"The MSc Shipping, Trade and Finance programme would be an excellent choice for you to progress your career in the industry."
Country of origin: China
MSc course: Shipping Trade and Finance
Graduation year: 2020
I chose MSc Shipping, Trade and Finance as it featured heavily in my past educational background and experience, where I had previously studied Transport Management and Logistics and Operations. I realised I wanted to be an expert of shipping industry, as this industry enjoys international exposures a lot and is closely linked to other industries. The maritime industry is one of the oldest traditional industry that is indispensable to the world - it is also facing the challenge of big-data era.
The Business School has a great reputation in the London and UK, and it is located in the heart of London. After 2 years living in Wales, I was really looking forward to move to London to see one of the world’s biggest commercial, financial and shipping centres.
I liked the fact that the programme combined both shipping and finance modules and it also gives students more career opportunities as it has abundant resources and networks. In July, I will be joining Coca Cola as a Management Trainee and I am so excited for this opportunity and my master’s course for helping me obtain this role. This programme would be an excellent choice for you to progress your career in the industry.
In term 3, students who choose to do dissertations are given the opportunity to work closely with the UK Department for Transport (DfT). I really appreciated the help offered by the DfT when I was doing my research project. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic I was in China during this time, however, my supervisors Ioannis Moutzouris and Nikos C. Papapostolou helped me communicate with staff at DfT and arranged online meetings for several times.
My research topic examines the determinants of the nonferrous metal exports and imports in the UK and then give suggestions how to shape the policy to further cope with the current situations. The DfT were invaluable and really helped me in collecting the data and building the model. Without their help, I would not have been able to complete my research project.
I was also honoured to be selected to represent our business school to compete in the UK Master’s Programme. Maritime UK’s Maritime Masters programme aims to strengthening links between UK industry and academia. Finalist students selected by each of the participating universities, present their research to an audience. This was a great experience to hear students from other universities to introduce their research topics, from maritime law and environmental studies, to engineering, naval architecture and maritime economics. Although I wasn’t the winner, it was still the highlight of my master’s degree.
This year I took the role of student ambassador and it finished when I finished my course. I had many messages from potential candidates asking about how difficult it is and do they need a strong quantitative background to cope with it. I’d say this course is really challenging and intense, so be prepared but all the lectures and professors are being very supportive and patient. Another advice is to optimise the career services, all the mentors are very experienced. The MSc Shipping, Trade and Finance programme would be an excellent choice for you to progress your career in the industry.
