MPA student Yutong Li provides insights into studying at UCL STEaPP.

For my undergraduate degree I majored in administrative management and law. At that point, I had to make a difficult choice – continue my postgraduate studies in law at Peking University in China or pursue a different path. I was tired of purely academic and theoretical learning and I really wanted a breath of fresh air that would broaden my outlook on social sciences so that I could reposition my career in a broad field and a more international environment.

The turning point for me was when a friend told me about the Master’s of Public Administration at UCL STEaPP. I looked up the STEaPP website to find out more, and read about their research into energy, technology and climate policy on the department website. Surprised by the programme name, the innovative and unique combination of science, technology, engineering and social science attracted me to apply. An idea popped to my mind: although I only had a background in social sciences, I could gain a lot from exploring science and engineering in relation to public policy.

Even though it was in late June 2016, and pretty near application deadline, I emailed Professor Yacob Mulugetta and MPA Coordinator Joe Fitzsimmons to ask about whether it was still possible to apply. Thanks to their encouragement and quick responses, I finally got the chance to start my UCL journey. (A reminder for all potential candidates: No matter how late it is, do not hesitate to contact with team and they will reply you promptly. Otherwise, you may regret losing a valuable opportunity!)

So far, the induction week and first term have been more challenging and rewarding than I expected. The language barrier is the first thing for non-native students to overcome. The different learning approach at STEaPP has required my to adapt a little, as I wasn’t used to the full-day seminars, frequent practical tasks, endless reading lists and different types of assignments. Every time I feel lacking in confidence or want to avoid challenges I just encourage myself to remember the reasons I applied in the first place: to jump out of my comfort zone.

In return for the challenges, the reward at STEaPP is the diversity of learning and experiences. This has provided me with the chance to break previous biases and establish a new thinking system. I enjoy the freedom to select my research interests from the four specific concentrations, which are not available from other MPA programmes. Additionally, the diverse background of both MPA students and teaching staff is very inspiring. It is a serendipity that students from Indonesia, China, Japan, Mexico, UK, Colombia and Canada sit in the same classroom. Both fresh graduates and students with work experience share and exchange their own understanding about policy issues. Experiencing this diversity refreshes my academic approach, enhances my skills in practical ways, changes my perspective on the world, and sparks new anticipation for my future career.

I am still early in my journey at UCL, but am gradually jumping out of my comfort zone and experiencing diversity. Going forward, I expect to discover more potential from within myself and to be surprised by what I learn!

Read a Chinese edition of this post

MPA student Sam Lane provides insights on studying at UCL STEaPP.

They say time flies when you’re having fun, so that must be what happened here? Right? It is with outright consensus, that my cohort and I believe we have been doing the course for a year now. We have had many assessments and so much reading that it cannot possibly be less than 2 months since our induction. Given that we spend almost 30 hours a week together, the students are more than just colleagues, but a 16-person-strong support network. We study, eat and study together and have become quite a solid unit. Our personal and professional backgrounds have been exposed further and we even discovered a published poet amongst us!

While these last 8 weeks have been challenging, perhaps an understatement, it is fair to say they have also been extremely enjoyable. This is most true when reflecting on the scenario week. The topic set for the week was Waste Electronic and Electrical Equipment (WEEE) and the circular economy.

Everyone found something interesting about it and we all quickly fell into roles within our groups. Every team had challenges, from communication crises to pedantic procedures, yet we all made it through the week closer than before. We even had a surprisingly fun trip to a WEEE Recycling plant where the engineers of the group could indulge in donning a hard hat and hi-vis vest.

My personal experience has been great so far. I have found myself challenged by the programme. I am out of, what I thought was, my comfort zone and having to cope with the sheer volume of reading has been very tough. I am also working part time for a science communication company and balancing this, with the full-time programme has taken its toll. I am learning more about how to prioritise my tasks and make sure I am meeting all my deadlines but it is not sustainable and I am looking forward, to a hopefully slightly more relaxed second term. When reading week finally arrived it felt long overdue and I recall a conversation on our class Whatsapp that even by Monday everyone was still recuperating, which was nice to know we are all in the same boat. Coincidentally, I had the opportunity to go back to my undergraduate university during reading week to give a seminar to 40 students about science communication and policy. They latter part was based almost exclusively on the work from my time at STEaPP so it has already begun to be useful and we are only half way through the first term!

In summary, it has been great and I do not think it is possible to prepare for how intense yet thrilling it will be. The satisfaction of completing a mini-scenario and that first sip of cold beer on a Friday is truly rewarding.