MA International Relations student, Sara Giorgi, shares her experience of studying at The University of Manchester.

Deciding to do a master’s in Manchester

I chose Manchester because I was an Erasmus student here in my final undergraduate year. I loved the English university system (I’m Italian) but I also fell for Manchester – both as a university and a City. It’s got a very high number of students, a truly multicultural environment, great opportunities and a good international ranking in league tables.

I chose the course because I had developed a huge interest in international relations while I was an undergraduate and especially during my Erasmus exchange in Manchester.

Master’s highlights

The programme benefits from being very broad; it gives you the skills to work in very different areas, but at the same time you can specialise in the areas that really interest you. On the whole though, it has shown me how to practically analyse foreign policy and improve my capacity for critical thinking.

Among all the course units that I’ve done so far, I really enjoyed Ethics in World Politics. Even if it was a little bit tough at the beginning, the debates and the empirical issues were interesting from the start; I found myself discussing about them with my flatmates, friends and family.

This unit also introduced me to an area that I’d like to explore in more detail – Chinese Foreign Policy. What’s more, I found the tutor, Professor Suzuki, extremely clear and stimulating.

Extracurricular activities

There are so many different societies at The University of Manchester that there truly is something for everyone. I’m the Vice-President of the Italian Society, something I’m very proud of. In addition to that, I’m also involved in the Sharing Words Project as a teaching assistant at the Aquinas College, Stockport.

My advice to prospective students

I would say definitely come to Manchester because it is so multicultural! Around ten different countries are represented on my programme and there’s only about 20 students on it.

In the past, when applying for jobs at international organisations, I was asked if I had the skill to work in an international environment. Now I can say “yes”.

Also, there is so much going on in the University: debates, talks, societies, events… It’s truly an environment where you can flourish.

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