With the new academic year well underway, the Masters in Analytics and Management (MAM) team wanted to give our prospective students a better understanding of what they can expect from the programme. We teamed up with Ishita Gupta, an MAM2021 alumna, to discuss her experience with the MAM programme and how it helped to shape her future career.
What were your reasons for joining the MAM programme?
Having done my undergraduate degree in computer science and working for 2 years in analytics back in India, one of the main motivations for me to come to LBS was to learn more about the business side of things and get to learn and grow in a diverse environment with people from various cultures. The MAM programme strikes the perfect balance between data and business with modules like Data Science and Machine Learning on the analytics end, and Business Strategy, Accounting and Finance on the business side. The course was also very practical and hands-on with a lot of projects on real data and other modules like LondonLAB and GIFT which gave an insight on working in industry after graduation.
How did you find the structure of the course and the classes? Was the workload manageable?
The structure of the programme is very comprehensive but has been manageable with the wide variety social activities and recruitment cycles. The highlight for me was the electives. The portfolio was very broad and considering my interest in Technology, I had the chance to take up electives like Product Management, FinTech, Social Media and Internet Marketing and Managing a Digital Organisation which helped me immensely in my interviews. I also had the opportunity to interact with peers from other courses like the MBA and EMBA, many of whom have already taken up senior leadership roles in industries of my interest.
What surprised you about the programme?
I think the best part of the programme was the diversity of the cohort. My cohort had people from a variety of backgrounds such as finance, engineering, life sciences, hospitality management, among others, and it was amazing to see how each of us had a very different point of view to approach the same problem. With our diverse backgrounds, we all had transferable skills that we used when we interacted together in study groups and various breakout rooms during the lectures. It is definitely true when they say the best part about LBS is the people you meet!
Did you take part in any clubs or societies?
I was a student ambassador for the MAM programme and helped potential candidates get an insight about life at LBS. Apart from this, I attended events that the Tech & Media Club organised and workshops that the Consulting Club put on. I was fortunate to attend the Product @ LBS conference and the Dublin Tech Trek where we had the chance to interact with senior industry experts in the Tech industry. I also had the chance to be a part of the Project Aasha team and work as an impact consultant for a FinTech start-up in India; we helped them provide actionable insights to their solution of providing low income workers access to their accrued pay so that they do not get trapped in a lending cycle.
Apart from this, I attended a lot of social events offered by LBS like networking sessions, Sundowners which was a great way to meet people from other programmes and get a gist of the true business school experience. I am also looking forward to attending Tattoo this week!
How’s being a MAM alumna helping your career so far?
I’ve always been passionate about technology and the MAM programme shaped me to be able to achieve the goals I had set for myself. Being an MAM alumna has helped me secure a job as an Operations Manager for the Customer side at Uber London which was in line with my goals as I wanted to work in a data driven role focusing on solving problems. I’m also grateful to the Career Centre resources and LBS alumni network who have always been the greatest support system for me throughout my time at LBS and helped me grow personally as well as professionally.
Who would you recommend the programme to?
I would recommend the programme to anyone who is interested in the role data plays in our lives and how we can leverage data to make business decisions. As companies are moving towards a more data driven business model, this programme is suitable for people who want to enter or transition into an array of industries like consulting, technology or finance.
Interesting in learning more about the MAM programme? Send us your profile and one of our Recruitment team will be in touch to chat with you about your eligibility for the programme.