Emily McMahon MSc Governance and Policy, 2011

B2B Conference Director, FC Business Intelligence

Hi, I'm Emily McMahon and I studied MSc Governance and Policy within Social Sciences: Politics & International Relations at the University of Southampton.

I gained valuable skills in written and verbal communication, critical evaluation, time management and organisation. I also met and made friends with a diverse set of new people.

Q: Why did you choose to undertake your studies at the University of Southampton?

As an undergraduate in criminology, I took a module named 'Comparative Social Policy', which spurred an interest in social policy, and the mechanisms and practices surrounding welfare states. With demographic change, globalisation and fiscal pressure, I believe that studying a topic such as governance and policy provided a useful insight into a range of potential 'problem' policy areas that could be applied to a future job in local government etc.

First and foremost, I chose the course because, with the current graduate job opportunities at the moment, I thought a further qualification might aid me in the future. Secondly, the course appealed to me as it is extremely flexible across all the social science areas that interest me. For example, a hot topic area in recent years has been the dilemma of ageing populations and pension policy. The flexibility of the MSc Governance and Policy, although it's a politics and international relations course, allowed me to take modules in gerontology. This semester, I have also furthered that interest with another module called 'Demographic Change, Ageing and Globalisation', which has allowed me to expand on my past fondness for anthropology and look at social policy support systems around the world for elderly people.

Q: What do you feel you have achieved as a result of studying here?

I gained valuable skills in written and verbal communication and critical evaluation, and furthered key time management and organisation skills. I also met and made friends with a diverse set of new people which I also value as another key positive to undertaking the MSc.