Corporate Governance And Law/Grad.CG LLM

Cara Crichton, is studying the LLM Corporate Governance and Law while working full time for De La Rue plc.

I decided to do the Masters qualification to help me get ahead in my chosen field of corporate law. I'll be studying part time and fitting the course in around my job because I wanted to achieve the balance between a formal qualification and practical experience.

By law, every company must have a company secretary who manages the processes that ensure their organisation complies with company legislation, regulation and legal responsibilities. My current role is company secretarial assistant for De La Rue plc, a large commercial printer and papermaker. I provide administrative support to the Company Secretary and am involved in a variety of company secretarial tasks to provide a comprehensive support function to the Board of De La Rue plc and its subsidiary companies.

I began higher education by studying an access course for a year then I chose an undergraduate degree in LLB Law and European Studies. I didn't necessarily want to become a lawyer and when the University arranged a law fair which demonstrated alternative careers in law, it opened doors to a range of alternative careers for which my degree would be useful.

The qualification in Corporate Governance and Law will lead me towards a career as a company secretary. It's accredited by the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators (ICSA) and on graduation students can apply for graduate status of ICSA which is important if you're hoping to embark upon a career as a company or chartered secretary.

Demand for chartered/company secretaries is strong across a huge range of organisations so I feel confident of getting a job at the end of the course.

A Masters degree gives you that extra qualification and should enable me to progress more quickly.

Ernestine Ndzi, is in her final year studying Corporate Governance and Law.
Corporate Governance and Law was not available at any of the universities in Cameroon, where I studied for my undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, so I was really excited when I found out I had been accepted onto the course at Portsmouth.
I moved here at the start of 2007, having never lived abroad, so I really felt like I faced a dual challenge – getting to know a new place and starting a new course all at the same time.
I have been really overwhelmed with the attention that the University pays to its international students. The International Office has been very supportive and there is always a member of staff on hand to offer advice. To feel so welcome when you’re in an unfamiliar place is such an important thing and Portsmouth has really got it right.
Studying Corporate Governance and Law is like doing two courses in one as it combines two subjects that could quite easily stand on their own. There are a number of career paths I could now follow.
I am very fond of Portsmouth as a city too. It’s got a good atmosphere without being too busy and I really enjoy walking along the seafront when I want a break from my studies. I will miss it terribly if I return to Cameroon!