Italian student Camilla tells us about her experience of studying MSc in Digital Marketing Management at Strathclyde...
What were you doing before the MSc and what made you take the programme?
Before my MSc in Digital Marketing Management at Strathclyde, I was applying for jobs that I, unfortunately, didn’t have enough skills to do. I did this for months, before accepting an offer for a job which helped me pay the bills but wasn’t what I really wanted to do in life. I then realised that a Master in a subject I’m passionate about, and where demand in the industry is growing, was what I needed.
Why did you choose Strathclyde?
I chose Strathclyde for its reputation, its triple-accredited Business School, for being the UK University of the Year and also for the location near the centre of Glasgow, an exciting city which I really love. Moreover, during the application process, everyone was friendly and quick in replying, which confirmed my first impression.
What has been your experience of the classes to date?
During semester 1 I had the chance to learn much more about marketing and digital marketing, subjects which I had just explored on the surface in my Bachelor in Communication Sciences in Switzerland. At the time I just had a taste, which led me to think “Oh, I want to study more about this! I like it!” Most academics at Strathclyde are really engaging and passionate, and having a small class made it easier to make international friends and have a more customised experience.
A subject which I wasn’t sure about at first, was Marketing Research in a Digital Age, but the lovely and helpful Dr Natalie McDougall and Dr Samantha Murdoch made me change my mind and I found out I really like doing focus groups, transcribing and coding what the public really wants, a skill which is so useful in marketing.
Dr Kathy Hamilton and Dr Aliakbar Jafari were extremely engaging, too, and Cross-Cultural Buyer Behavior was one of my favourite subjects, providing insights and preparing you to be aware of how to act in today’s cross-cultural market.
The classes with Dr Graeme McLean, the programme director, continued during semester 2, and he really put his passion and effort into teaching us and showing us what is happening in the industry and what professionals do, thanks to the contribution of the agency Equator, too, which taught us classes before face-to-face teaching was suspended by the Covid-19 emergency.
Semester 2 started in a pretty intense way, with some demanding classes that only lasted three weeks but required you to work until the evening. I found that it was a way to get to know some of my classmates which I hadn’t the chance to get closer to, though. Unfortunately, Semester 2 didn’t run as long as it could, and I didn’t have the chance to follow some classes or the entirety of some promising classes, but the teachers have done their best in sharing slides, recordings and videos with us.
What are you looking forward to over the rest of your studies?
I am now looking forward to finishing my Digital Transformative Project, our “final dissertation”, but more hands-on, which involves undertaking a whole piece of research by myself for a real company, helping them to realise how to take advantage of digital marketing to improve a certain aspect of their business.
Where do you see the course in fitting into your longer aspirations for study/career in the future?
I think having a title with the prestige and reputation of the University of Strathclyde on my CV will really make a difference for my career (because a Bachelor wasn’t enough to pursue my goals), especially in Digital Marketing Management, an innovative course which still not many universities offer.
What is it like to be a student at Strathclyde and in the city of Glasgow?
Being a student at Strathclyde and in the city of Glasgow (named ‘cultural and creative centre of the UK’ by the European Commission!) is extremely exciting and gives you the opportunity to meet a lot of international friends, to pursue your interests (music, theatre, shows). Moreover, if you’re a party lover (not my case), there’s plenty of venues where you can have fun with your classmates. And if you’re the quieter type, you won’t get bored either, with the vast choice of cinemas, museums, restaurants and shopping.
