Sarah Webb
Business Development Director
Distance Learning MBA (2021-25) (now Global Online MBA)

Tell us a bit about yourself
I’m recently married and have worked in the energy sector since graduating university. I love what I do within the renewable energy industry and hope to continue to work in the industry for the foreseeable future. I also love the outdoors, especially walking our lovely dog, Freddie, and going on long cycle rides. 

What first attracted you to Warwick Business School (WBS)?
I was actually recommended WBS from my CEO, he knew it was a leading business school in the UK and felt it would be well suited to my ongoing development in my current role. 

Why did you ultimately choose Warwick Business School for your MBA?
The course content looked excellent, and the range of opportunities provided to you are exceptional. Not only that, but they are a leading business school in the UK. 

What elements of the programme do you value the most and why? 
The module content has been very engaging and interesting. Despite being on the Distance Learning MBA programme, you really feel that the staff and wider cohort are actively engaging with you which helps with the overall learning experience. The lecturers are also very inspiring and bring in some very interesting case studies in the course material which applies the academia to real life scenarios. The residential weeks were particularly valuable and I felt the week we had in person was really excellent. 

What is it like studying for an MBA?
I won’t deny that it’s hard work, it does require time out from your social life to study the material so you can really grasp and understand it’s content, however it really is incredibly interesting and valuable for my own personal development. The connections you make through the ongoing networking is also very rewarding and you learn a vast amount from your colleagues in the cohort. 

Tell us about the community at Warwick Business School.
The community is excellent, there is always support provided when you need it and there are also ample opportunities to network with your wider cohort. 

Has the Leadership module had an impact on your leadership style?
The leadership module has started to have an impact on my leadership style, I don’t think it necessarily changes you overnight, but you just start to observe certain traits and pick up on potential things you may want to work on improving over time. It was definitely a good learning experience. 

Can you tell us about your career plans? 
I am very happy in my current role and have learnt a lot from my experience to date during the MBA course which is helping with my personal development. In future, I would love to step in into a C-suite position within the energy sector.

What did you hope to get out of our programme? What have you actually got?
I have already got a lot of the Distance Learning MBA programme. I still have a few modules left to study, but I have been able to learn new techniques and ways in which to work both on myself and on wider processes within the organisation to improve the overall business prospects. I have also made new contacts and friends from my cohort which I have really valued. 

How did you find the work/life balance?
It can be challenging to balance work and the MBA particularly when you have a busy period at work. The Distance Learning MBA is good in that you do have a level of flexibility to study when you are able to, but key is to make sure you stay on top of the workload and try to put time aside every week to work through course material or focus on your assignments. There is of course always an option to slow down as well, which I think has really benefitted a lot of the wider cohort. 

Do you have any advice for anyone currently thinking about studying for an MBA?
Go for it! It may seem like a slightly daunting prospect initially, but you will really value the experience, both from a personal learning and a networking perspective. I haven’t looked back and hope to see many others join the course in future.