Claire Mack was a part-time student on the MSc Applied Economics from 2014 to 2016. She is the current Chief Executive for Scottish Renewables. Find out below why Claire chose this course and how it has helped her in her career.
What were you doing before you started your MSc Applied Economics?
Before the course I had spent my full career in regulation – economic, competition and content regulation of various utilities and services. I was about 20 years into my career and wanted to challenge myself with a new qualification but one that complemented my work to date.
Why did you choose this course?
I chose Applied Economics at Strathclyde because I wanted to build on my undergraduate degree which was in another subject and gain a deeper understanding of economics to partner with my work experience in regulation.
What was your overall experience as a student on the course?
I wanted a course that would give me breadth and depth and the structure of the modules within the course delivered both. It was challenging to do part-time but the relevance of the material meant that I could use a lot of my background knowledge and interest in current affairs to help with my studies.
Why did you choose Strathclyde?
I chose Strathclyde because I could see they were investing in the University though new facilities and the diversity amongst the student population was a real attraction as a mature student. The city centre location is a real benefit too.
How did the course help you with your career aspirations?
There is no doubt that completing the course helped me take my next career step and has led me to a leadership role in an industry that I love by giving me a great set of tools and frameworks for economic analysis.
Anything else you'd like to add?
The connection to the Fraser of Allander Institute was really important too - having studied economics at a university with links to such a well-respected and leading economic commentator gives an indication of the expertise of the whole institution.
