Andrew is a former maths, physics and computer science teacher with 25 years of experience. He also spent 10 years working in Germany and the Netherlands as a science coordinator within the European School System.
After taking some time off work to raise his 4-year-old son, Andrew decided to pursue an online master's degree.
What were your reasons for taking on a postgraduate degree?
I’ve had a lifelong interest in mathematics and science, but I’ve never felt I had a secure grasp of statistics. I’ve also been very interested in the misuse (deliberate or otherwise) of statistics in the biomedical and psychological fields, so this postgraduate degree was a perfect fit for me.
How did you make the decision to study at Strathclyde?
It’s my 3rd time studying at Strathclyde and my previous experience gave me a very positive feeling towards the university. So, it was a natural choice.
What do you like about your course and Strathclyde?
I loved the broad range of topics covered as it gave me an overview of the application of statistics in health science as well as the balance between theory and practical skills. I’m particularly happy to have developed quite a high level of skill in R programming.
What specialist knowledge/professional skills have you developed whilst studying the course?
Knowledge of frequentist and Bayesian statistics theory, a broad base of competence in R programming as well as some experience with SPSS, experimental design, medical statistics, survey design, quantitative risk analysis, spatial statistics and statistical network analysis, among much else. One invaluable skill I developed was an appreciation of research methodology and how to spot strengths and weaknesses in published studies.
What are your ambitions for the future and how do you think your time at Strathclyde will help you achieve your goals?
Although I don’t graduate until the autumn, I’m already working with a research group in a UK university medical school applying statistics to genetics data in drug research and I may go on to study for an advanced degree in computational genomics. I was surprised how easy it was to pick up the bioinformatics skills for this kind of work and there is no question that the broad base I developed at Strathclyde made it possible for me to succeed.
How did you find studying your course online?
It was convenient, and the online platform is superb. Especially with a busy and chaotic life, I appreciated that my studies could still be fit in when I had time.
What would you say to anyone thinking of studying at Strathclyde?
Without doubt, you should do it. I was nervous at first, but of all the times I studied at university this is by far the most enjoyable, satisfying and applicable in the real world.