Reputation and research were key for Rasmus Valanko when he began looking for a university at which to study for his Masters Degree. Six months later, the Finnish student had enrolled in a post grad program at King's College London. He speaks with Topgradschool.com about the value of his degree.
"Two things prompted me to apply for a Masters Degree. Firstly, in Finland, they are the norm, so I needed one to be on the same level as other applicants in the job market.''
"Secondly, my Bachelors degree was only a first step in helping me understand what I had a keen interest in. By continuing my studies I was able to shift the focus to an area of more interest while still maintaining the relevance of my previous studies."
Rasmus' area of interest is the environment, politics and globalisation, and thanks to his Masters degree, he's now earning money as a Climate Change Regulation Analyst for Royal Dutch Shell.
"My position requires me to understand the political arena and the decision-making processes that lead to regulatory regimes with an impact on greenhouse gas emissions. With this understanding, I provide insights which help the company plan, prepare and prosper in a carbon-constrained world."
Another focus of Rasmus' work is Shell's advocacy in the climate change arena. "This involves coordinating Shell's policies and positions on topics such as emissions trading system design or carbon capture and storage demonstration programs," he says.
A major highlight of Rasmus' job is his access to information and experts in a field that is of personal and professional interest to him - he even works with a Nobel peace prize winner. "My employer is fantastic. I am challenged to take responsibility and am also provided with support when I need it. You learn a lot by being constantly challenged to perform at a level slightly above your comfort zone."
Rasmus' believes that the experience he had as an intern during his Masters program has helped him acquire the job he's currently in. But his internships with the Commission on Sustainable Development in the UK and in Finland also proved to be financially beneficial.
"I was able to secure funding for my Masters thesis by choosing a topic that was relevant to an employer with which I wanted to carry out an internship. My advice for students is to do internships with prospective employers, even though it's not a course requirement. Funding avenues aren't always immediately apparent."
Rasmus first began researching universities six months before the autumn start date for Masters courses. His main criteria for choosing universities to apply to were the reputation, research agendas, staff biographies and publications and the amount of lecture/student interaction.
"It was really important to me to get the most out of the university's intellectual capital, and so a degree based on frequent interaction with lecturers and a structured lecture schedule was key.''
"University life was rewarding for a number of reasons: firstly, the possibility for interaction with people who share similar interests; secondly, the intellectual challenge and associated resources available to pursue knowledge; and finally, the autonomy.''
Rasmus would encourage others to study for a Masters to further their career options as well as exploring a related but new area of knowledge in addition to their Bachelors degree. And he may be biased, but he'd also encourage others to work in the same area as he does.
"It's a growing field that has already expanded to offer multiple and varied opportunities in both the public and private sectors. The topics have a high degree of public relevance and interest, they're complex, they're challenging and this will only increase."
"Lastly, the work has an idealist component which gives you the satisfaction of going home at the end of the day, knowing you are doing something to improve the future prospects of the generations that will follow."
Printed with permission from The QS World Grad School Tour. Now in its ninth year, the Tour will be visiting 50 cities in 36 different countries in 2009. See www.topgradschool.com for the 2009/2010 tour schedule.
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