Nafiur
Rahman

What route did you take into postgraduate study?
I completed my undergraduate studies at the University of Dhaka in Bangladesh where I graduated with Bachelors of Business Administration in Finance and Economics.

In addition to my studies, I have an experience of working as a Business Development Manager in the company called Daraz. After working for 2 years, I decided to further my knowledge by pursuing MSc Finance degree at NBS.

When choosing a Masters degree, what did you consider it important to have?
The key factors which I considered important were the global accreditation of NBS, multicultural environment with an opportunity to be the student member of CFA Institute.

What were your reasons for studying a Masters degree and why did you choose Nottingham Business School?
Apart from the accreditations and module content, personalised learning was the major factor influencing my decision. This helped me develop my own individual student journey which was supported by my personal mentor to achieve full potential in my career.

I was looking forward to apply for the course in January and NBS was the only university, which offered courses in January from the ones I researched. This helped me overcome my employment gaps and enabled me to learn and explore different dimensions of finance strategies.

NBS provided personalised learning which helped me in my personal development by setting me on the path to excel in my chosen field.

I chose NBS to obtain a higher qualification in a reputed institution to develop my academic knowledge which can be related to my two years of work experience.

Why did you choose to study MSc Finance? What did you enjoy about it?
The way of teaching and learning kept us on our toes at all times. I enjoyed methods we used to apply knowledge, strategies, models and techniques to resolve issues in diverse situation within finance. We were provided with in-depth understanding of core financial concepts at every stage.

I enjoyed the style of education and especially the modules taught with the aid of the brilliant professors who helped me improve my knowledge and provided great insight into aspects of finance. My academic English has improved greatly which taught me to write great research papers.

The Corporate Restructuring module interested me the most because it gave me a deep and integrated view of theory and practice of different restructuring techniques and strategies.

Describe what your seminars were like?
The seminars were unique and included exciting ways of learning new concepts. The seminars consisted of dealing with case studies, real businesses and providing them with solutions regarding financial crises, which helped me to face different situations with confidence and to think differently.

Presenting our findings to the business leaders greatly developed my communication and presentation skills in a professional environment.

How has the Masters degree differed from your undergraduate experience?
My undergraduate experience immensely differed in terms of the teaching approach. In my Masters degree, we constantly worked in teams to solve issues by thinking critically by analysing the issues. This course enabled me to step out of my comfort zone and mix in a multi-cultural environment. We were encouraged to challenge our course leaders and have our own point of view.

What are the key skills you have developed studying at NBS?
My time at NBS has helped me explore different dynamics of academics as well as professional knowledge. The different group work and assignments along with workshops helped me develop skills such as communication skills, critical thinking skills, time-management and organisational skills.

Do you feel that your overall experience in the programme will make your profile more competitive in the job market?
Yes, I definitely feel my overall experience, the skills I have learnt during my studies, the Masters qualification from the accredited university with the CFA diploma will make my profile stand in the competitive job market may it be domestic or global.

How have you found moving to and living in Nottingham?
Nottingham is one of the most vibrant cities with something interesting to offer always. The lifestyle is very lively and I have never found myself bored in this wonderful city.

The people are very helpful which makes settling into a new city seem quite easy. Living in the UK has been amazing so far and the quality of life is excellent compared to my home town.

What advice would you give someone who is thinking about applying for the programme?
I would encourage them to consider studying here, explore their options whilst they are on the course, and use all the opportunities open to them.

Finally, in one sentence, how would you describe your experience of studying a Masters degree at NBS?
Best decision of my life!