Hi, I’m Cameron, a postgraduate studying MSc International Business. For my dissertation module, my group worked with an insurance company based in London instead of writing a solo research dissertation. Here’s why I chose that route, and what it was like.
Why not a traditional dissertation?
Honestly, I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to write another full dissertation. I’d already done one during my undergraduate degree. Doing another for my Masters didn’t feel like the best use of my time when there were other skills I wanted to develop.
One of the main reasons for doing a Masters degree was to build on skills like teamwork, communication, and problem-solving.
A traditional dissertation can’t provide these through practical work. Consequently, the applied dissertation felt a much better fit for my future ambitions. And it was a chance to try something outside of my comfort zone.
What has the applied dissertation actually been like?
I found lectures really helped to clear up how the module worked and how I’d be assessed. The workshops went even further than this, giving us time as a group to discuss our project, and teach us valuable skills such as building client relationships and working well as a team.
These were the sort of skills I was looking to build when I started the course. This module helped to enhance these massively.
What struck me most was that the module has felt like a bridge between graduate study and future employment. It enabled me to apply learned theory into real-time business issues.
It wasn’t theory for the sake of theory; it was a real project, with a real client, and real expectations. This is such a rare thing for a university module to offer.
Working with the client
Our client operates in the insurance industry, an area that none of the group had any knowledge or expertise of before the project. That unfamiliarity turned out to be one of the most enjoyable parts of the experience.
Most jobs after graduation won’t hand you something you already understand. So getting up to speed on an unfamiliar topic felt like good practice for what’s ahead.
We had weekly scheduled meetings with our client, and they were brilliant throughout. They were genuinely invested in our project and were incredibly supportive.
Some of our work was confidential and so cannot be disclosed, but the group carried out research and provided valuable recommendations for the client to improve their business.
The experience of working with a real client taught me more than I expected about the realities and the challenges of the workplace. An academic dissertation wouldn’t be able to provide this in the same way.
Reflections
Before the project, I hoped it would build my workplace skills and confidence. Looking back, that’s exactly what this module gave me.
Working within an unfamiliar industry, for a real client, in a team under real expectations, turned out to be such a valuable experience.
If you’re weighing up the same choice, consider this module as an opportunity to experience a real-life workplace project that supplements the theories you have already learned throughout the year. Fully recommend!
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