Adrienn Heiler – MSc Financial Economics

Business School

Why did you choose to study a postgraduate degree at Cardiff University?

In my final year of undergraduate studies, I felt that my course did not explore the subject in as much depth as I expected it to. Therefore, I was certain about doing a postgraduate degree.

Cardiff has always been one of the universities I had in mind as it has a great reputation and I had also visited the city before. After looking into the content of the economics master’s course, I knew it was a degree that would allow me to build on my already acquired skills and knowledge.

My decision was made easier when I learned that the university’s Student Union is one of the best in the country as it assured me that there are excellent opportunities to make new friends even at a postgraduate level.

How was your experience as a postgraduate at Cardiff University, in terms of the programme?

I found that the course is very well structured. The university recognises that everybody comes from a different educational background and therefore, in the first couple of weeks they aim to bring everybody on the same level.

The method of teaching varies across modules which allows us to gain a wide range of skills. As well as learning on a very advanced level, we are required to do various individual and group assignments.

It can be extremely challenging but at the same time extremely rewarding as it makes us stand out when it comes to looking for jobs. Furthermore, all the modules aim to prepare us for the dissertation stage. Therefore, there is a lot of support available.

How was your experience of living in Cardiff, in terms of the city, social life and accommodation, again specifically as a postgraduate student?

Cardiff, undoubtedly, is one of the most vibrant cities in the UK for student life. There are so many restaurants, bars and entertainment facilities available that it is almost impossible to get bored.

On top of all that, the city is relatively cheap which makes budgeting significantly easier. Due to the high number of societies available at the university, it is very easy to socialise.

Furthermore, the university has great support services when it comes to finding accommodation, especially designed for postgraduate students.

What was different about your postgraduate experience at Cardiff University compared to your previous degree?

The single biggest difference in terms of my course was perhaps the level of specialisation, I can achieve. The MSc allows me to truly explore my interests in the field and network with academic professionals on a level that was harder during my undergraduate degree.

How did you fund your postgraduate degree?

I receive the Postgraduate Student Loan from Student Finance England as well as the Master’s Excellence Scholarship from Cardiff University.

Given that living is relatively cheap in Cardiff and the university offers various opportunities for casual part-time jobs, the combination of these funding methods has proven to be more than adequate for my degree.

How do you think that your postgraduate degree is helping prepare you for the future – job aspirations, career development, future study etc?

The MSc has opened many career opportunities which were not open to me before. Studying at such an advanced level and conducting my own research as a part of my dissertation have given me valuable insights into potential PhD route in the future.

Furthermore, I am certain that the wide range of skills that I have gained will help me succeed at my graduate job starting after the course. Being aware of the amount of opportunities available to me after my postgraduate degree has given me a great amount of confidence.