University of Derby Admissions contact: Beth Gemmill The Derbyshire Business School Kedleston Road Derby DE22 1GB United Kingdom T: +44 (0)1332 591 896 E: dbs@derby.ac.uk W: www.derby.ac.uk/bcl Name: Emma Fernandez University previously attended:  University of Northumbria Degree obtained: BA (Hons) in International Business Studies and Spanish Country of origin: UK Age: 25 years Career history Emma Fernandez gained a 2.1 in her first degree and then decided to study at postgraduate level. She joined the MBA course at the University of Derby and is studying part time. ?I feel quite privileged to be able to say that the world is my oyster. From a career point of view, having signed up to the MBA at Derby, this really is the truth of the matter. The flexibility of the subject matter and of the course is extremely useful. This means I can explore areas of specific interest to myself, as well as gaining a recognised qualification that will support the development of my career. Background After leaving university, I was successful in securing a post working as an administrator. Why an MBA? Although I love my job and its varied and challenging nature, I am also very keen to develop my personal and professional skills further. That?s when I heard about the MBA course offered at Derby. The MBA is perfect because I have always liked the idea of being involved in management projects and issues. This course enables me to evaluate current management operations in a real-time environment. It was also an ideal course for me because Derby offers the course part time. This means I can fit my study patterns into my free time and it therefore enables me to continue working full time. To be very fair, it might mean that my social life is perhaps curtailed in the short term, but the long-term benefits of further qualifications and career opportunities is well worth that sacrifice now. The studying experience I am studying part time on a three-year course. You have to be quite disciplined with other commitments in order to study for such a period, but in the long run, the benefits will be well worth it. I would thoroughly recommend this approach to anyone who is thinking of further study. I initially studied basic management skills and economics, as well as how different organizations work. This is followed by many other relevant and topical subjects affecting business today, including employee relations and law, global markets, good-quality management and development. I think the Derby MBA is popular because it is so flexible and the staff here are very supportive. The future I have not decided my future career direction and am still considering my options. I spent some time in Cadiz in Spain and really enjoyed it out there. As such, working on an international aid project would be extremely interesting. Alternatively, a career within education, government or the health sector is something I am also considering. The great thing is that the Derby MBA course does not tie me down to any one career path, which is allowing me to consider several possibilities at the moment. It?s a career development opportunity I would recommend to others, and it really does demonstrate that the world can be your oyster with the right qualifications.