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At the start of the academic year, we saw the arrival of the new Specialised Masters’ cohort. This talented group of students chose programmes that have been carefully crafted to equip them with the theoretical and practical skills they need to secure amazing jobs that will support innovative businesses and drive change in the world.
The Specialised Masters’ suite covers a wide range of subjects. The programmes available are:
- MSc Business Analytics (on-campus, full-time) and (online, part-time)
- MSc Climate Change, Management & Finance
- MSc Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Management
- MSc International Health Management
Each programme focuses on extremely important and relevant subjects within business and beyond. In this article you will find out more about each class, students, their motivations for joining their programme and what the future holds.
Over the year the students will learn about their specialised subject through a variety of modules, electives and projects, all bringing them closer to graduating and securing their future role. We can’t wait to see how our students progress and develop their knowledge and skills over the coming year.
What does the new class look like?
At Imperial, a key priority for us is fostering a diverse learning environment. Having a class that is made up of a variety of backgrounds challenges our students and encourages them to consider alternative ways of thinking. In this year’s Specialised Masters’ group, this is apparent thanks to the 71 nationalities that make up the 458 strong cohort.
MSc Business Analytics
Ranked #5 in the world in the QS World University Rankings, MSc Business Analytics at Imperial prepares graduates for a future of data-driven and evidence-based decision making. Although grounded in rigorous technical and quantitative training, our programme is also highly applied. Electives and projects are sector-focussed, giving you the opportunity to tailor the programme to your interests.
The programme is available in two study modes, a one-year, full-time programme, studied at our campus in London, or as a part-time, two-year online programme, studied from anywhere in the world.
This year’s full-time, on-campus programme achieves a near equal gender balance (53% female) and has students that come from a wide variety of academic backgrounds, with the most popular being: Economics (27%), Engineering/Technology (20%), Mathematics (18%), Business/Management (16%).
The online, part-time programme students have an average age of 28, demonstrating how many of these students take advantage of the part-time nature of the programme and continue working in their current role where they are able to apply the programme content to their day-to-day projects.
Meet MSc Business Analytics students
Benjamin Schneider
Nationality: German
Education: BSc Economics and Business Administration, Goethe University Frankfurt
What is your experience prior to studying MSc Business Analytics (on-campus, full-time)?
Before starting MSc Business Analytics, I studied Economics and Business Administration with a major in Finance and Accounting in Frankfurt. During my undergraduate studies, I took the chance to enjoy a term abroad in Exeter, encouraging me to complete my Master’s entirely in a foreign country, preferably in the UK. Aside from my studies, I have completed two internships, one in IT consulting and the other in credit risk management. For both internships, having skills in programming as well as data analytics was advantageous. These experiences convinced me to pursue a Master’s in Business Analytics, so I could acquire new skillsets and knowledge in the relevant topics of the future.
What are your future career plans?
I plan to work in a consultancy firm, specialising mainly in the topics of digitisation, data analytics, and business intelligence. During my internship at the IT consulting company, I had to face challenging tasks as well as deadlines every day. I enjoyed every single day because these tough conditions helped me gain an enormous amount of new skills and know-how, over a very short period. It was fascinating to develop specialised solutions either for my team or a client. I came to the realisation that the most important tasks are those originating right from where theoretical business concepts and technological applications come together, and I would love to contribute to creating innovative solutions to these problems. I am convinced that MSc Business Analytics can support me in pursuing this career.
Sherry Aggarwal
Nationality: Indian
Education: BEng Electronics and Communication Engineering, Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology
What is your main motivation for studying MSc Business Analytics (on-campus, full-time)?
Everyone has certain guideposts to steer their lives. For me, it is my professional journey that defined my future roadmap. Working in the analytics industry for seven years broadened my analytical thought process, but I want to enhance my statistical knowledge and incorporate a more mathematical approach to drive decisions. With data analytics evolving and progressing towards becoming mainstream and ubiquitous, MSc in Business Analytics at Imperial will help me upskill and stay relevant and competitive. The comprehensive curriculum provides a holistic experience of business knowledge and technical skills that’s usually hard to acquire in one place. Throughout the programme, I seek to develop a solid foundation that will help steer my career in the right direction.
What are you most looking forward to outside of your studies?
