Durham University Business School

As an international student who had yet to experience living abroad, I was terrified to leave home. I quickly learnt that there was nothing to fear! I have benefitted from a range of student support services available including DCAT (Durham Centre for Academic Development) writing sessions and the careers service, which has enabled me to access multiple University opportunities: Open Day ambassador, Student Marketing Team Intern and Alumni Campaign student caller. Student societies like DUCK (DU Charities Kommittee) and DUSVO (DU Student Volunteering and Outreach) have further contributed to making my experience at Durham memorable.

I am from Vietnam. During my undergraduate, I studied Psychology in Italy. After that, I decided to pursue a career in Human Resources. Durham University Business School is a prestigious and high-ranking institution that will aid me greatly in my future career. The University has supported my skills, especially with the career services and interview workshop. Besides that, Durham is a lovely town with many international students and society; you can always join activities and enjoy vibrant student life.

I've been at Durham for four years now. I am not ashamed to say I am having the best time ever. I love the feel of Durham, the friendliness and safe feeling around the whole city. It helps that the place is so pretty - with the Cathedral and Castle always being the best backdrop to almost any workspace in the university. I know that not everyone might have been as lucky as me, but I know that even those who don't enjoy it as much as I have are able to have the right support around them from both their college and academic department to make any situation better. I have also loved the wider extra curricular activities. I play football and have loved the sport culture in Team Durham as well as trying new stuff for the first time in college sport. The perfect combination of academic excellence and enabling students to enjoy being a student.

I chose to study at Durham Business School due to it being internationally accredited, one of the world’s most prestigious universities and due to the expectational teaching that it has on offer. I felt that it would offer me a greater opportunity to develop practical and analytical skills amongst other people that had a love for study. I felt studying a masters would give me a competitive edge amongst others applying for graduate jobs. The university has amazing facilities and remarkable teachers in their field. A particular highlight is the vast number of opportunities you receive to listen to guest speakers from individuals that are leaders in their field. I have successfully obtained a graduate job in London, commencing in September 2021 within the commercial department of Berkeley Group, where I hope to have a long and successful career.

I chose to do the Management masters as this allowed me to continue to study people and how they function, but in a way that was applicable to the business world that would open more doors for me in my career. I chose to study this course at Durham to experience the incredible teaching here, as well as continue the amazing college experience I enjoyed during my previous degree also at Durham. The highlight of my master’s course has been the breadth of topics I have been introduced to, as well as growing my research skills during my dissertation.

There are only few universities in the UK set up the entrepreneurship course which I am specifically interested in, Durham University Business School is one of them, also the course is ranked 5th in the UK. Durham University is a very welcoming society and I received a lot of caring and love from my college, mentors as well as my friends. I got many chances study with a group of students from different backgrounds, it definitely developed my collaborative skills as well as communication skills. When I look back, I realised apart from study, my soft skills have been improved as well. Alongside, I attended many different social events from different colleges and societies, this made me discover new hobbies and interest that I didn’t realise I even had.

My programme has been immensely rewarding, with excellent teaching quality. The new state-of-the-art business school building is also a great bonus! I have been lucky enough to attend the Economics London Field Trip, which provided me with invaluable insights into potential career paths within the industry and expanded my professional network.

The MSc Accounting programme offered an ideal opportunity to gain specialist accounting knowledge and professional accountancy qualification exemptions in a supportive environment. I have been able to explore different facets of accounting, which has been hugely beneficial in narrowing down a potential career path within this industry.

I was drawn to how the programme perfectly balances theoretical depth with practical application. Durham’s connections to industry and its alumni network also mean there’s ample opportunity for real-world collaborations and career support, crucial for anyone looking to make a meaningful impact in the field of Business Analytics.