Halftime! A reason for me to report back from my studies.
Eight Courses are done and I’m more than happy with my choice. Through the practice-oriented study with a real project, I have, among other things, been able to develop my ability to act in a result-oriented manner. The step of processing and using the results of my analyses is much easier now. I notice that mainly in my job!
Project management has become one of my everyday tasks and an integral part of my core competencies. For example, the Project Management course at Post University helped me to understand and apply Waterfall and agile project management. Even in meetings, I realize that I can contribute much better through the study concept, because I filter information in a completely different way and thus can derive solutions in a completely different manner.
The online discussions have taught me to focus on essential information, be it when I read or write posts. On the other hand, my communication in the job has already improved, since here a large part of the communication is done via mail or similar, too.
What really brings me further is the professional exchange with my fellow students. Within the courses, there are always two to three fellow students who deal with the same subject matter, be it professionally or privately. This creates a very deep exchange, which is profitable for my project, my daily business or sometimes for my private interests. Ultimately, everyone can decide for themselves on which discussions and how intensively they participate. However, my experience is that the more one gets involved with it and asks questions in discussions, the more you can get out of it and the more fun it is.
The promise of the university to provide intensive support from the instructors has been kept. The instructors are really involved in the discussions and are available for personal discussions via Skype and telephone. For me “competition analysis” was a big challenge. In the first step, it was not clear to me how I could get the information from competitors that would bring me the desired results and not only scratch the surface. My instructor helped me a lot, we were in contact via mail and Skype. He has given me many important tips, but also raised questions that brought me further. In the end, I was more than satisfied with my analysis.
The weekly schedule has not changed, but I have become accustomed to the way I study online and have structured myself in such a way that I need much less time than when I started my studies. Studying also makes it easier for me to work together. I can draw on insights and methods from other courses. Topics from previous courses are taken up again and placed in a new context. This allows me to look at problems from a variety of perspectives. Sharing with my classmates and faculty greatly simplifies the approach and handling of new topics.
Apart from that, the courses at Post University are always a good basis for my management project at SIBE. I am currently writing my third management project paper. I was able to apply many methods and contents directly to my project. Which shows how close the curricula are to the real world and how the curricula of the two universities overlap.
Right now I have my second competence development seminar. I must confess, at the beginning I was a bit skeptical and asked myself many questions: What are competencies and can I even evaluate them? What do I need a systematic competence development for? Can I even expand it specifically?
We left the first competence seminar with concrete goals and measures for development. Furthermore, my fellow students gave me the feedback that they perceive changes and I see the benefits as well. I became much better aware of my strengths, I see better what my tasks are, what my career goals are, and what my work-life balance should look like. Even from my manager and colleagues, I already receive the first positive feedback on my development. That makes me happy and I am curious how I will develop in the future.
Finally, a little insight into activities outside the study. The study welds together and we organize regular group meetings via Skype. We exchange ideas about the everyday problems of an extra-occupational student. Our topics of conversation range from networking, motivation, competence development to the compatibility of study, job and private life. I find that very motivating and I am glad that despite the great distances between us, we manage to stay on course.
You can find the first M.A./MBA (USA) diary in German here.
This diary was written in august 2017.
Christopher Hecker, M.A. 
M.A./MBA (USA)-graduate
Academic Junior Consultant – Online Programs