After completing an undergraduate degree in Accounting & Finance in his home country of Pakistan, Abdul chose Strathclyde to study the MSc in Data Analytics.
What made you take the programme at Strathclyde?
While applying for the Data Analytics programme, I applied to a lot of universities in the UK and US. The main thing which helped me shortlist Strathclyde was their industry-focused curriculum allowing students to work on business problems provided by real clients. Secondly, Strathclyde offered me a scholarship worth £7,000 which was attractive as it provided almost half off my tuition fee. So, this combination of curriculum and scholarship helped me select Strathclyde.
What has been your experience of the classes to date?
I have just finished my second semester here, and I would say that the in-class experience with the lecturer and course content here is amazing. While looking for jobs right now I can say that the skills I have developed while studying the Data Analytics course are what is in demand currently in the market. The lecturers are always available for you as they actively communicate with you when you have any issues and try to resolve professionally. The partnership of Strathclyde with different companies, including Scottish Power and NHS, gave us an opportunity to provide solutions to the problems of these big companies by working on the real massive datasets which actually prepared us for what we will be working on after our degree ends.
Where do you see the course in fitting into your longer aspirations for study/career in the future?
I was looking forward to a Data Analytics programme which could help me sharpen my programming skills as well as good communication skills. I can confidently say that the curriculum taught at Strathclyde, which is a mixture of Python, R, NoSQL, MOSEL and other decision analysis and problem-solving software such as VISA, FICO Xpress (which are being used in Fortune 500 companies worldwide), actually proved to be a great asset for me.
What is it like to be a student at Strathclyde and in the city of Glasgow?
I feel so proud to be an international student at the University of Strathclyde, mainly due to the reputation of the university, not only in Scotland but in the rest of the world as well. And the campus is situated right in the city centre of the beautiful Glasgow city just adds more convenience to the student life. And being close to the subway and all the restaurants, pubs and other city attractions including the famous shopping hub Buchannan Street makes it so convenient to study as well as have some fun and enjoy the nightlife of Glasgow.
What advice would you give to prospective students?
I would suggest that prospective students choose Data Analytics course from Strathclyde only if they are confident enough that they can learn programming languages such as Python, R etc.
Secondly, before choosing the elective classes, do have a detailed look into the class objectives as electives itself helps you learn significant skills.
Lastly, actively seek help from the Careers Service, as they really help you prepare for the job interviews and psychometric test. These skills are as necessary as the academic skills to land a good job.