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Testimonials from former MSc students
The testimonials on this page were supplied by former students after they had graduated.
| Chris Searle - MSc Distributed Systems and Networks 2010 |
Current Employer: Commidea
Job
Title: Junior .Net Developer
What did you particularly enjoy about your time at Kent?
The best things were the mix between social activities, studying and of course the people who you meet. Socially there were lots of different things to do, from the weekly postgraduate meets to being able to be a member or even running your own society. Studying seemed fairly relaxed and all the staff were helpful if you didn't understand something or wanted to know more about a subject then you could ask, and you had a very quick response. The people I met though, some of whom I will probably be friends with for life.
What were the most interesting things you learned on the course?
The most interesting thing that I learned on the course was probably how mobile communications work. I still find myself sitting there holding on to my phone thinking "wow", being surprised at how much work there is involved with just keeping my phone connected, how it talks to the base station and how it manages to find the person that you want to talk to when you make a phone call.
Other than that I also was very interested by my project, which was on building a graphical environment for an operating system. I had never realised the intricacies of how much is going on in the background. I feel that the project really gave me a greater understanding of both the amount that is going on at any one time within a system and some of the really elegant solutions that can be employed to solve problems.
How did your studies help you find employment?
I feel that the variety in the course subjects and the excellent teaching probably helped me. The advanced java course helped as it has given me confidence to go forward. I know that I am able to learn new languages fairly quickly even though I may have never used them before.
[Testimonial received 11/11/2010]
| Dan Wilkie - MSc Computer Science 2004 |
Current Employer: Merrill Lynch International/Bank of America Corporation
Current Position: IT Project Manager
What did you particularly enjoy about your time at Kent?
When I studied for my undergraduate degree at a different university I found the academic staff difficult to approach. The Computer Science faculty staff at Kent were completely different. Their doors were often open, they were very approachable and happy to elaborate on aspects of the course material whenever I required clarification.
The lectures were delivered engagingly; the course material was really thoughtfully laid out and bolstered by regular workshop sessions which were fun and very informative. The content was focussed around Java development skills and principles of object orientation which was personally the main driver behind my choice for this particular course.
I began the year with no knowledge of object orientation or Java developing skills at all. The concepts were introduced using a custom program which allowed me to really focus on learning Java - without the complications of also having to learn how to use an overly complicated development environment. The material was introduced in structured way which built each new concept on the last. By the time I left I had the knowledge and confidence to build my own applications.
What were the most interesting things you learned on the course?
Developing the ability to implement a graphical simulator for the population of predators and prey in a conservation area really gave me a sense of the principles of object-orientated programming coming to life. This small application combined the principles of abstraction, polymorphism, re-use of existing Java constructs through the API library, and basic Java Swing GUI design to create an application which animated how an initial distribution of predators and prey dynamically evolve according to a simple set of initial rules.
Learning how the Internet emerged from the ARPANET and how this network originally connecting only a handful of U.S. universities expanded into the Internet that we know today gave me a great insight into how layered architectures enable inter-networking through the use of peer protocols, interfaces and services.
The relatively complex concepts behind the in-built back-tracking facility of the declarative programming language, Prolog, was brought colourfully to life by it's application to the problem of finding the shortest lift journey between the runs, restaurants and bars on various European ski-resorts!
How did your studies help you find employment?
My MSc course was key in providing me with the confidence to apply for a job as a QA tester for the main fixed income trading platform of one of the world's largest investment banks. My interview consisted of a formal Java test and I could not have passed without the skills that I acquired on the Kent MSc course.
[Testimonial received: 18/4/2009]
| Xiaoke Hu - MSc Computer Science 2004 |
Current Employer: China Mobile Group
Current Position: Supervisor, Management Training Centre
Being a graduate of the University of Kent has always made me feel proud.
Studying there gave me both the skills (not only in computer science, but also an
inner quality) and the spirit to qualify for my job. At present, I work for
China Mobile Group Henan Co., Ltd. My daily work involves managing and
developing the trainers of the company (we've got more than 1000 internal
trainers here), designing and managing the leadership development project, as
well as administrating e-learning. The company has 18 local branches, and nearly
30,000,000 mobile subscribers. Among the 31 companies of China Mobile Group it
ranks 5th and is still getting better.
