Whitney Phillips

What undergraduate course did you study and where?

I completed my undergraduate course in Business Finance at Portland State University (Portland, Oregon, USA). I have also completed a previous MSc in Global Logistics and Supply Chain Management at Northumbria University.

Why did you decide to study a Masters? 

I decided to do a second Masters to open up new job opportunities. With a business background, I felt that learning computing and IT would give me a significant advantage in the job market. Besides that I have always wanted to learn about computing and programming!

Why did you choose Northumbria University?  Why did you choose your specific course?

Northumbria offered one of the few MSc courses in computing and IT for which you did not need a previous background in the area. I also love the Newcastle area and the opportunities Northumbria presents students with.

What makes your course challenging/inspiring/different?  

This course has been extremely challenging due to the pace it moves at, but greatly rewarding! With a hands-on approach, we have been able to develop our own websites, applications, and much more! This has been the major difference between either of my previous courses, the hands-on teaching style mixed in with the theoretical background of each subject I feel has made me a dynamic individual within computing and IT.

What was it like studying at Northumbria? 

This course is a mix of everything - lectures, seminars, labs, team projects, and guest lectures! Through all of these methods the professors have been extremely helpful in guiding students throughout the course! My favourite guest lecture so far was a top-level P&G employee who came in to talk about web security threats they face on a daily basis throughout their globalised organisation.

How connected is your course with industry?  Do you have the opportunity of a placement, or work on projects?

The course seems to be very applicable to the real world. Although we do not have the opportunity for a placement, all of the professors have had years of experience in different sectors of IT and they base assignments of real world scenarios.

What impressed you most about our academic staff?

The academic staff have been really easy to approach! Whether you have a question about an assignment, an area of the lecture you didn't understand, or questions about a mark; they have been extremely helpful and have an open door policy.

How accessible do you find our staff? 

The staff have been extremely accessible and make you feel at ease. You get to know your professors due to the small class sizes so approaching them outside a classroom becomes easier!

As a postgraduate student, what aspects of university life are important to you?

Not to sound cheesy but I have enjoyed every aspect of what Newcastle and Northumbria have to offer. As a city Newcastle is the perfect student town! It has a great city life, night life, cafes, pubs... a little bit of everything to suit everyone's needs! Northumbria has some of the best facilities (sport and academic) around England!

What doors do you think this course will open for you?

I am hoping this course will lead me to find a graduate job within the IT field. I feel like this is achievable through the extremely hands-on and practical approach that this course employs, you get the sense that it really is preparing you for the real world.

Have you changed as a person?

I feel that I haven't changed as a person but have gained new perspectives and insights.

How would you describe yourself in three words before coming to Northumbria?  What are the three key skills and attributes you have gained since being here?

Three words to describe myself before starting this course would be ambitious, self-motivated, and keen. Since being here I would say I have gained the skills and attributes of: detail-oriented, dynamic, and leadership.

How would you describe Northumbria in three words?

Lively, quaint, and vibrant.

Do you feel that your course has been a worthwhile investment in your future?

YES!! This course has definitely been worth the investment! I feel like is has prepared me for a plethora of different jobs within computing and IT.