Postgrad UK 2008/2009 - (Page 8) 8 Advice and Information www.prospects.ac.uk/PostgradUK Day in the life: University of Bath The University of Bath is an attractive choice for international students, not least because of its historical setting. Voted 11th in the Times Good University Guide 2008, Bath scores highly when it comes to career prospects; 78.9% of its graduates were employed within six months of graduating, which could be one reason applications to the institution were up 16% last year. postgraduate programmes in business, engineering, social sciences, sciences, humanities and health. BUSINESS AND THE COMMUNITY Dong Hoang Overlooking the Roman City of Bath, the University provides a comfortable setting for its students and, more importantly, the opportunity to gain a world-class education. The institution has a history of research in science and engineering; it started life as the Bristol Trade School in 1856, training scientists and engineers, a tradition that continues today. In the last Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) applied mathematics, mechanical engineering and pharmacy were all rated internationally outstanding. The University remains prolific in science and technology today but has grown considerably since its beginnings back in the 19th century. Students can now choose from more than 100 from Vietnam, came to the University to learn more about corporate social responsibility (CSR), a growing concern in the business world. ‘I was working as a consultant for development projects before I came to Bath, organising activities with local community and domestic business,’ explains Dong. ‘These projects were mainly focused on environmental issues: recycling, waste management and water resources management. It was my job to promote the relationship between a business and the community it operates in. I wanted to learn more about this and so decided to study abroad to develop my expertise in this area.’ Dong is studying Bath’s MSc in Business and Community, a unique programme that combines social science and business, says Senior Lecturer Dr Bryn Jones. ‘Most courses on business responsibility and business and society are taught in a business school, solely from a management perspective. This course, however, combines management and social science perspectives and disciplines. It is for people who want to learn more about the social context of business.’ Run by the Department of Social and Policy Sciences, this Masters has input from both the Department of Economics and International Development, and the University’s School of Management, ranked in the top five UK business schools (Times Good University Guide). The programme is open to people from non-business backgrounds too and teaches students about corporate power and responsibilities, globalisation, policy and social movements, morals, markets and politics and ecology, management and organisational performance. RESPONSIBLE EMPLOYMENT Dong is looking into ethical purchasing by supermarkets. Once she has completed her MSc, she is hoping to take her knowledge back to Vietnam and continue working as a consultant. ‘When I look at job vacancies in my country now, I see quite a few multinational companies looking for CSR specialists for their business operations; there are lots of opportunities to work as a consultant in this area.’ Bryn confirms that employment prospects for students on this programme are promising. He says past students have gone on to work in varied roles, both in the public and private sector. ‘Business influence activity is now affecting most areas of society and employment and career opportunities are beginning to reflect this. Our students have gone on to work in research, advocacy, policy and campaigning work in mainstream business, consultancy, the NGO-voluntary and public sector, as well as with international organisations, such as the European Commission, International Labour Office and UN agencies.’ http://www.prospects.ac.uk/PostgradUK
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