Ciaran Butterly – Why I chose DCU for my Masters
Hi everyone! My name is Ciarán and I’m currently undertaking the Master of Science in Digital Marketing in DCU Business School. After completing my four-year undergraduate in Marketing Innovation and Technology, I decided my time was not quite up with DCU yet and that is why I decided to stay on and expand my knowledge and career prospects.
My undergraduate provided me with invaluable experience in the world of marketing; however, there was a large part of me that wanted to learn more about the academic side of marketing in a much more specific field. After looking at marketing jobs I quickly realised that digital marketing is the future of the field and that a master’s degree in it would launch my career further than I could have imagined with just my Undergraduate. Another contributing factor towards my decision to undertake a masters was the covid-19 pandemic. I felt as though the world was at a stand-still, but my work, knowledge and experience did not have to be. I was excited to use that time to upskill and become an expert in an area that I had a passion and love for.
After deciding to do a master’s degree in Digital marketing, I then investigated the possible courses I could do across a variety of Universities. It became very clear very quickly that one of the best degrees in Digital Marketing was right where I spent the last four years of my life. The course’s practical elements that included a plethora of client work was one of the main aspects that attracted me to this specific degree. It was clear to me that while focusing on academia, my professional and applied skills would also be improving leaps and bounds.
What solidified my decision to stay in DCU for another year was the alumni scholarship that gave DCU graduates €1500 off the price of their postgraduate fees. One of the main reasons people are apprehensive to do a master’s is the high cost associated with them. This scholarship put a lot of the financial concerns to rest for me. Suddenly, it was clear to me that doing a master’s was completely feasible for the situation I was in. Getting into such a reputable degree with that lower fee felt like a once in a lifetime chance that I did not want to pass up. Furthermore, there was no arduous process to become eligible for the scholarship. All the work was done behind the scenes once I applied for the course and stated that I was a DCU graduate.
The past year has seen my capabilities and skills elevate to new heights and my confidence in marketing still continues to grow as I come into the last couple of months of the master’s. Thanks to the alumni scholarship, I was in a position where becoming the best at what I do was a feasible opportunity. I am very grateful for this and would urge any graduates or graduating students considering a master’s to look further into the array of postgraduate courses available in DCU.
