Supplementing my course with co-curricular activities

MSc Marketing & Strategy ambassador, Jakob, shares how he used his time at WBS to develop and grow as a person, through co- and extra-curricular opportunities alongside his course.

At WBS and the University more generally, there are literally hundreds of extra activities students can engage in. For example, MSc students could choose between career fairs, speaker events, competitions, societies and sports sessions.

Society and Student Union Engagement

While gaining theoretical knowledge might seem like the foremost learning of a postgraduate degree, I approached my Master's at WBS intending to develop and grow as a person. Consequently, I like to offset many hours spent in the library and on group work with engagement in the wider Warwick community as a Postgraduate Representative at the Professional LGBTUA+ and Allies Network (PLAN) or as Course Representative of the Marketing & Strategy cohort. Both roles have not only given me the opportunity to grow my network by meeting many of this University's brilliant students, academics or visiting professionals, but also to strengthen my leadership and organisational capabilities, for example, when chairing committee hearings or giving workshops.

Case study Competitions

Another project I distinctly remember was competing in a Procter & Gamble case study competition organised by the Warwick Business School team. My team was fortunate enough to meet P&G UK's Commercial Director and pitched him a concept to increase sales for their Oral-B kids and teens segment by using a subscription-based model. Our professors were eager to help with the preparations, and we ended up having insightful discussions around the latest thinking in the field and how it could shape our proposal with them. All in all, the best part about this experience was probably the insights gained from working with my fantastic team members, as everyone contributed to the project with their own expertise, whether it was pricing models or digital business solutions.

Travel and Tours

On a lighter note, along with some friends, I also recently joined two WBS-organised trips to Warwick Castle and Stratford upon Avon, which gave me the chance to mingle with other WBS postgraduate students. We spent two lovely afternoons touring castle grounds and the historic Shakespeare town, which I felt students that had not been to the UK before particularly enjoyed.

Sports Clubs and Sessions

Next to societies, which come in all shapes or forms (from the Cheese & Chocolate Society to the Knitting & Crochet Society), many students enjoy sports clubs or sessions. However, while I know some students playing Volleyball or Lacrosse, sports clubs can become very intense. Consequently, more informal classes, particularly the self-defense course and, more recently, boxing sessions seem most popular in my friend group.

All in all, while the workload of the postgraduate courses is considerable, with proper time management, postgraduate students can also enjoy Warwick's fantastic campus life. I firmly believe that a significant part of the value I am gaining from my degree is rooted in my experiences, interactions, and skills gained outside of the classroom.

Find out more about the student experience at Warwick Business School by reading our Postgraduate blog, or discover more about MSc Marketing & Strategy on our course webpages.