My postgraduate study: Seán Warren, Masters of Science in Management

Primary degree: Bachelor’s Degree in Management of Technology in Business, National College of Ireland
Postgraduate study: Master of Science in Management, National College of Ireland
Employer: National Treasury Management Agency (IT System Administrator)

What is your postgraduate area of study and where are you studying and why?

My postgraduate are of study was in Management which I studied at NCI, the reason why I stayed on in NCI to do my postgraduate is because during my undergrad I felt comfortable within the walls of NCI and understood the structure of how things work there so there would be no stress of moving to another college. I was offered a scholarship to remain on in NCI to continue on my education which made all the sense in the world to remain on with NCI for my postgrad.

What made you make the decision to choose postgraduate study?

The postgraduate course at NCI just made sense to me, the prospect of learning from lectures with real life experience in the working environment that would help one benefit from this practical experience. The course itself helped me develop the effective managerial skills that have helped enhance my career prospects greatly.

What was the most challenging aspect of the move from undergraduate to postgraduate study?

I felt that moving from undergraduate to postgraduate was taking on roughly four modules for the whole semester and when you go to the postgraduate that changes to taking on one module for three weeks was a challenging as it you had to deal with assignments and ensuring that you felt comfortable before the next module would commence. I feel that the biggest challenge of the postgraduate was the thesis itself. At the start it was a little overwhelming when you were told to come up with an idea and had to focus in on one aspect of that but had to be careful not to go in too narrow and made sure to follow the specific methodologies.

What advice would you have for someone considering postgraduate study?

I would say to someone who is going on to do a postgraduate course is to enjoy it. If you are interested in a particular aspect of the undergraduate why not look to see if you can study it further and always remember that academic support will be available, be sure to use these resources. It will greatly enhance your career prospects as a whole.

How did your postgraduate study benefit your career prospects?

My career prospect was immensely increased by my postgraduate course. I felt that it helped make me become a popular choice within the job market which I managed to land myself a Graduate Programme right out of College. The MSc in Management helped me developed the necessary skills that employers are looking for which are needed for making it in the real world which are analytical problem solving, decision-making, effective communication and leadership. These skills have helped me settle into my role and have helped me kick start my career in terms of management.

What particular supports did you find useful during your postgraduate study?

The overall support from NCI was amazing. The lecturers always looked to make themselves available if extra support was needed. The level of support from the tutors running extra lectures was great they always had extra classes running. The career support was always there to lend a hand with all kind of queries. Over all they help turn all students into the perfect candidate for all positions they apply for which can make it difficult for employers to say no to NCI students!

I was offered a scholarship to remain on and choose a postgraduate course of my choice. This opportunity from NCI has changed my life, I can safely say that I would not be in the position I am today if not for the scholarship and the support that came from the National College of Ireland.