MSc - Healthcare Management

Why did you choose to study at Kent Business School?

I was attracted to KBS mostly by the inter-cultural environment because I believe in networking and human relationships as a yardstick for success. Also, it's a high-level ranking as a top UK business school with relevant and top-notch course modules and a student-friendly environment. Being an international student, I was also assisted in every way during my visa application by the university's representative here in Nigeria.

What attracted you to your programme of study and why?

During my undergraduate study (B.Sc Economics) I felt comfortable working with numbers such as data analysis during statistical course modules. This propelled my drive to pursue a masters degree in Business Analytics, in which I can learn the application of arithmetic, statistical analysis and data analysis in improving my business acumen and entrepreneurial skills.

What do you hope to do after you complete your studies?

I intend to continue my education by pursuing a PhD in Operational Research, also at Kent Business School.

Why did you choose to study at Kent Business School?

Kent Business School (KBS) is part of the University of Kent which positions itself as the UK’s European university. This piqued my interest, so I visited the website and made a lot of enquiries regarding life on campus, location, finance, culture, and the course itself. One thing that convinced me that this Master’s was for me was the option of having an industrial placement at the end of the course. The placement was important because business analytics is a new area for me, so gaining hands-on experience as part of my course is a real plus and something not many universities offer to Master’s students.

Why did you choose to study business analytics?

My undergraduate degree was in accounting. With accounting we deal with retrospective performance not giving much attention to how data can be used prospectively, whereas in business analytics you use data tools like R and SPSS to make forecasts and to help make sound decisions moving forward. Also, an MSc in Business Analytics opens up lots of career opportunities.

What support do you receive as a student?

As a student at KBS, you have access to state-of-the-art libraries and lecture rooms as well as workshops, all of which help to create a positive experience. We also have the ASPIRE initiative, which helps us to develop entrepreneurial skills and the Bloomberg space where we can gain experience of the powerful financial tool, Bloomberg Terminal. From the University, I received financial support via scholarships and bursaries. The University also holds workshops and seminars which help to prepare you for the job market and give you the opportunity to meet industry players.

What attracted you to Kent and to this particular programme?

I was first drawn to Kent for its location due to the relatively warm weather, for the UK, as well as its proximity to multiple beaches. There was also the opportunity to take a year in industry as part of my undergraduate degree in Actuarial Science. I loved my undergraduate experience so much that I chose to study for my Master’s at Kent as well.

Kent Business School has earned many accolades and is recognised as being a world-class business school, and for good reason! Being a part of a global community of giants in their respective fields was a real selling point as I felt it would enable me to grow my network and learn a great deal from the professionals and academics available to me. My year in industry experience at undergraduate level was also a major deciding factor in undertaking a Master’s in Business Analytics. As part of my placement, I worked in the Data Analytics team at Deloitte Consulting which sparked my curiosity about data mining, business intelligence and big data. The realisation that the world is continuously going digital further fuelled my conviction to pursue an MSc in Business Analytics.

How were your studies? Which areas did you find particularly inspiring or interesting?

My studies were amazing. The practical experience of using multiple software such as R, SPSS, CPLEX, Weka, Gephi and Simul8 was a real highlight for me. Learning how to code on different platforms was also a major highlight.

Was the course flexible enough to allow you to pursue your own interests? If so, what were they?

I had the option of choosing two elective modules. This allowed me to do a project management module, which enabled me to launch The Runaway, a global youth-led charity organisation that seeks to support students who study in countries away from home. The Runway currently supports Botswana students and aims to expand to the rest of Africa in due course. The support available includes mentoring, information dissemination and a buddy scheme to assist students with transitioning to new environments and to back home again, as smoothly as possible, while encouraging them to be the best version of themselves.

Why did you choose to study at Kent Business School?

One of the main reasons I chose to study my Master’s at Kent Business School (KBS) was because I had studied here as an undergraduate. The Finance Master’s looked interesting and as a former student I received a tuition fee discount, so those two things combined with the fact that I had friends studying here made Kent the obvious choice for me.

What attracted you to your programme of study and why?

I studied business and economics at undergraduate level, but I wanted to specialise in finance and business in my Master’s. The Finance and Management programme offered a wide range of modules and allowed me to choose the areas that I most enjoyed studying.

Was the School supportive?

I received all the support that I asked for; whenever I emailed a lecturer with questions or a request, they were always very quick and helpful with their responses.

What attracted you to the MBA at Kent Business School?
I studied banking and finance at undergraduate level and felt that I needed a wider perspective for management which could be gained through doing an MBA. The course structure and the modules were geared towards innovation and entrepreneurship.

What did you particularly enjoy about your studies/time here?
My fellow MBA students were an absolute joy to work with and the weather is amazing. The nature around the campus is incredible and being away from the city is good for health. Most of all, the sense of community among all postgraduate students created an excellent environment for work and fun.

Which modules did you enjoy the most and why?
Personally, I enjoyed studying financial analysis for decision-making, because it took my existing knowledge and gave it qualitative depth. Working on Excel models in business analytics was a lot of fun.

What about the teaching?
The teaching has been excellent; all modules were taught in an interactive way which allowed for healthy discussion within the MBA suite.

Why did you choose to study at Kent?
For me, Kent Business School offered the perfect combination of teaching quality and value for money.

How does your MBA differ from your previous studies?
It is a totally different experience for me. I’ve taken undergraduate and Master’s degrees in my home country, Azerbaijan. But here at Kent, I am studying in a multicultural environment. This diversity is easily seen in group projects where all members can share their thoughts and experience.

