Learning to be a leader through the Bath MBA
Canadian MBA student Andrew explains why he chose to study at Bath and what he's learned about both business and himself during the programme.
Choosing Bath’s MBA programme
I’ve always felt that adding an MBA to my toolbelt would be beneficial, and I’m really glad that I decided to do it at this point in my career. It’s been great to reflect on my previous seven years of work experience and to understand how things can be done differently.
The programme in Bath was incredibly attractive to me. Firstly, because most of the coursework is groupwork. Secondly, because the programme is focused on bringing different nationalities and cultures together. Thirdly, because of the opportunity to work with real-life clients on change management projects.
Being part of a diverse community
Working with people from all over the world, with different professional and personal backgrounds, it’s been great to understand how people look at problems and situations differently. The lecturers have done a good job of facilitating conversation and debate in class. They want to learn just as much as we do.
The programme has really helped me to understand that there is no “one size fits all” approach to doing business, no matter what industry you’re in. The MBA has given me tools to manage teams and personalities, and more importantly, has given me experiences to try some of the concepts that I have been taught. This has given me more confidence in my abilities moving to the next stages of my career.
Pursue an MBA if you’re ready to not only learn about business but also about who you are as a leader.
Receiving support through the programme
The Careers team has been a great resource for us as a group, and for me personally. On the group level, they have brought in various recruiters, CV experts, alumni, and many others to help us understand the job market.
On a personal level, they’ve been very quick to help with CV reviews, coaching for interviews, and connecting me with people within their network that could help my job search. The Careers team also matched each of us up with a Mentor and a Coach. Mentors showed us the path that they’d carved for themselves, and Coaches helped us further develop our leadership and soft skills.
My advice for prospective students
Whether you have a business background or not, I would highly recommend a Bath MBA to anyone that is looking to challenge what they already know about business and how they can make a difference in the future. This programme covers a lot of material in a short amount of time. Putting that material to use helps to solidify your understanding of the concepts and frameworks.
Pursue an MBA if you’re ready to not only learn about business but also about who you are as a leader. I want to make a positive difference in people’s lives. Whether that’s by starting my own business, or being in a senior leadership position that gives me the opportunity to enrich the lives of those around me, the MBA has helped me to better realise and understand the variety of ways I can achieve this.