Studying at the University of Gibraltar | A Student Perspective

Looking back at my undergraduate years, the absolute best part was seeing how much I evolved. I will be honest: that first year was hard. Moving to a brand-new place away from home was a huge adjustment. But the university was incredibly supportive from day one. With their help, and by making some amazing friends, I figured it out. Gibraltar quickly became a place where I felt comfortable. One of the greatest benefits of the bachelor’s program was that we did work placements every single year. Getting to step out of the classroom and get real-world experience was amazing.

As my Bachelor’s came to an end, I had a choice to make. I decided to jump straight into my postgraduate degree because I simply felt ready. I knew myself well enough to know that if I went straight into the working world, it might take me a long time to ever come back to school for a Master’s. The timing felt right, so I stayed.

I will admit, I was a bit scared when I first started the Master’s programme. Suddenly, I was sharing classes with people who were already highly skilled and had real industry experience. It was intimidating! But very quickly, I realised this was actually a huge advantage. I have learned so much just by listening to them and collaborating with them.

The biggest difference between an undergraduate and a postgraduate degree is the independence. The topics we study now are much more detailed, but they are also very coherent, everything connects. During my undergraduate, I gained a lot of great skills, but I am really proud of the fact that now, in my Master’s, I am finally putting them into perspective. I feel so much more comfortable actually using what I know. This course has pushed me to be a more critical thinker, a more confident student, and just overall more aware of how the business world works.

My ultimate goal when I finish this degree is to find a role where I can take everything I have learned from my professors, my classmates, and my yearly placements and put it into action.

If I could give one piece of advice to a current undergraduate who is thinking about doing a Master’s, it would be this: just go for it! I know it might sound scary or stressful at first, but I completely recommend it. You are not doing it alone; the university and the professors are right there with you every step of the way.

By: Rania El Moutaoukkil