My key takeaways from the Distance Learning MBA

Distance Learning MBA participant, Emily Stevenson, shares her recommendations for students who have just started their MBA.

As I am currently going through my final six months of my Distance Learning MBA at Warwick, here are some of my key takeaways from the past two years on the programme.

Organisation is everything

Studying for an MBA on top of a full-time job and family commitments puts pressure on even the most organised individual. Realising that sometimes things are going to have to wait and it isn’t possible to do it all is definitely something I have learnt along the way. There are only so many hours in a day, so work out a schedule that is realistic for you, but keep to it. The 500 words you write towards an assignment may not feel like the best thing you have ever written but you will appreciate the effort you made to stay on track.

Stay in touch with your peers

I was lucky that my first Warwick Week group I had in my first few weeks quickly became a really good support network for me. Even though we have taken different modules and don’t see each other too often due to where we all live, we will always stay in touch.

Throw yourself into Warwick weeks and face to face modules

Meeting a new group of people that you will be working and presenting in front of is always a daunting prospect. I think this has been one of the best parts of Warwick and I have genuinely met people I probably would never have crossed paths with usually. Remember everyone is in the same boat, it does feel a little bit like your first day back at school but you will soon feel totally relaxed with your cohort!

Timing of modules

If your schedule allows in your second year, I would recommend doing as many of your modules as early on as possible. I was lucky that I was able to complete three of my modules by August 2019, giving me the space and time to complete one more module and more importantly my dissertation.

My final piece of advice is truly think about why you want to do an MBA. Don’t just do it for the sake of ‘having an MBA’, that being your sole motivation will not get you through a stressful two years. There is a lot of support available through Warwick but you have to make the time to use these opportunities to your advantage. Starting an MBA at the age of 28 has really allowed me to understand where I want to go in my career and I now have a better commercial understanding of my company. Good luck for all of those who are just in the beginning of your MBA journey – it isn’t something I ever thought I would personally do but I am so proud that I took the leap!

Find out more about the Distance Learning MBA