Liverpool John Moores University
Case Studies

Gregory Sheen

M.Res in Health Sciences

"I am currently consulting with the LJMU and the Association of British Credit Unions (ABCUL) on three contract projects with one specifically pertaining to one of the largest housing associations in Merseyside. ABCUL is the primary trade association for credit unions in Britain representing 85% of the members and assets British movement. My dissertation "The impact of over-indebtedness and financial exclusion on health and well-being in Liverpool."

The M.Res Health Sciences has equipped me with practical skills I can apply in a working environment. It has taught me to think outside the box and to desist from making judgements and presumptions. I now have the confidence to go out into the workforce and deliver professional standard of work. I also devote a couple of days a month to volunteering at local credit union, on which I am also on the Board of Directors.

Studying in Liverpool offers the serenity that you need to concentrate along with a social life. Most of all, Liverpool to is a niche location for young adults to study and develop their career and now with the wake of Capital of Culture 2008, Liverpool is providing some of the best jobs in the country.

I would recommend continuing further education at LJMU as it is full of inspiring and enthusiastic tutors and lecturers who are itching to support and guide students to becoming the very best that they can be. LJMU has a great Enterprise resource team and Business Bridge. These resources have helped me and provided me with valuable knowledge and work experience to strengthen my degree. I cannot stress how much pertinent work experience has contributed towards my career development thus far."

Michael Evans

MSc Biotechnology

"The MSc Biotechnology is an intense 12 months course that covers the whole aspects of modern genetic engineering in an industrial setting and possible medical uses. The course teaches a large amount of practical and applicable skills need for the World Of Work (WOW).

With doing the MSc if found myself moving into a more specialised field coupled with the skills I had learned in my final year of undergraduate study and tutor help the transition was not as difficult as anticipated. I had studied my degree in Biochemistry at LJMU and realised there was a lot of potential employment and research opportunities in the expanding field of Biotechnology. Most employers in a science background want higher qualifications than degree level and this particular subject area gives me huge scope to advance my career and also continue with further study to PhD level.

One of the most interesting aspects was the opportunity to combine science and business. We studied a business development module as part of our course the result of this is now me and my business partner Alex Stavrinides who I met on the course have set up a company called Recombitex and are developing second generation biofuels technology as part of our MSc project and are in the process of ascertaining funding to continue the project after we graduate.

The Graduate Development Centre has allowed me to develop my communication skills and business sense all which is vital for a 21st centaury scientist. If you have a good idea you need the skills to develop it through project management and present it effectively to a particular audience all these are skills taught by the Graduate Development Centre."

Orianna Crotti

MA Marketing

"LJMU offered what I was looking for: a post-graduate course which would allow me to deepen my existing knowledge, broaden my horizons and awaken new interests.

I wanted to study topics related to the job I was already doing in order to have a chance to get a better position and carry out my daily tasks more proficiently.

The availability of both part-time and full-time frequency was also an advantage as the class times were perfect for my work schedule. I really enjoyed group presentations which not only helped me understand the subjects through discussion my fellow students, but also helped create a bond.

The MA Marketing offered me exactly what I was looking for in terms of study subject and lectures organization: it provided a first theoretical approach to the basic concepts and then specialized in more practical activities (presentations, projects, plans and even a research proposal).

What I found extremely important for my development during the course was meeting field experts at conferences and presentations for example representatives from the Chartered Institute of Marketing. They all illustrated their own personal experiences, the difficulties and the satisfactions that they had, giving us students an idea of what could be expecting us.

Post-graduate study offers a deeper and more specific level of preparation and gives you a hint on how to apply all those notions in the real world. Meetings with marketers helped me focus on the requirements of the job I am looking for and prepared me for any challenge.

I have met people from different countries and with different personal and cultural backgrounds. This made me feel like a very modern student in a very open university. My time spent at LJMU represented for me an enjoyable personal experience and I will always remember and treasure it."