Mariya Khan

What motivated you to pursue postgraduate study?

I have some experience in the industry, but I wanted to further my education and foundational knowledge. During my past experiences, I had relevant skills and was able to complete tasks, but I didn't understand the business logistics and reasonings behind certain decisions and projects.

I wanted an all-encompassing foundational background that I could combine with my various skills. I believed that a postgraduate degree was a chance to learn more about the background, key issues, and inner workings of the industry while making connections that could be helpful later in my career.

How are you finding studying in the UK?

It's been interesting adjusting to student life after working full-time, but so far, I've enjoyed my time studying in the UK. Since I'm a postgraduate student, I have a lot of time outside my modules, and I've been using that free time to explore London.

Whenever I have to study or work on assignments, I love going to coffee shops, the Senate House Library (which we can access as part of the University of London system), and the British Library.

It is also easy to travel and go on small trips during the term time, even if you're just able to take a day trip to somewhere in the UK like Bath. I'm excited for when the weather gets warmer and I can take advantage of outdoor activities in parks and other places throughout London and the UK.

What does a typical week at university look like for you?

I have five modules during the term that meet once a week (one that meets twice a week), so during the week I typically have 1-2 (sometimes 3) sessions to attend during the day. Most of my sessions are in the morning, late afternoon, or early evening.

Outside of my courses, I'm usually in the library (at Senate House or the City St George's libraries), running errands, travelling to and from campus, reading, cooking, and watching TV and movies.

My Fridays are free of classes, so I'm able to use that day to explore an area of London, catch up on my coursework, or relax in my room. I'm a Marketing Student Ambassador at City St George's, so occasionally I work at events during the weekday or weekends.

What has been your favourite module or aspect of your course so far?

One of my favourite aspects of the course is when we get guest speakers from the industry coming to our modules. Some of the guest speakers teach a few sessions of a module and some speakers just appear for one session. Most of them have high positions in their companies. They each have really fascinating perspectives and experiences to speak about, and they're really open to answering questions and conversing with us.

During the non-term time when we're writing our dissertations, the program director will also have a schedule of guest speakers chatting with us about the industry.

What knowledge and skills has your course helped you develop?

I've learned some important technical skills (mainly databases and programs) that we'll be using in our future jobs. I'm learning how to use industry-specific databases as well as Excel and Adobe InDesign. These are all technical skills that will help us stand out when applying for jobs.

I've also gained knowledge of what each department and role in typical companies within my industry entail and knowledge about industry trends.

What opportunities and experiences has City St George's offered you so far?

My lecturers are always emailing us and sharing opportunities for placements, internships, part-time jobs, and more experiences within the industry.

I was one of two students selected to do a volunteer opportunity with an international children's book organisation that works on diversity and accessibility.

That experience has given me a chance to work with people throughout the industry and the potential to connect with other international chapters of the organisation. There also have been chances to attend industry networking events and City St George's events put on by our departments.