XClose

UCL Centre for Languages & International Education (CLIE)

Home
Menu

Natalia Griaznevich

Meet Natalia who has gone on to study MPA Public Administration and Management here at UCL.

Natalia on campus stood in front of big UCL letters

What's your background?


My first degree was in Scandinavian linguistics at St. Petersburg State University in Russia. I graduated in 2010 and it took me 11 years to decide to do a Master’s degree.

During this time, I got professional experience in the field that I am really interested in, namely, political activism and campaigning, communications, elections and local governance.

Why did you choose to study at UCL?


Studying abroad is not always easy – foreign language, new people, new environment, new life. It is a kind of shock when you place yourself in a totally new environment.

The International Pre-Master's was an opportunity for me to get used to the British educational system, style of teaching, language and people. And of course – to prepare for the Master’s course where integrity, effort and commitment to study are expected from you.

As I was going to apply for UCL MPA programme, it was an obvious decision to apply for the IPM and to get to know UCL before beginning my Master’s.

What course do you study now and what is it like?


Now I study Public Administration and Management at UCL in part-time mode and I have two modules: Data Analysis and Governance and Public Management.

For the data class I need to study statistics which is challenging if you do not have statistics in your background.

Another course requires a lot of reading for each lecture and seminar, so reading skills are very helpful. For both courses, I need to write 3,000 word academic essay at the end of the course.

I realise that it would be much more challenging to study if I did not have the IPM course in my background. I had a long gap between my Bachelor's degree and my Master's degree, so I had to brush up on my learning skills.

How has the International Pre-Master's helped you in your Master’s degree?


The Master's programme at UCL is very demanding and the skills I developed in the IPM course, including academic writing, reading comprehension techniques and reflective writing, really help me succeed in the course. The most useful for me was the skill of writing essays based on academic literature. Synthesizing and critical evaluation – these skills require careful practice  and I had this opportunity during the IPM course.

What was the biggest challenge you faced during your time on the International Pre-Master's and how did you overcome it?


The biggest challenge for me was writing a final essay. I had no academic background in the academic field that I choose for my Master’s, so I had to write an essay having no similar experience and little academic knowledge of the topic. But it turned out that it was possible, and I got a rather high final mark for the essay.

It would not be possible without the support and guidance of the tutors during the course. They really guide you from the beginning to the end and create a fantastic environment for your academic development.

What advice would you give to a prospective International Pre-Master's student?


I would advise IPM students to take as much as possible from this course because it is designed by the world’s best professionals in education and there is nothing useless in the course for your future studies.

Consider spending significant time on self-study during the course because the ability to organise your study outside of classes is very important. It took me some time to realise that education is not something that happens to you while you are in class. Education is a combination of lectures and seminars and the hours you spend in the library reading books and articles, reviewing lecture presentations, and writing academic texts.

What is it like to live and study in London?


London has everything you need for your socialising, development and education. You just need to be able to get use of all this. UCL has an enormous number of activities and inspirational people. You can meet people of all kinds of backgrounds and nationalities.

What is the most interesting thing you’ve done, seen or got involved with while at UCL?


I am quite busy with my study and work, so I am not very engaged in student activities, but we had a magnificent trip to Cambridge with my peers.

How is the UK education system different to your home country?


My first degree was more than 12 years ago and I believe that the style of teaching is constantly developing at my alma mater. However, based on my experience I can see that in the UK seminars are an inevitable part of every module. Lectures are just a part of the course; you are required to implement your knowledge in real-life cases immediately after each lecture. I highly appreciate and respect zero tolerance for plagiarism and the high motivation and integrity of students and tutors on the course. This creates a magnificent atmosphere for study.

Where did you live while studying on the IPM?


I rented a flat. I would recommend all prospective students to start searching for accommodation as soon as possible as it is not always easy to find comfortable accommodation at a reasonable cost in London.