Imogen Sands

Prior to my master's degree, I completed an undergraduate degree in Ergonomics at Loughborough University (East Midlands campus). During my undergraduate studies I also had the opportunity to do a placement with Nissan. 

After completing my undergraduate studies at Loughborough University, I began looking at master's programmes in Design Innovation. While there were lots on offer, Loughborough University London's Design Innovation Management MSc stood out. It provided the opportunity to learn the content I desired but also had additional modules to boost my employability prospects and chances to work on real-life projects with students from a range of backgrounds. The London campus is different to the main university in that it has a more professional feel but the community spirit that I loved at the main university still remains.

I love the sense of community! I have friends from all over the world and I love to hear about their background and culture. 

All my lectures have also been very engaging and the course is very practical. 

On a typical day, I will arrive at uni around 8:45am, after walking through Victoria Park. Once I arrive, I will meet course mates and we often get a coffee together before lectures begin. Many of my lectures are 3 hours long and involve both seminars and practical activities meaning they go by very fast. The practical activities also mean we get to know others on the course well.

At lunch, I tend to get some fresh air around Here East. There are often students sat by Canalside having a break and its a great time to catch up with friends and discuss our work. I then return to afternoon lectures which are often followed by a group working session. As lots of my modules involve group work I have to manage my time to ensure we always have time free to meet. We will gather in the collaborative space on the 2nd floor of uni, and work on assignments together on the big screens there. Many of these projects involve students from different courses so are great opportunities to mix and learn with others from different backgrounds.

I work a part time job in my evenings so will leave uni around 5:30pm and eventually get home by 8pm for dinner and to catch up on a bit of reading to prepare of the next day! Our timetable is generally taught in blocks so we have busy phases with lots of lectures, followed by more time free to complete assignments. Its an intense course but extremely engaging and everyone supports each other!

There is so much on offer in East London, we are really spoilt for choice in activities away from studying! I've loved making the most of the Olympic facilities, from watching athletics at the stadium to regularly swimming at the aquatics centre. I also love going to market and pop-up events over the city.

In order to fund my studies I have also held several part-time jobs while studying. I work these in the evenings and weekends and have picked roles I enjoy so they aren't an additional stress but something I look forward to.

My one piece of advice to a postgraduate student would be to be as proactive in getting the most out of Loughborough University London as possible. There is so much on offer from enterprise activities to socials and the staff are extremely willing to support you, so speak with them regularly to see what you can get involved with.