Alumni

Sean Berry

Career Path: Financial Academy Administrator, Perspective (North East) Ltd.
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

I studied Finance as a Masters degree, and this led me to go into the industry of Financial Services. I am part of an academy where I am working while undertaking a Diploma with the end goal of becoming a Financial Planner.

What situation best describes you?

My Masters degree is in a completely different subject area to my undergraduate degree, because my career aspirations changed.

How flexible was your Masters course whilst having other commitments?

I was able to provide for myself, working alongside my masters. It was hard to balance the two, but after the initial increase in work compared to undergrad, I was able to settle and balance studying, working and also being able to keep a social life.

What are the main differences you noticed from study at undergraduate level to postgraduate level?

The more in-depth courses meant that you don't learn all the auxiliary parts to Finance that you may not deem necessary, and focuses on the fundamentals that will enable a career.

What was it about Northumbria that made you decide to study a Masters?

Having studied at undergraduate level at Northumbria, I had settled with the area and also the style of education. The facilities are all top-of-the-art, especially within Finance, and the hands-on experience made the course and university an ideal location to study.

What was it like studying a Masters at Northumbria?

With us just leaving full lock downs, my first semester's lectures were all online, with seminars taking place face-to-face, which was a good dynamic and not all of one or the other. There were various different team projects, whilst also having individual work making the blend something I benefited from.

Did you take advantage of any financial incentives to help fund your Masters?

I took advantage of the Masters loan from student finance, and also the alumni discount having completed my undergraduate degree at Northumbria.

What was the best thing about your Masters course and what did you enjoy most about Northumbria University?

Having all the modules I studied being something that I was interested in made turning up to University everyday more likely - at undergraduate, there were modules occasionally that were not what I was interested in, but were mandatory, which made it tough to be motivated. Having the right balance of work and social life also made the year a lot more bearable.

Which skills/knowledge did you gain on your course that you use most now throughout your career?

Proficiency within Microsoft products is something that I have used on a daily basis, along with understanding cash flows. I also have a greater insight in taxation and investment and risk management, both of which are modules within my Diploma training to become a financial planner, therefore I will be at an advantage with these sections.