Until a few months ago, I had no intention of pursuing post-graduate studies. My plan was to complete my undergraduate degree and to go find a job somewhere, either for the government, a non-governmental organization, or... I was keeping my options open. As I was discussing my thoughts with some of my mentors and doing some more research, I realized that I would be employable after graduation, but that I would quickly hit a glass ceiling if I did not add some more letters to my name by completing a master's degree.
Around the same time, I found out about a series of joint master's programs that are offered by the European Commission. There is an extensive list of post-graduate programs on their website, and they all offer large scholarships to complete the programs. Essentially you complete your first semester at one university, and then move to a different city or country to complete your second, third, and fourth semesters. Yet another opportunity to travel and gain different insights!! I have spent quite a bit of time looking through the different programs and have narrowed it down to two.
After graduation, I plan to pursue a Master’s degree in either Flood Risk Management or Hydro-Informatics and Water Management. The Flood Risk Management takes place in Dresden, Germany (1st semester), Delft, the Netherlands (2nd semester), Barcelona, Spain (3rd semester), Ljubljana, Slovenia (2 months), and then you complete your thesis at one of the universities or complete a work placement within a company. The Hydro-Informatics and Water Management program takes place at universities in Germany, England, Spain, France, and Hungary, and you can select where you wish to spend each semester. The 4th semester you complete either an internship or a research paper. Both programs offer full scholarships of €48,000. I am planning on completing the majority of the application process this summer, so that I just have to make touch-ups and minor changes when I am in Peru.
If neither of those programs pan out, I am also planning on applying for a few programs in Switzerland (offered in French), and perhaps at different universities across Canada, including Université du Québec à Québec or Rimouski, Royal Military College, and the University of British Columbia.
My goals are to advance my knowledge and understanding and critical awareness of specialisations at the forefront of discipline in water management, decision support systems, water and society. I want to apply scientific principles in the development of environmental solutions to practical problems in the water environment and water infrastructure operation. In doing so, I hope to play a key role in ensuring the safe, environmentally sound and sustainable management of natural and domestic water resources. I am interested in managing projects of this nature, and so I would also like to develop skills in project management by attending seminars and workshops.
I have always had an interest in international affairs and I am now looking to apply this to my future career. After my studies, I want to apply the knowledge I have learned in international development and water management to monitor and develop mitigation plans for areas that are prone to natural disasters in other countries.
If you have any ideas, suggestions, or contacts that might be useful I would greatly appreciate your feedback! I know that the future holds many great things, and I am excited to continue along on this journey.
Have a great week!
Sheila
Wow, Sheila. You seem to have done a lot of research on this - I'm really impressed with how well thought-out your plan is. I agree that, in today's work environment, an undergraduate degree no longer cuts it. For good jobs, we need multiple degrees!
ReplyDeleteHey Tallia!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your thoughts. Isn't it a shame that things like extra-curricular experience and personality no longer make the cut when applying for jobs? I feel like more and more employers want to know how many letters you have behind your name (e.g. BES, MSc) and where they're from, not just who you are. It's true that with more and more people having access to and resources to attend university there needs to be a distinction made between someone who has just studied for 4 years to earn their degree and individuals who are willing to put more work into it, but I feel like time and money are big factors that come into play here. At least by putting some thought into this ahead of time I'm trying to determine which program (and location) would be best for me both academically and professionally and I can start thinking about how I'm going to fund another two years of schooling!
Sheila