Geraldine
Odonkor

What made you decide to do a Masters degree?
After my undergraduate degree, I worked in an HR consultancy firm and that sparked my interest to pursue a Masters degree. I wanted to learn about the different areas of Human Resource Management, choose a specific area to specialise in and get a qualification that will allow me to build a career in this field.

When picking a University to study a Masters what do you consider it important to have?
One of the really important things for me was financial support. For me, pursuing a Masters degree was an expensive investment. NBS offered me a half scholarship which really helped make this dream to pursue a Masters degree possible.

Also, the modules offered on the degree were really crucial for me. NBS offered a well-rounded number of relevant topics that I was interested in and I felt were important for an HR degree and career.

I took the school’s ranking into consideration because I wanted to graduate with a Masters degree from a school that had a respected reputation. More importantly I also looked for a course that was practical and NBS offered a professionally accredited course for HR through the CIPD accreditation.

Why did you choose Nottingham Business School?
I chose Nottingham Business School because of their AACSB and EQUIS accreditations and the support and commitment to offering a valuable educational experience for their students. I also read similar student profiles like this where previous students had shared their experience and I was convinced by the experiences they shared that this was a good place to study.

What other universities were you considering?
I considered University of Sterling, Plymouth University, Teesside University, Heriot Watt University, Coventry University, Bangor University, University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN) and University of Chester before admitting to Nottingham Trent University.

What do you feel is the best aspect about studying at Nottingham Business School?
The support from the Business School help make me best I can be. I had easy access to my lecturers and course administrator and they were always willing to offer support on course work. The Employability team were really helpful in booking sessions on CV writing and finding jobs after graduation.

Can you explain a little about your course?
My course is MSc Human Resource Management and it focuses on how to manage the human capital in any organisation in order to achieve the organisational goals.

It exceeded my expectations because each module was very relevant to important core HR functions and I found the course also was very practical.

A whole module was dedicated to HR in an international context and this was very important for me because globalisation has made the world of work cut across geographical boundaries so it gave me an added advantage.

However, I personally was a little disappointed because I was looking forward to having a module on employee law but the syllabus was revised since a good number of the students were looking to practice in different countries and so studying UK law may not have been necessarily beneficial to them.

What key skills have you developed during your studies?
I developed critical thinking skills and team working skills.

In Semester Three, what option did you pick to do as part of your ‘Major Project’ and why?
I selected the dedicated Consultancy Project mainly because it was the only option available to MSc HRM students. Personally I was happy with this option because it gave us a chance to transfer the academic topics we had studied into relevant business solutions for selected organisations.

Also another impact of the Consultancy Project was the chance to work as part of a multi-cultural team. It was important to sharpen group working abilities because it is a key skill that most employers look out for.

Did you get involved with any other activities in Nottingham Business School?
To be honest there were so many activities that I was spoilt for choice. I was part of the Thinkubator Challenge which was an really exciting opportunity to brainstorm on business solutions with people I had just met. It was a thought provoking experience.

I also enrolled as a student ambassador and I got to share my university experience with school children and hopefully increase their chances of deciding to go to university. We engaged the children in classroom sessions and campus visits.

I also joined the postgraduate student campaign to interact with students who would possibly be joining NBS in postgraduate studies and for those who had not decided yet. I got the opportunity to answer any questions or concerns they had that could potentially take them a step closer to making the decision to come to NBS in September 2018.

I attended CIPD conferences and networked with other HR professionals. I also attended other sessions that were organised by NBS during the Personal Development Week and the Global Awareness week. These sessions were phenomenal.

What do you think about Nottingham as a city for students?
It’s brilliant! There are so many other students around that you feel like a part of a student community. There is a friendly and exciting atmosphere. You get the best of both worlds both in university and social life.

How has the Masters degree differed from your undergraduate experience?
My Masters degree allowed me to challenge and critique different academic work both in the lectures and in course work. It was very practical and incorporated contemporary case studies in the world to make the topics come alive. There was also a wider range of tools for learning as well like learning games (e.g. Kahoot), videos and others.

How has the course influenced your future plans or career aspirations?
I am more equipped for the career path I want to pursue with not just knowledge but the practical skills to make me the best candidate for any employer.

What advice would you give to students considering studying at Nottingham Business School?
Go for it! Grab the opportunity to challenge yourself and discover yourself in a whole different way that you would have never imagined. You will be a better person after this experience.