[Testimonial received: 29/12/2007]
| Richard Martin - MSc Computer Science 2007 |
Current Employer: Accenture
Current Position: Associate Software Engineer
What did you particularly enjoy about your time at Kent?
I enjoyed the smaller class sizes and the wide variety of topics covered in the course.
What were the most interesting things you learned on the course?
I found greatly increasing my ad-hoc programming knowledge with a more theoretical understanding to be one of the more interesting points of the course. I also found combining my skills with others to be interesting in the many group projects done on the course.
How did your studies help you find employment?
Taking the MSc Computer Science course gave me a solid base in Computer
Science. Gaining my job required undertaking a technical interview which covered
a lot of the software engineering and programming aspects that were covered in
my course. Also, my job requires me to gain a qualification in Java in training
before the course, which I've been fully prepared for by the Java taught within
the course. Also, the group work fundamental in the course came in useful for
several job applications.
[Testimonial received: 4/12/2007]
| Paul Kilgour - MSc Computer Science 2006 |
Current employer: SAP
Current position: SAP Consultant
What did you particularly enjoy about your time at Kent?
I found the lecturers to be friendly and approachable. Although the course was tough it was enjoyable and stimulating, backed up by excellent facilities. The group work was especially rewarding, being a chance to interact with the other students and build on my interpersonal skills. All in all, I met lots of interesting people from various backgrounds and spent a brilliant year at Kent.
What were the most interesting things you learned on the course?
I found the Logic & Artificial Intelligence part of the course to be very stimulating. I also enjoyed and got a lot out of the Computer Networks and Communications module.
How did your studies help you find employment?
I found that having a Kent MSc gave me a head start in the jobs market. Interviewers seemed especially interested in my experience of group work as a team member and as a team leader. I had several interesting offers from, among others, Telecoms and Consulting companies, and was able to choose the one that seemed to offer the best prospects for the future.
[Testimonial updated: 14/2/2008]
| Alex Wescomb - MSc Computer Science 2006 |
Current employer: Mitsubishi UFJ Securities International PLC
Current position: Associate Developer
What did you particularly enjoy about your time at Kent?
I found that all of the lecturers seemed to be really enthusiastic about their subjects and this spread quickly to the students - as a result most of the course was enjoyable!
What were the most interesting things you learned on the course?
Personally I liked learning about the impact computing has on our personal and working lives and how it can be used to help us achieve our goals in these areas.
How did your studies help you find employment?
The balance between teaching us about the forefront of computing, to enable us to move onto research positions, and teaching us skills that are usable from Day 1, e.g. commercially-used IDEs, software development lifecycles, version control software - the breadth, depth and, importantly, the usefulness of the teaching really impressed my prospective employers.
[Testimonial received: 14/11/2006]
| Andrew Gibbons (PGCE CEng MBCS CITP) - MSc Computer Science 2006 |
Current employer: P&O Ferries
Current position: Test Analyst
What did you particularly enjoy about the course?
My first degree was in Computing Science, so the course for me was largely about updating my skill set. What I enjoyed most about the course was that it reminded me how much I enjoyed studying computer science and what a stimulating and varied subject it is.
What were the most interesting things you leaned on the course?
I enjoy programming, so I enjoyed the Java and Prolog parts of the course. The things that were new to me that I found most interesting were constraint logic programming and the lectures on genetic algorithms/programming and nature-inspired computing.
How did your studies help you find employment?
By giving me the confidence and up-to-date skills to re-enter the software industry after a break of four years.
[Testimonial received: 2/12/2006]
| Mathew Taylor - MSc Computer Science 2006 |
Current employer: Vision360
Current position: Multimedia Developer
What did you particularly enjoy about your time at Kent?
Kent University Boat Club.
High quality of teaching and teachers on the CS course; the teachers were all interested in your development over the course and were very accessible out of lectures for further discussion and advice.
The challenge of the CS course; the CS course was very intense and you were challenged and pushed throughout the year through the assessments, however it was a great feeling to see your progress and development from a complete novice through the increased difficulty of the assessments.
The Dissertation; Having 3 months to focus on one area of study which I was particularly interested in, and to develop a piece of software which I had first thought about 5 years previously.
What were the most interesting things you learned on the course?
Networks, Software Engineering, Design and Development techniques, to be honest the entire course was interesting.
How did your studies help you find employment?
