Recent MSc Financial Management graduate, and Controller for Guerlain, Julia Olberz, gave us some insights into how she found the programme.
Find out what she learnt, how she found the course content, how the blended online and face-to-face study worked for her, the benefits of being part of a diverse cohort and more as she answers our questions below.
Can you provide me with an insight into your background and current role?
I am half German and half Hungarian, but have lived in Germany my entire life. I finished my Bachelor’s Degree a few years ago, studying Business Administration part-time whilst working at a big European telecommunications company.
I started in the HR department, which was completely different from what I’m doing right now! I liked it, but when I finished my bachelor’s degree, I wanted to work in a completely new area within my company.
I then worked as a financial controller and received many insights into the German telecommunications market.
I really enjoy working in finance and this why the MSc in Financial Management was of interest.
Why did you select the MSc Financial Management course?
This course was the best option for my career because I work as a controller and need to solve financial issues daily. I was already working full-time and wanted to pursue a master’s degree that I can do next to work.
The format of the MSc Financial Management was perfect for my situation because it consisted of flexible self-study but also of interactive workshops where I met students from around the world.
Lastly, the University of Manchester has an admirable reputation and I felt very honoured to part of this community.
How do you think it will benefit your career?
I learnt a lot about financial basics which is always important. Corporate finance and accounting are very essential for my job and my daily understanding. But learning about financial markets and investments gave me a broad range of financial knowledge.
Additionally, this course strengthened my analytical skills and strategic mindset. I also improved my social skills because we solved complex group work together and it was not always easy to coordinate.
Because of that, I not only learnt about important financial processes, but also strengthened my character for future career positions. I now feel more confident and comfortable to talk about finance.
How did you find the blend of online and face-to-face study?
The blend was perfect for me, because I did not want to commit to rigid classes every week. It was great to finish a lot of lectures on my own whenever I had time for it in my free time. But the online lectures in between were very useful to learn directly from the professors and to discuss different opinions with my fellow students.
However, the face-to-face workshops were my highlight of the whole course. It was amazing to meet so many nice people in Manchester and we built a good community over the last workshops.
Please can you give the readers an insight into the type of class and classmates that they'll be studying with?
The class is very diverse, and that is what I liked the most. The students in my class came from all over the world and everyone was open-minded.
Most of us had very different career backgrounds and all age groups were represented. We had students that just finished their bachelor’s degree and did not work full-time yet, but also students who were executives.
That was very interesting, and it gave me important new perspectives. I built some very meaningful connections in my class, and I am very happy about it.
How did you find the course content? Was it relevant? Was it what you expected?
Yes, the content was very interesting and covered a lot of basics but also in-depth knowledge. In general, I feel like I got to know every area of finance. That is also important if you have not decided yet on which financial area you want to specialise in your career.
For example, I was not very familiar with global financial markets and private equity before starting this degree. But now I feel more prepared to talk about these topics at my workplace but also in my private life.
About the MSc Financial Management
Our master’s in Financial Management offers highly sought after tools and techniques needed for you to rise up and meet industry challenges. As the business world evolved this MSc will help you adapt to change, accelerate your career options and become a confident leader in finance.
If you’re in a finance-focused role already, or looking to move into one, find out how you can follow in Julia’s footsteps on our MSc Financial Management programme.
