FAQs about studying at London Metropolitan University with Arpita

Hello, can you introduce yourself?

Hello and Namaste. Welcome to London Metropolitan University's YouTube channel. I’m Arpita, a recent graduate in September 2023 of Fashion Marketing and Management masters. And today, we’ll be answering a few of your questions. I hope that this Q&A session helps you find out more about student experience at  London Met or in London in general.

Diving into our first question, what advice do you have for someone considering higher education in your field?

Do your research thoroughly.  Go through all the universities that you are interested in. Go through the modules that they're offering, see what modules are of how many credits. And obviously look at the professor's LinkedIn if possible.  That way you actually get to know about what the university does practically as well, like for the students. 

Second question, what personal growth or development do you attribute to your university experience?

I do believe that being in a new city and being in London has pushed me out of my comfort zone a lot. And I do believe that for your personal growth or your professional growth, you need to step out of your  comfort zone every time.

Did you do any internship or work experience specific to your studies, and what was it?

I did do an internship with UST Global as a sustainability and marketing manager. It is a retail tech company and it was actually very, very intriguing. And I got to learn a lot of things that I never thought could have been possible in fashion.

Did you do a dissertation, what did you do it on, and how did you manage it?

I did do a dissertation of 14,000 words and I did get a distinction with it. I did it on sustainable technologies in fashion.

How did I manage it?

Well I’m guessing if I got a distinction, I think I managed it pretty well. But in terms of time allotment, I would say start early. I started really early. My dissertation was due in September and I started by May end. I started jotting down everything and I had you know, I had one on one sessions with my supervisor every biweekly, so that I have good updates and I keep on upgrading my dissertation work. So yeah, that's how I managed it. I finally managed it.

Can you work alongside studying?

Absolutely. With London Met, specifically because I have worked along with London Met. I’ve worked as a student ambassador. So along with my studies I was able, they were able to give me jobs which accommodated my study timings so I didn't have to sacrifice my studies or my classes just to be working. I was the lead of choosing when I want to work and where I want to work. So yes, you can work, but I have friends who have other jobs like part-time which are outside of uni, so you totally can work alongside your studies. It's just up to you that your commitment and you should make sure that you do not lack on your studies just because of the part-time job. That's it.

What do you know now that you have finished uni and what are your career aspirations?

Well, I think my current aspirations are very clear. I want to work for Stella McCartney, but that's a very specific brand. I really like to lead. I want to lead my own brand in sustainability. So I know that I would really get to learn a lot from her and she is one of my icons. So now that I know that I want to work in sustainability. Actually, being in uni has opened my eyes and opened my perspective about sustainability and fashion. So I think I'm just more clearer towards my goal.

The next question is, why did you choose London Met?

I chose London Met because,  first thing first, it's really budget friendly for me. For me it was a very budget friendly option. Second, I got a scholarship in London Met and third I really liked the diversity.  For me, when I came to London Met it was actually a home away from home. I was able to, not only able to make good friends and good connections here, but I was also able to connect personally with my, you know, my own, my own people and let it be anyone else. 

Can you share your experience in job searching and landing your first job after graduation?

I haven’t landed my first jobs, but I am interviewing at a few places, so fingers crossed. But in terms of finding like, you know, in terms of finding my first job, I would really suggest that you keep applying because there is a lot of competition and you cannot get demotivated. You always have to keep pushing yourself out of your comfort zone again.

What is one thing you would change about your uni experience?

Nothing at all. I do not regret anything. And I would not change a single thing about my experience.

Were there any specific modules that have significantly impacted your education?

Yes. I said before, I really want to work in sustainability and be able to learn. There was a module called sustainability in fashion, I was able to learn deeply about sustainability and reflect our opinions on it, it was really helpful for me to lead myself into a career goal that I'm looking to aspire.

Did you get help finding jobs after you graduate?

I haven't found a job yet. But yes, I would say that I really got help for the application process. There's a service called Careers and Employability Service, which basically helps you with your CV, your cover letter, your ATS scan [application tracking system] and a lot more things. So that service was really helpful for me to build my CV. And, you know, polish it according to different jobs. What benefits do you get as an alumnus? We do get three years of Careers, and Employability Service as a graduate. After you graduate, you get it for three more years. You can also access the library resources as an alumni. So I really think that's really great.

What opportunities do you get from studying in London?

You get a vast amount of exposure to different cultures, different diversities. If you are in a field like fashion. For me, I really, I have gone to multiple amount of workshops, so many different exhibitions a week. You get inspired from the city, at least for me it was like that. I hope London could do the same to you. It was really nice answering these questions. I hope that these questions help you find out more about the experience at London Met. Or in case you're planning to just come over to London and study. I really hope that this helps. And thank you so much for listening. Bye bye, guys. Have a good time.