As this is my last blog, I thought that I would sum up some of the things that I have learnt over the last year and give some tips to anyone that is going to be joining AMBS in September.
If you decide that AMBS is for you then take advantage of the opening weeks at University. This is a great way of meeting students who will be on your course and take part in team building activities. In addition to this, in the first few week's students are asked to go on a residential trip to the Lake District. Unfortunately, I was unable to go on this trip but after speaking to students who went, I would recommend students to go if they are free. Here you can get to know students on your course who will probably remain your friends throughout the year and beyond university.
Make sure that you explore what Manchester has to offer outside of the University. Manchester is one of the most vibrant cities in the UK and there is always something to do. Explore some of the restaurants, museums, and bars. It is very important to switch off from doing work all the time and venture out into the centre of Manchester.
Decide early on what modules interest you. Although, you can switch modules in the first few weeks if you decide they are not for you, sometimes they can be full up and you might not able to switch. Doing research before hand and deciding whether you prefer coursework-based assignments or examinations can be a significant contributing factor to what modules you decide to choose.
Use the careers service early on. They have stacks of resources on CV writing, job applications, interviews etc and are a great tool for helping you with job searches.
One of the reasons I chose a masters at AMBS is that the course offered the CIPD course. It is important to individually weigh up the pros and potential cons of doing the CIPD course. Sometimes doing the CIPD course blocks you from doing graduate schemes as the grad schemes that offer the CIPD course themselves. If you are hoping on securing a graduate scheme after university, check their websites before hand to see whether they offer the CIPD course and whether they accept applicants who already have a CIPD qualification. As I was not focusing on getting a graduate scheme after University, I decided to do the CIPD qualification with AMBS.
Finally, enjoy AMBS. AMBS offers top teaching with the best lecturers. I have thoroughly enjoyed my undergraduate years and postgraduate years at University of Manchester. After completing my masters, I will miss AMBS and university life very much!!
