Kayleigh, a BA (Hons) Business and Marketing graduate, tell us about her experience studying at Lincoln International Business School, and why she choose to study at Lincoln.
What is your full name?
Kayleigh Terry.
What undergraduate degree did you study?
BA (Hons) Business and Marketing with Work Placement.
Why did you choose your undergraduate course and why Lincoln in particular?
I wanted to do a degree that covered a variety of different business aspects, as I still felt unsure what I wanted to do for a career, that lead me to look at business degrees. My reasoning for deciding on ‘and marketing’ was that I was intrigued by research and studies of the consumer and consumer behaviour, which marketing courses seemed to cover in a bit more detail. This course also enabled more ‘option’ modules than others, allowing me to tailor the degree further to subjects I enjoyed as I progressed.
When deciding on which university was best for me, I attended many open days, and at the University of Lincoln open day, I immediately felt a sense of ‘home’ – coming from a small town, I loved that Lincoln was a small city and that the university campus was all situated together, meaning everything I’d need was nearby. It was straight away somewhere I could see myself going to!
Describe the course in five words…
I’d say: Interesting, Intelligible and Diverse Modules/Assessments
Did you undertake a work placement year?
Yes – and very highly recommend!! I moved to London and worked at Danone Waters as a Strategy and Insights Placement.
What did the course involve?
A range of modules, from Introduction to Advertising to Finance for Business, along with options to allow you to personalise the course more specifically to you – for example, if you wanted to make the course more finance based if you are better at or preferred mathematics modules, you could do so. As well as a wide range of subjects, you’re also assessed through a range of assignments – presentations, essays, reports and exams (written and oral), which I felt helped tailor the course again to everyone, as some struggle with all-exam based assessments.
What did the course teach you?
The course covered all fundamental knowledge necessary to understand how a business operates, with specific-focus on marketing. It teaches you all the academic theories and studies that enables you to go into a real-world scenario and apply your knowledge effectively. The content was super interesting, I specifically enjoyed the modules: Buyer Behaviour, Introduction to Advertising and Social and Sustainability Marketing.
Was the course well connected to relevant employers?
Extremely. The University regularly invited guest speakers to come in and lecture us on really relevant subject areas that helped apply the academic material to a real-world situation. They also have many non-compulsory events in which companies present on various subjects, for example, how to get a job with them and case studies.
Were you part of any societies and / or sports teams?
Yes – I was part of the Netball Society at university and competed in the BUCS league. I made friends for life joining the society, and to anyone thinking of joining a society when coming to uni, I definitely would! I felt as though I immediately had people around me that I had something in common with, and very quickly felt as though I had a ‘family’ equivalent around me that I could rely on, as well as go out and have fun with!
What are your career ambitions?
I still am fascinated by studies into consumer behaviour and how businesses can use this to help tailor and better-market their products and services in light of this. I am looking to pursue a career in which I can always be adding value to a business, reviewing current performance and relevant market research to enlightening others with new information that could initiate better results. I aim to never be afraid to challenge the ‘norms’ of a brand or organisation, as often people are too settled in their ways to change what may not be working anymore!
What do you wish you’d known before embarking on undergraduate study?
It will sound cliché, but that everyone starting the undergraduate course with you is in the same boat, and make sure you work hard but also ‘play hard’! Don’t be afraid to put yourself out there and reach out to people in those first few weeks, it may seem daunting but you need people around you, and you may make some life-long friends that will be huge supports through your university journey. Also, when picking your course and university, don’t just focus on the education element, and go to the university the highest rated on the rankings! Going to university is a much more than the studying aspect, it is a life-changing experience. So, make sure you really like the town/city, surroundings, things to do etc. as well as the university itself.
What tips would you give to others choosing an undergraduate degree?
Think about what interests you and what you’re going to want to study for another three to four years. I wouldn’t get too caught up about the specifics of a future career (unless you’re really sure or want a very specific career – as obviously that may require a certain degree!) What I mean is that it is perfectly normal to be unsure of what you want to do, and hard to know what job you’ll like in the future. I think this comes later, so for now, pick something you enjoy! I think how diverse the modules are across many courses can lead you into more specific area of study you find more interesting and that you may want to then pursue a career in. Or even if not, most of the graduate jobs I’ve looked at don’t seem to require a specific degree, and so you’re better off to pick something you’ll enjoy – as this is more likely to help you achieve a great grade that then you can use to your advantage after graduating. At university there are also specific careers and employability teams purposely for this, which you can look to for career guidance and advice later on, so yeah, definitely choose a course you will find interesting and enjoyable!
What has been the highlight of your time at Lincoln International Business School?
I have so many great memories and the friends, lecturers and opportunities I had I owe a lot to, as they really did make my time at LIBS / University of Lincoln so amazing. For the sake of the answer though, I’ll give the Netball society and Quack a little shoutout! Every Wednesday is the student’s union night ‘Quack’ which tends to be when all the societies have their planned socials. I always had a fab night on the netball socials, whether it was fancy dress (too many to choose one example!!), pub golf or quizzes we always ended up at one of our favourite bars Trebles, singing our hearts out for karaoke before heading to Quack.
To find out more about undergraduate study at Lincoln International Business School at University of Lincoln, visit our courses page here.