Having a Masters in computer science immediately puts your CV to the top of the pile; the Computer Science department at Kent is recognised as a high quality department and prospective employers seem happy to accept that you have a good solid level of knowledge of Java and software development.
[Testimonial received: 6/12/2006]
| Stelios Omirou - MSc Computer Science 2006 |
Current employer: Greek Army (military service)
What did you particularly enjoy about your time at Kent?
Infrastructure. Well equipped labs and many computer facilities, some of those accessible 24 hours a day. I had the chance to see in practice many parts of the theory taught in lectures.
The campus. The campus is located on a hill and it has a very nice view to
the town of Canterbury and the Cathedral. It has a
lot of green and it was pretty relaxing and helped to focus when I was staring
at town while I was having a break between lectures.
What were the most interesting things you learned on the course?
I think that the course covers pretty well the basic principles of every field
that is taught but especially the ones of Object Oriented Programming. Another
important thing is that the students have to work in groups in the majority of
the projects. Learning how to work in groups was extremely useful as we will
have to do the same as employees. Project weeks were a great experience also.
[Testimonial received: 30/11/2006]
| Jean Irving - MSc Computer Science 2004 |
Before joining the MSc course Jean had worked as a teacher.
For some time I had wanted to develop my computing skills and the Computer Science MSc at Kent offered me an ideal opportunity to do so. Having worked for some time I was able to fund the course myself and I lived at home, so my husband took care of expenses.
I was impressed by Kent's reputation in Computer Science, and I was interested in the range of modules offered. My interview with the course co-ordinator confirmed to me that I would find the course stimulating.
The course was very intensive, with most of my time outside lectures spent researching, reading, or working on exercises and assignments. It culminated in a computing project and dissertation, which required perseverance and time management skills to create a useful application and accompanying documentation within the timescale.
The university also provided me with a voucher to undertake the Sun Certified Programmer Certification which, in conjunction with achieving a Distinction on the MSc, gives me an edge when applying for positions in the computing field.
I am currently working as a Research Associate at the university in the field of Hospital Informatics. This involves working closely with consultants from Kent and Canterbury Hospital providing the computer applications to facilitate their research. This has enabled me to continue to study aspects of Computer Science and to enhance the skills that I learnt on the MSc course. It is a worthwhile and rewarding job that I find much more exciting than anything that I have done before. As well as this, I teach IT three hours a week.
Despite the hard work and pressure involved, I got immense satisfaction from the MSc course. Having been on the other side of the desk for some time I really appreciated the environment and the efforts that were made to help us learn. I made some good friends amongst the students and now have contacts in China and Korea. In many ways it has given a new direction to my life and has been well worth the cost.
The one-year course is intensive but I believe that it proved more beneficial to me than part-time study would have done. You get the chance to wrestle with concepts without interruptions and timetables. I would definitely recommend it to anyone with interest and determination.
[Testimonial received: 2/3/2006]
| Steve Grindle - MSc Computer Science 2004 |
Current employer: JHC
Current position: Analyst Programmer
What did you particularly enjoy about your time at Kent?
I enjoyed the campus environment of the University, and the sports facilities,
particularly the sports centre and the rowing club. I enjoyed the atmosphere of
the course itself, discussing topics with fellow students and working on
interesting but challenging assignments, and particularly the sense of
achievement I felt after completing the course.
What were the most interesting things you learned on the course?
I enjoyed the whole course, but in particular the intense two-week introduction was excellent, and I learnt a lot of material in a short time, preparing me for the rest of the course. I particularly enjoyed the variety of material and the teaching on the Logic and Artificial Intelligence module, which encouraged me to research areas that I am still interested in. The final research project was also an excellent opportunity, allowing me to put what I had learnt on the course to use on a real-world project, working with healthcare providers.
How did your studies help you find employment?
The programming skills I was taught, and in particular my Java Certification which I gained through the University of Kent, helped me get a job where I could program and carry on developing my skills. My MSc project, which involved gathering requirements for and prototyping a decision-support system for doctors, allowed me to demonstrate that I could practically apply what I had learnt.
[Testimonial received: 8/11/2006]
| Samantha Osborne - MSc Computer Science 2003 |
Current employer: University of Kent
Current position: Information & IT Officer
What did you particularly enjoy about your time at Kent?