Outside of my studies, I am looking forward to learning from my diverse cohort. I enjoy the environment of teamwork and collaboration fostered by group assignments. I also plan to take up leadership roles in various clubs to connect with my peers and build stronger networks. I want to incorporate my professional experience and knowledge to initiate new ideas and organise events and workshops to upskill other students and help them meet their career aspirations. I hope to make the best of the time I have at Imperial to explore, learn, and achieve as much as possible.
MSc Climate Change & Finance
MSc Climate Change, Management & Finance is a one-year programme that gives graduates the interdisciplinary skills required in business on issues relating to climate change and sustainability. On the programme you will learn from leading practitioners and world-class faculty to put the latest academic thinking and business and climate change strategies into practice.
This year’s MSc Climate Change, Management & Finance cohort is made up of 102 students, with 54% of those students being female. A driven and academic group, 58% of students achieved a first-class degree in their undergraduate studies in a variety of subjects, the most common being: Business/Management (29%), Economics (20%) and Arts/Humanities (17%).
Meet MSc Climate Change, Management & Finance students
Calin Basno
Nationality: Romanian
Education: Business/Financial Economics, University of Leicester
What is your main motivation for studying MSc Climate Change, Management & Finance?
I decided to pursue the MSc Climate Change, Management & Finance programme because of its practical and in-depth nature. It dives deeply into the most pressing problems of the 21st century and offers us, the students, the required toolkit to not only analyse these issues, but to also think for ourselves. This enables us to come up with creative solutions for global problems and empowers us to quite literally be the change we want to see in the world.
What do you hope to achieve with the programme?
I hope to achieve a deeper understanding of climate change, its causes and solutions while at the same time tapping into a worldwide network of like-minded peers that strive to make the world a better place. Alongside the programme specifics, I aim to make use of Imperial’s world-class resources such as the Imperial Enterprise Lab to continue my journey as an entrepreneur.
Rachel Choi
Nationality: Korean
Education: Business Administration, Economics & Marketing, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology
What is your background prior to studying MSc Climate Change, Management & Finance?
Before I joined MSc Climate Change, Management & Finance, I worked as a Marketing Brand Manager at Morgan Stanley in London and as an Associate within Marketing at BlackRock covering mutual fund products for retail clients in South Korea.
What are your future career plans?
I’m particularly interested in Sustainable Finance/ESG investing in the asset management industry. I would like to be part of a team where my role would include updating stakeholders with the latest climate change related initiatives and ESG trends, providing insights on how to connect and apply those trends throughout the investment process and promote how capital can bring positive impact to the society and community.
MSc Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Management
MSc Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Management is a one-year full-time programme that builds students’ toolkit in the three key areas of innovation, entrepreneurship and management, teaching them how to manage successful outcomes to create, deliver and capture value from innovation.
As well as the varied programme content, there are many opportunities for students to get involved in Imperial’s dynamic enterprising culture including the Imperial Enterprise Lab.
This year’s cohort of 92 students come from across the world, representing 35 different nationalities and 60% female students. On this programme, the most common degree that students have is in Business/Management (45%), but that’s not to say that other areas are not represented. Following the Business/Management subjects that students have studied prior include Arts/Humanities (16%), Economics (11%) and Finance/Accounting (12%). Despite a variety of backgrounds, the nature of the programme means that all the students are united with a passion for entrepreneurship.
Mariam Asif, MSc Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Management, student joins Imperial from her home country of Pakistan
Nele Wessels
Nationality: German
Education: BA International Business, Cooperative State University Mannheim
What is your main motivation for studying MSc Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Management?
I chose the MSc Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Management programme mainly because I wanted to accelerate my entrepreneurial journey without sacrificing on an elite management education. I really feel that the programme gives you the right tools at hand to go out and change the world. It is just the right combination of evolving your creativity and sharpening your business acumen, underlined by cutting edge business insights and teaching methods.
Surrounding myself with like-minded people from diverse cultural, geographic and ideological backgrounds really helps me to see the world from different angles and adapt my way of thinking. Since Imperial has a great reputation for its diversity, I felt it is the right place to immerse myself with other cultures and backgrounds. Also, I want to make use of the endless possibilities available in London and that Imperial have to offer as the hub for entrepreneurship, like the Enterprise Lab which helped me with my entrepreneurial aspirations prior to starting the programme.
What are your future career plans?
While I am at the Business School I plan on launching my startup in the UK and therefore plan a is to continue that journey full-time after finishing my Master’s. However, as no one never knows how the things will turn out, plan b is to become an innovation or business development manager in an FMCG or luxury corporate.
