Studying whilst working - my experience on the Executive MBA

Executive MBA student, Tina Kwok, describes what it's like to study an MBA whilst working full-time and also talks about the benefits of having a flexible programme.

One of the reasons I chose the Warwick Executive MBA programme is because of the reputation WBS has for quality and flexibility of the course. I had just embarked on a new career journey when I started the MBA and have been fortunate enough to be able to study the part-time Executive MBA course without leaving a great job and a great team behind.

I chose to study the Executive MBA at WBS because it would enable me to immerse myself in the ‘study bubble’ during the four days I'm on campus while connecting with my cohort. The four days at Warwick would start on Tuesday with a careers event, four days of lectures and if there are group work assignments it would be completed over the four days, with the hand-in of the group assignment on Saturday.

Although the programme is flexible, that is not to say it has been an easy task especially where there have been weeks when there were conflicts between my studies and work. I’m now halfway through the course and there have been points during the programme where I thought to myself “can I get through this?” However, the team at WBS are very understanding and where those conflicts have arisen, they have been supportive in extending assignment deadlines when needed. The teaching team are also very helpful with any queries you might have during and after lectures.

The core modules run quite often and as the course is two years long and can be extended up to four years if required, the core modules can be taken later with another cohort if needed (the bonus is that you get to meet people from other cohorts!) The lecturers are balanced between academics and industry experienced lecturers, the lecturers encourage the cohort to discuss their wealth of experiences in their own industries during these sessions. Guest speakers are also invited to give lectures during certain modules and are helpful to understand how the skills learnt on the course are applied in various areas of industry.

In addition, the CareersPlus team offer great sessions and workshops which usually occur on Tues/Wed relating to practical work-life training or on webinars at other times. These include workshops like ‘Change Management’ and ‘Cultural Solution: Get the most of International Stakeholders’. In addition to learning hard skills on the Warwick MBA programme, it is my personal growth that has benefited the most. During the course, I have been pleasantly surprised by my professional network who are supportive of this incredible journey in addition to the cohort with whom I share this amazing experience. The MBA programme teaches such a large range of business subjects, which I find very stimulating and exciting. The difficult part now is deciding on my dissertation topic!

I joined the Executive MBA programme at WBS because I was looking for a new challenge and I wanted to stimulate my career. Studying an MBA while working full-time is a big commitment, but despite the time conflicts, I can tell you that I have no regrets joining the course and it has been an immensely challenging, but also incredibly rewarding experience.

Find out more about the Executive MBA.