A master is a totally different ball game

"For me, this is the best thing about the programme; you can take whatever you need from it and go into any direction that you want." 

My name is Ruben Smeets, student of the Facility and Real Estate Management Master’s Programme – class of 2020-21. In this blog, I will be sharing some information about the master’s degree based on my own experience. I hope it will help you to decide whether or not this master is the way for you to go. This time, I will be discussing the difference between the bachelor and the master, and generally what kind of potential career paths you will be able to follow.

No more written tests

I will discuss the primary differences between my hospitality bachelor background and this master’s programme. The main differences for me are: the way that students get assessed, and the dynamics between teachers and students. During the master’s degree each module has their own report that needs to be completed, and this is combined with an oral defence – so no written tests! This is something I really appreciate because I was never the best at written tests. In addition, projects encourage you to interact and socialise with your classmates, which develops your intercultural skills, creates connections and new friendships. 

Another difference is the dynamic between teachers and students. Because it’s a master’s degree, oral exams are much less of a question-answer approach and much more of a discussion on the topic. This makes the exams a lot more relaxed. 
 

After graduation

Of course, it is important to know what you can do after you graduate. And even though the degree is called Facility and Real Estate Management, it is broad in set-up. As you can see in the study programme, you will follow five different courses, which equip you with a wide range of career prospects! I would recommend you to choose this master’s degree not just based on either facility and/or real estate management. Take a close look at the topics that will be discussed and see which one of them can allow you to grow and help navigate your future professional career.  

Most popular career prospects

As I am getting closer to the end of the programme, students are starting to ask each other what they will be applying for after graduation. In our year, the majority of students are focussing on asset management. Asset management combines strategic thinking with financials, which is challenging and exciting and therefore an interesting career path. However, if you’re not a fan of financials (like me); you can always go more into the real estate world or strategic business management. For me this is the best thing about the programme, you can take whatever you need from it and go into any direction that you want. 

Companies that will love to have you

You can go into many different directions career wise, and there are many public and private companies that you will be able to apply at. Take a look at the career prospects or check out the Linkedin page for alumni. While there is no explicit list that you can choose a company from, many companies require facility, property or asset management, or someone that can manage the business on a leadership level. For me this is a blessing, because I still don’t really know what I want to do after graduation and it keeps my options open. If you’re still very unsure about what you want to do after graduation (like me), don’t worry: this master’s degree will guide you into a direction, but it won’t limit you to one specific career path. 

All the best with your application!