Rima Suppan
Nationality: Austrian
Education: BSc Business, Economics and Social Sciences, Vienna University of Economics and Business
What is your background prior to studying MSc Innovation, Entrepreneurship & Management?
Growing up in an entrepreneurial environment shaped my desire to drive change by blending creativity with strong, innovative thinking. I decided to follow this passion and completed my undergraduate studies with a focus on innovation and entrepreneurship. My eagerness to learn new things has allowed me to gain professional experience across multiple business sectors in both startup and corporate settings at home and abroad – from marketing at an advertising agency to finance at a MedTech cooperation and also, my own entrepreneurial endeavours. Furthermore, as a management consultant, I gained insight into various high-tech industries, accompanied a series A late-stage growth funding round and developed the firm’s go-to-market approach to sustainability strategy consulting.
What do you hope to achieve with the programme?
For me, Imperial College’s ecosystem constitutes the ideal conditions to boost creativity and innovative thinking. I am confident that the MSc Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Management programme will provide me not only with the essential scientific research but also with all the necessary hands-on experience and set of skills to successfully cultivate and manage innovation under dynamic circumstances. Particularly with the specialised modules such as Design Thinking and Entrepreneurship, I aim to acquire the competencies to convert a business idea into a product or service and to establish a solid foundation for my aspired career in design and innovation consulting. Apart from that, with my role as the vice-president of the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Club and Imperial’s exceptional enterprising culture, I hope to gain valuable leadership experience, unlock business opportunities and establish a network of like-minded people.
MSc International Health Management
Benita Cox, Academic Director of MSc International Health Management, shares her thoughts about how the healthcare management programme provides students with the opportunity to not only develop and grow their knowledge in the sector, but be part of a cohort that is passionate and united about healthcare:
“There has never been a more appropriate time to study MSc International Health Management than now. There is not a country in the world that has not been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic and there has been no greater opportunity to learn, both individually and collectively, how to manage healthcare policy and systems. The students on MSc International Health Management programme are a micro-family united in their purpose to improve global healthcare. Multi-modal delivery enables students to develop relationships, study and work together regardless of their physical location, providing them with skills and opportunities that no doubt will be needed in managing the future global environment. In this fast-changing world, we will focus on delivering relevant, timely and contemporary topics to partner, help and support you on their journey.”
This programme combines business-focused teaching and cutting-edge research, giving students the chance to learn from internationally recognised faculty at the forefront of health management research. The programme is specifically designed to give an overview of the UK health system and its application in a global context.
This year’s class of 79 students represent a vast range of nationalities with students joining the class from all over the world. The top countries that the students have joined us from are China, India, UK, Greece and the US. Due to the subject matter, the majority of students (68%) come from the Science/Medicine background and look to enhance their knowledge of business and the health management sector.
Meet an MSc International Health Management student
Ashlyn. C. Scott-Williams
Nationality: Barbadian
Education: BSc Medicine, The University of the West Indies
Role before joining Imperial: GP & Owner, Total Care Medical Centre
What is your background prior to studying MSc International Health Management?
I graduated from The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, with a degree in Medicine in 2016, and subsequently embarked onto my internship, at the primary acute care medical facility on the island. Upon completion of my internship, I transitioned into private health care, and eventually became an entrepreneur - opening and managing my own private General Practice Clinic.
Over the last two years, I have provided medical services to patients within my community and neighbouring areas. This included facilitating educational seminars to help promote good health. Helping others has always been a passion of mine and being able to give back to the community and to see the results of my effort, is fulfilling in many ways.
Within the past year, I was offered a fulltime position as a Senior House Officer, in the Intensive Care Unit, at a private hospital on the island. I accepted this role and have since been balancing duties as an in-house hospital physician, as well as, managing my private practice.
What are your future plans?
My immediate plans are still somewhat uncertain. However, my goal is to be successful and to make the best of all opportunities that are presented to me. I wish to gain knowledge and experience in hospital administration/management, either through working directly with a healthcare facility or via a consultancy firm.
Within the next five to 10 years, I wish to transition into owning a healthcare/life sciences consultancy firm, which would enable me to provide services to the patrons of Barbados, and individuals within the wider Caribbean community.
At that time, I would be fully equipped with the skills and knowledge provided to me through Imperial College Business School. This would contribute to a greater level of service that I would be capable of providing to others, and ultimately bring a sense of satisfaction within, to see my goals become a reality.
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