Josephine Go Jefferies
MBA Corporate Social Responsibility 2009

Before applying to the MBA in CSR at Nottingham, I had completed a Masters in Criticism and Theory and had begun a part-time PhD in English research whilst working in e-learning for adult skills in the public sector. Before that I had worked for five years on an entrepreneurial social business start up.

It surprised me a little to find that my different experiences have meshed so well with the demands of the MBA programme. What surprised me a lot is how much I have enjoyed the opportunity to learn things that I never accessed before.

The programme provides an opportunity to investigate the theoretical and the practical and to learn how we are concerning ourselves with the impacts of our decisions as global consumers and business people. The MBA provides an understanding of how business and society underpin one another, and that this relationship is a dominant factor in sustainable business decisions. It makes you think about best practice and strategies to make ideas operational.

A lot of people considering an MBA programme may have the same perception that I started with, harbouring fears about not conforming to an MBA stereotype, but I have learned that an MBA would benefit anyone who wishes to be productive in society. The MBA cohort is full of interesting people from diverse backgrounds and the camaraderie has been a real bonus, especially with all the long hours of study that the programme entails. The staff and guest lecturers are very engaging and the ICCSR in particular deserves its high international standing for research and excellent teaching.

The MBA ends for me with an internship at UKSIF (UK Sustainable Investment and Finance) and a management research project assessing barriers to alternative investments.