Life at Cranfield – my MBA journey so far…

“Even with the disruptions of the Covid-19 pandemic, Cranfield School of Management has put so much effort into enforcing government guidelines to ensure we have as many face-to-face lectures as possible.” reflects Monica (Dongmei) Shi, sharing insights from her first term on the Cranfield MBA.

Read on to find out why Monica chose Cranfield School of Management, what her first term at Cranfield has been like and advice she has for anyone thinking about doing their MBA.

 

 

1. What is your name and what are you studying?

My name is Monica (Dongmei) Shi, I am from China. I am studying a Full-time MBA, the one-year programme at Cranfield University.

2. Why did you choose to study at Cranfield School of Management?

Cranfield School of Management is one of the most highly reputable institutions in the world . One thing I appreciated is the balanced ratio between students and staff which makes interaction and consultation richer. Plus, Cranfield is supported by state-of-the-art facilities.

Cranfield is also famous for its aerospace-related program, and it is the only University in the UK that owns flight simulators, aircraft, and a fully functional airport. With a background of many years working in the aviation management industry, the resources and comprehensive courses in my programme makes studying at Cranfield a fantastic experience for widening my business knowledge range and shaping my future career in leadership.

Also, Cranfield is located in a comfortable countryside. I can highly focus on my studies and I am sure you will fall in love with this quiet and peaceful place!

3. What is your learning experience of term 1 in a full-time MBA?

Even with the disruptions of the Covid-19 pandemic, Cranfield School of Management has put so much effort into enforcing government guidelines to ensure we have as many face-to-face lectures as possible.
So far, for my first term, we’ve covered seven modules. They include Organisational Behaviour, Marketing, Operations Management, Economics, Statistics, Accounting, and Entrepreneurship. I’ve been occupied by lectures, group work, a lot of essays, and reports in the past 2 and a half months, so it‘s very challenging. However, no pain no gain, the amount of effort you put in is the amount of results you end up with.

Moreover, the programme has offered me a chance to learn and get feedback from my learning team and the other classmates who come from diversified backgrounds such as Engineering, Accounting, Banking, Marketing, Education, Civil Servants, etc, which is a valuable experience for me.

4. What advice would you give to students coming to study at Cranfield?

First of all, Cranfield is a postgraduate university, and that means all Master’s Programmes are laid out in one year. As a result, the deadlines of assignments and projects are pretty close, so it requires individuals to manage the time better; Don’t wait until the very last moment!

Secondly, please set high personal and academic standards for yourself, and live up to them. Believe in yourself, work hard, you can do it.

Thirdly, try new things, meet new people, appreciate cultures. Just respect and embrace the differences.

Join Cranfield, enjoy your new journey. You will be proud of it!