Can you talk a little bit about yourself and your background?

I was 25 years old and eager to find the theoretical knowledge, to help me enhance my reasoning behind my managerial decisions, when I decided to enrol on my MBA. I had been a manager in a hospitality/retail setting for almost 8 years, in charge of all projects, looking after teams of up to 60 people, reporting into the Operations Director and conducting monthly presentations to the Board of Directors on the status of all projects in the business.

What prompted you to pursue an online programme with Aston University? Specifically, why was online appealing to you?

I had always wanted to go back to studying but couldn’t justify stopping work to pursue this. I also did not have the flexibility in my work schedule to be able to commit to specific dates. After filling in some details to hear more about courses at Aston University, I was called back by a lovely gentleman who was following up. We discussed my background, my work schedule and what I wanted to achieve and he explained to me that studying online sounded like it would be the best route forward for me. He was absolutely correct - studying online gave me the flexibility to work whenever I needed to on my downtime from work and I could do it from anywhere! This helped as I frequently travelled abroad during my course but it didn’t impact my studies!

What has the experience been like? Was it what you thought it would be like and has it met your expectations?

The experience far exceeded my expectations and has been incredibly enlightening; the MBA provided much more than theoretical knowledge. It provided real-world case studies, on-hand support from tutors and there was such an experienced cohort learning alongside me, that could push, challenge and encourage me. Many of the people on my course quickly became friends!

If you were giving someone who was considering an online course advice, what would it be?

My advice to anyone considering the online portion of the course would be to absolutely go for it but make sure you plan your time effectively. Some modules are less intensive than others so ensure you plan to commit enough time each week per module to make sure you get your work done. If you are left with extra time then BONUS (make sure you celebrate) but there are some modules that will consume you, these are short term and even more rewarding when you come out of the other side. Make sure you celebrate all of your little wins! They are all achievements!

Would you recommend the Aston programme and if so what aspects of the course do you find appealing?

I would thoroughly recommend the Aston Online MBA! After it all, I have surprised myself with how much I have learnt, how much I have achieved and the different perspectives I can bring into both my work and personal life! I have found some fantastic friends and life-long mentors who have all been supportive throughout my journey and it has been the most rewarding experience I have done so far! I am actually considering coming back to do my DBA at Aston in the future!