Exploring Southampton

Between well-planned course modules and leisure to travel in England, SMS provides a rewarding experience, says BRINDA MANIVANNAN.

July 20, 2014 05:36 pm | Updated July 22, 2014 04:47 pm IST

Brinda Manivannan

Brinda Manivannan

I was born in Chennai, but I am a Mumbai girl at heart. I was always inclined towards computers and would spend hours learning about software and coding. After completing a degree in software engineering and a two-year stint with the IT industry, I realised that I wanted to pursue a master’s degree, but not in engineering. As I got involved with the project management side of the IT industry and began to take the technical lead on projects at work, I realised the need for a more formal training in management which would broaden the scope of my career.

After looking up many universities — in India and abroad — I decided on the University of Southampton. The master’s programme offered by Southampton Management School (SMS) interested me the most. It had a balanced mix of subjects such as marketing, strategic management and decision making. I was happy to see that students were assessed equally on both theory and practical learning at this university.

The University of Southampton was my top choice also because of the facilities it offered. The prospect of living and studying in a new country among strangers frightened me. But after almost a year here, I feel those fears were unnecessary. Southampton welcomed me graciously and now it is my home. The SMS has a well-structured course, great minds as faculty, beautiful campus, one of the biggest library collections in the U.K. and a vibrant social life. I was awarded the SMS postgraduate scholarship (South Asia) worth £5, 000 because of my grades. This scholarship gave me an opportunity to study alongside people from about 50 nations. As part of our course modules, we have to run a company and compete against each other, making the highest net profits. My team came second in the challenge. It gave me the practical knowledge of how the industry works. In my leisure time, I write poems, short stories or about anything that interests me. I am a member of the debate club in the university and I never miss any event organised by the club. I enjoy travelling. Being a travel enthusiast, I like visiting places with a rich history. England has many historically important places and Southampton is very well-connected to all of them, letting me explore all I want!

The writer is pursuing Master’s in International Management at the University of Southampton.

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