The teaching staff were really approachable and you really felt that you could ask them questions no matter how basic. I really enjoyed the fact that we were encouraged to be challenged and stretched but the subject matter and to think about different approaches. The dissertation really gave me an opportunity to explore something which I'd wanted to know more as well as being able to develop my programming skills. The course group were fantastic and we were encouraged to work with each other from the pre-term weeks right at the beginning which gave us a real sense of belonging.
What were the most interesting things you learned on the course?
My favourite course was networking because it was just so interesting to find out how something that many of us use but take for granted actually works. I also particularly enjoyed the programming challenges we were set and it was interesting to see practical examples using the Lego Mindstorms sets.
How did your studies help you find employment?
I originally decided to do the MSc in Computer Science to formalize some of my previous IT experience in order to get a better job. Not only have I managed to get a much better job, it has broadened my horizons and many of the courses such as software engineering that I took on the degree have given me skills which I have been able to develop in my current work.
[Testimonial received: 1/11/2006]
| Lawrence Beadle - MSc Computer Science 2003 |
Current employer: University of Kent
Current position: PhD research student
What did you particularly enjoy about your time at Kent?
There are three main elements to this.
- I really enjoyed the pretty much all of the course. I admit at times there was a lot of work and that sections of it were quite hard, but it always seemed to be structured and the support was really good through the course.
- Being a campus University, it encourages people on the course to meet up. Sometimes having people around you who are going through same course gives you the support you need as well as encouraging study groups, which is an important part of getting through the course.
- The Kent campus at Canterbury has very good sports facilities, which I found very useful when I wanted to take a break and do something completely different.
What were the most interesting things you learned on the course?
I found the most interesting things were software engineering and the different programming techniques. I found the dissertation section of the course was most satisfying as it allowed you to put into the practice all the things you learnt to achieve a goal of your own design.
How did your studies help you find employment?
Immediately after I completed my MSc I went to work with HSBC Bank on their Management Trainee Scheme. I think that these days more and more people have Bachelors Degrees and I found that just having the MSc helped me get a little further up the ladder in the selection process.
[Testimonial received: 9/11/2006]
| Dr Jacqui Whalley - MSc Computer Science 2001 |
Current employer: Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand
Current position: Lecturer
What did you particularly enjoy about your time at Kent?
The community and support provided by the other students on the Masters course. And of course the location, I felt at home in no time, Canterbury is such a beautiful and historic city with plenty of extra curricula activities, great pubs, great places to eat and great shops.
What were the most interesting things you learned on the course?
I absolutely loved programming and the experience gained on the team software
engineering project translated well into the teams that I have worked with since
graduating. The teachers were enthusiastic and excellent in their approach to
teaching, I learnt more than I could ever have imagined.
How did your studies help you find employment?
Having an MSc in CS from Kent paved the way to a Lectureship in New Zealand.
The research I undertook at Kent was well supported and supervised and resulted
in publications that evidenced my ability to undertake quality research. The
core foundation of skills and knowledge that I gained at Kent allowed me to
undertake my first job after graduation developing a large Geographical
Information System with confidence. In my current job I apply the techniques and
teaching approaches that I was exposed to as a student at Kent to the design and
running of computer programming and graphics & animation courses. I still find
myself saying "at Kent... they did this... or I learnt that ... or we did such
and such.." this to me demonstrates the quality of teaching at the computing
laboratory, the great time you have as a student at Kent and most importantly
the applicability of what I learnt then to my everyday working life now.
[Testimonial received: 15/11/2006]
| Tony May - MSc Computer Science 2000 |
Current employer: MyDish
Current position: Chief Technology Officer
What did you particularly enjoy about your time at Kent?
The whole experience was very intense and enjoyable although extremely hard work. I enjoyed learning a new skill set and having my brain think in a way which was very different to that which it had tried to do before! I also met a great bunch of fellow students - many of whom I am still good friends with.
What were the most interesting things you learned on the course?
I particularly enjoyed the logic course and the Java modules. I wished I'd spent
more time on the database and SQL side of the course!
How did your studies help you find employment?
I think they gave me a good grounding in a multitude of skills. The course
taught me the ability to think logically and learn new technologies quickly. I
also think it showed my future employers that I could turn my hand to something
which wasn't necessarily second nature to me.
[Testimonial received: 17/9/2008]