look at the big picture rather than the ephemeral challenges because what ultimately matters is the level of knowledge and skills you will gain from your programme. Is it not only your qualification that will land you your dream job but also the life skills and connections you will acquire throughout your postgraduate experience which will ultimately help you in your future career.

To learn more about our portfolio of postgraduate courses, please visit our dedicated postgraduate homepage.