What support do you receive as a student?
You know that you’ll always get help if you need it. Any questions about your course, modules and so on, are answered by your lecturers or the student office, or sometimes even the MBA director.

The University also has central support facilities. My favourite is the Student Learning Advisory Service which organises events for international students, provides valuable tips on study in the UK, and even psychological support.

What are the facilities like at Kent?
This year Kent Business School moved into the new Sibson building. This an awesome place to study: comfortable and well-designed rooms, computer labs, places for group work. Overall, the University has everything you need for living and studying. Also, the location is in what’s called the ‘Garden of England’ – it’s a lovely place to be.

Why did you choose to study at Kent Business School?

After several years of working in the logistics sector, I wanted to deepen my knowledge and expand my expertise. The challenges I had faced at work made me realise the importance of quickly adapting to the ever-changing world and how important it was to implement innovative ideas and optimal solutions into a business. After carefully examining different programmes available in the UK, I found that Kent Business School was a leading institute that not only taught interesting modules, such as strategic and sustainable procurement, big data or supply chain modelling, but also focused on real-life business problems.

What attracted you to your programme of study and why?

The MSc Logistics and Supply Chain Management programme was attractive because the modules are not only theoretical, they are also practical. The different modules gave me the tools to solve real logistics and supply chain problems. Also, there is a field visit to a relevant company making the programme more exciting. In my case, I visited the Eurotunnel Shuttle facilities which allowed me to learn how this unique and complex transport company works from a logistics point of view. The programme itself is accredited by the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) and the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT). As a member, I had access to workshops, received news related to the field and was able to attend events such as the 16th edition of the CILT Student Conference: Innovation in Logistics and Transport, held at the University of Greenwich.

What support do you receive as a student at Kent?

Kent Business School and the University of Kent support their students at all levels. In case we are going through a difficult time in terms of learning, our mental health or even professionally, such as writing a CV, there is always someone who is glad to help. In my experience, Unibuddy provided great support when I joined the University. It allowed me, as a new student, to talk to senior students about the student environment, what it’s like living in Canterbury and job opportunities.

Why did you choose to study Marketing with KBS?

The programme was local, fitted around my work and home life commitments and covered key areas related to my role which I wanted to develop further. Added to this, the programme was underpinned by academic excellence through its professional accreditation and offered by a top UK Business School, so the choice was an easy one to make.

How do you think a Master’s degree will enhance your career/job?

Aside from the invaluable knowledge base and critical understanding and approach which the MSc has given me, it has been the process of being a student and seeing the other side to my job role which for me has been invaluable as I can personally advise applicants in relation to what it’s really like being a student at KBS.

The international make-up of the programme, seeing and studying with so many different nationalities and cultures in group work assignments has made me appreciate and understand further the needs and expectations of all students and to address ways in which we can meet those. Studying at Master’s level also enhances many of your own personal attributes which are so important within the workplace and for me, I would say that my self-confidence, ability to undertake more critical analysis and also reflection were key and of course, perseverance and resilience were up there too!

What is the most valuable thing you learnt from your degree?

Probably how resilient I am as a person and how determined I can be, and age shouldn’t stop you from achieving your own goals.

Tell us about your time at the University

The University of Kent has a good reputation for teaching and doing research, therefore I immediately decided to come here when I received my offer. With the comprehensive modules which Kent Business School provides, in these two terms, I did learn so much from all the modules that I could implement the knowledge of what I’ve learned to real-world cases and all the lectures and seminar leaders are enthusiastic about teaching.

Your course at Kent Business School

We have people who come from diversified cultures in our programme. In many modules, we have to work in groups for course works or presentations. It gives us more opportunities to cooperate with people from a different cultural background which I’m able to know more about cultural differences, taboos and share different perspectives with my friends. I found myself to be fascinated by this diversification since business is dealing globally and we could have more advantages by possessing and utilising these skills.

If you could offer one piece of advice to prospective students what would it be?

Kent Business School provides comprehensive courses for students who want to gain their knowledge and are interested in meeting people from different countries, as a result, I highly recommend it!

Why did you choose to study at Kent Business School?

Kent Business School has a high reputation for Master degree studying and the location is also highly convenient as the campus is less than an hour by train to London.

What attracted you to your programme of study and why?

I wanted to gain theoretical understanding and in-depth practical knowledge to develop my future business.

What do you hope to do after you complete your studies?

I hope to progress in my career in business.

Why did you choose to study at Kent Business School?

I chose to study at Kent Business School (KBS) because it has a great reputation, and it was a convenient location for me as I live in Chatham.

What attracted you to your programme of study and why?

Having completed an undergraduate degree in nursing, I decided I wanted to gain further insight into the business world of healthcare to understand what happens behind the scenes of front-line nursing. The Healthcare Management Master’s gave me the opportunity to gain business knowledge across different areas and I was able to meet with several business orientated individuals. I also met with a variety of interesting people from different backgrounds and nationalities, which made seminar discussions more vibrant by bringing different views together.

What support do you receive as a student?

I received a lot of support from the tutors and administrative staff. During the COVID pandemic, the support I got from the University was enormous. There is a very strong network of people available to postgraduate students, from the union to the KBS careers department.

How does a postgraduate degree differ from your previous studies?

My postgraduate degree was delivered via lectures and seminars, and I was able to pick some optional modules that I was interested in. I was also exposed to the world of research at Master’s level, which will enable me to go on to do a PhD. Studying a postgraduate degree offered me a further higher education qualification in one specialised area and an additional set of skills for my CV.

"I love the fact that our professors are industry specialists, so they have hands-on experience in what they are teaching."