Exemplary of this is Bath School of Management—its cohort of only 51 students come from 23 different sectors, 16 countries, and possess, on average, seven years of professional experience. This ensures a high standard of discussion among students, each approaching business problems from unique perspectives.
Janice McGann has been a diplomat with the Irish Civil Service for twelve years. While originally planning on becoming a solicitor after studying law for her undergraduate degree, Janice was offered a position in the Irish Foreign Ministry. Since then, she’s worked on UN and EU related issues, and held diplomatic positions in Lithuania and Brazil.
Following such a varied, international, and impressive career path, Janice decided to do an MBA at Bath School of Management. BusinessBecause caught up with her to find out why.
Why did you decide to pursue an MBA?
I wanted to advance my career and increase the options available to me. I also decided that I wanted to make a greater impact with my set of skills. I’m committed to the idea of public service, and using my abilities to make a positive difference. I wanted to develop my leadership and management skills so that I would be able to step-up and make that bigger contribution, whether that's in the public sector, an NGO, or a social enterprise.
Why Bath School of Management?
Apart from the fact that the Bath MBA has an excellent reputation, I was particularly interested in issues to do with sustainability and ethics. I used the Corporate Knights Better World MBA rankings to identify possible MBA courses that emphasized sustainability on their programs. I also liked Bath's focus on personal, not just academic, development. I felt that the small class size and excellent gender balance would create a more collaborative learning environment—and this has proved to be the case!
What stands out from your MBA experience so far?
I’ve had so many fantastic experiences on the Bath MBA that it’s hard to pick one – excellent teaching, great support from the School of Management and a fantastic cohort.
Personally, the best thing has been the renewed sense of possibility when I consider the new opportunities available to me because of the course. The Bath MBA is an intense, challenging experience and I’ve been very struck by the resilience and kindness of my classmates as we’ve supported each other along this journey. I think it’s those types of interactions that really help us to learn, grow, and turn an MBA course into a life-changing experience.
What else have you gained?
The MBA has helped me to develop personally, particularly my leadership ability. Working on so many projects, with such a multicultural group, has really strengthened my project management and interpersonal skills.
It has also given me new tools and concepts to be a more effective manager. Coming from a legal and public sector background, it has been great to gain a deeper understanding of the private sector viewpoint. I believe that having a holistic understanding, of different areas and sectors can enable managers to become more innovative and adaptable to change.
What are your plans for the future?
The Bath MBA has reaffirmed my commitment to public service and I’m excited at the thought of being able to use my improved skillset in the sector. At the moment, I have decided to focus on working in the public, or NGO sector. However, I wouldn’t entirely rule out a move to the private sector, particularly in a role that had a social element such as a corporate social responsibility program or a social enterprise.
Student Reviews
University of Bath School of Management (MBA)
