What were you doing prior to the MSc and why did you opt to do this programme?
I was working as Head of Data & Artificial Intelligence for a great eCommerce company in Stirling called Optiseller, who were super supportive of my application. I had just finished a part-time BSc in Maths and Statistics. I am now Principal Consultant for Data Platform at Inciper, a London-based consultancy, who have also been very supportive of me through my studies.
What are your thoughts on the programme?
I absolutely loved it. I was a little concerned going into it that it wouldn't have much (or any) relevance to my professional career but it was the complete opposite. It played really heavily on the analytical or statistical elements and I loved how we continued to visit the theory in practical settings over and over again.
What did you enjoy most about the course?
I really enjoyed the applied classes, such as Economic Appraisal and Modelling or Energy/Health Economics. Coming from a statistics and data background, it’s always refreshing to apply those skills to real life settings, and it really brought the ‘applied’ element of the Applied Economics course to life.
How many hours a week did you have to devote to study?
I would say that the workload required a lot of positive time management from a part-time perspective, as I spent at least 15 hours a week for the most part – and probably as much as 20 during the Summer Project! The library was invaluable during the summer project as a quiet place to go and get work done.
Have your career plans been influenced by the MSc?
I wouldn't say that it's necessarily influenced my plans too much, but one of the benefits of studying economics is that it provides a really nice platform for thinking about how businesses, organisations and other actors act. Then the analytical methods continue to grow a toolset that I use as a data professional on a daily basis.
I would like to hope that a good grade at MSc demonstrates a continuing drive towards self-improvement, which is really important to me - and something I look for in people and organisations I work with in the future.
What would you say to someone considering this MSc?
Do it! I absolutely loved the content, but it's so applicable for so many different fields. I had no idea it was such a broad field. Professionally, it'll continue developing how you think - not just in economic terms, but also as a professional in business.