àËÅöÊÓƵ

A postgraduate degree is a journey of obtaining a deeper knowledge of a particular subject matter while improving personal growth and career advancement. As I am a full-time working professional in a Big 4 accountancy firm, finding suitable time for academic studies, along with client deadlines, is a real challenge. However, here is my advice on how I managed my time working and undertaking my MSc in Professional Accountancy.

 1. Plan your journey

As soon as the course module had started, I immediately downloaded the timetable issued by the University. Then, I allocated time weekly, in a realistic manner, to break down the topics I had planned to cover during that particular week. I used to allocate more time for the weekend rather than for weekdays as that was when I was getting my quality time away from my studies. I selected the most relevant elective modules applicable for my current job profile, and I learned lots of new theories. However, I also ensured that I spent some time with friends, family and other personal activities. It is vital to spend efficient, distraction free time during your studies.

 2.  Use study support 

I used to align my study pattern with the timetable issued by the University. I arranged my study time in such a way that I would listen to the pre-recorded videos and take notes. Then, I would read the relevant section relating to the module topic from the recommended reading list.

Someone could argue that merely listening to pre-recorded videos is sufficient. However, as per my understanding, it is essential to have a deeper knowledge of the subject. Therefore, at least reading the recommended reading book would be sufficient. In my case I used the University's and other externally published articles to get that deeper knowledge of the subject that I was aiming for.

 3. Network

In addition, I interacted with the group forums and shared my ideas as well. There are also webinars conducted by the module lecturers or professors especially around the time when coursework is released. Moreover, as a practice, I used to read the topic-related articles and add to the reference tool (I used Mendeley) for referring to in the future. This helped me when I was preparing answers for my coursework.

 4. Have realistic targets 

I have aligned my study plan to ensure I have realistic targets in my studies. This will positively impact the progress of my studies as it will avoid any tensions.

5. Analyse your journey

I always used my own ideas and understanding obtained through the reading of articles in my work. In other words, avoid plagiarism. This brings real satisfaction once you get the final results, and you get a good feeling from all the effort you put in. You cannot resist that feeling.

Looking back, there were instances where I had to repeat the recordings while preparing and writing my coursework answers.

Once the coursework is published, I immediately download and analyse the document. Then, I prepared a plan for each of the questions, allocating a realistic amount of time for me to submit the coursework answers one week ahead of the submission date. This ensures I can avoid any last-minute technical issues and allows me to read the coursework instructions more carefully. When there were deviations from the original study plans due to work commitments, I caught up with that time over the weekend and public holidays.

 My final advice

Once your plan is tailored to your situation, success is guaranteed - there is no need to worry about the final results. It's crucial to maintain an uninterrupted study flow between modules to sustain your momentum and enthusiasm. Remember, success hinges on hard work, consistency and self-confidence.

You are at the right University, surrounded by the right team and ample support. Many before you have completed this journey. So, why not you? You can do it.

Saranga studies MSc Professional Accountancy in Oman.