‘If Your Goal is to Get a Degree — Don’t Procrastinate or Wait for the Perfect Moment! It May Never Arrive’
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Getting a master's degree with honours in ‘Management in Technical Systems’ was not the end point of Evgenia Fadina’s educational trajectory. This first-year student on the HSE online master’s programme ‘Economic Analysis’ works in the project office of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. Her digital master's degree will help her achieve career success in executive bodies, she believes.
— Evgenia, why did you decide to get a master's degree in economics, not just online courses or specialisation?
— For an employer, a master's degree looks more convincing than a certificate of course completion, and a qualified, certified economist moves up the career ladder faster. It is difficult to choose the courses that will definitely help you obtain all necessary knowledge and skills.
In the project office of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, I monitor the implementation of national projects and projects of local significance. My responsibilities include developing an automated project management information system, preparing analytical materials and coordinating information support for the YANAO projects.
My colleagues have become interested in the online training format, and are waiting for feedback from me, since they’re also considering this and other HSE online programmes for future studying.
— Does the programme content seem difficult for you?
— The education I received earlier has given me a solid basis for my master's degree in Economic Analysis. The tools are practically the same, although the processes and objects are different. My knowledge of higher mathematics, the basics of programming and algorithmisation, methods of information processing, data obtained in system modeling, and skills in mathematical modeling of objects and control systems all help me enormously. In addition, for me the most important thing is the ability to not to give up and to persevere in order to overcome difficulties. A technical education builds your character.
There are, of course, difficult moments. For example, lectures on microeconomics. When you listen to them, everything seems logical and clear, but when you start attempting to solve a problem, you don't know how to initially approach it. In addition, each lecture can be very comprehensive, often exceeding two hours.
— How much time does studying take?
— I spend more than 20 hours a week. I try to devote 2-3 hours to study on a weekday and 5-6 hours on weekends. Living in a small town, where commuting does not take more than 15 minutes, really helps with this, and I have enough free time to study at home. Most of the time I spend on weekly tests. I try to prepare well for them, and after the tests have been checked and the answers revealed, I correct my mistakes.
— What subjects do you find the most interesting?
— I must mention the seminars with Kirill Furmanov. Thanks to him, I have only positive emotions about econometrics, I feel like studying additional materials, and the subject seems relatively easy.
If we talk about the programme as a whole, I really like the online format: you can listen to lectures at any time, in any place, and you can listen again to any issues that remain unclear. With traditional training, you don’t have this opportunity: if you missed something, you have to catch up yourself.
There is more communication with teachers: in topic chats you can ask a question and get a detailed answer on any day. All my teachers are friendly and always ready to help their students, there is no fear of being left alone with your problems.
I was pleasantly surprised by the advantages of full-time study available on the online programme: the Moscow social card for traveling around Moscow (and I often have to travel there) and the student ID card that allows you to enjoy discounts in museums, theatres, airlines, etc.
On January 26, at 19:00, the online Master's programme ‘Economic Analysis’ is holding a webinar ‘Why Do Economists Study Sports?’ The webinar will be held in Russian. You can find more information and register for the webinar here.
— Does your studying interfere with work?
— On the contrary, I want to spend more time studying, improve my competencies, and know everything perfectly (this is perhaps one of my weaknesses). Perfectionism interferes, it makes things more difficult to cope with.
My colleagues and management understand my situation, they support me, they help me deal with the training materials, and I owe them a debt of gratitude. There have also been changes in my family, with my husband taking over most of the household duties. Planning also helps to cope with the increased workload: rest, sports, balanced nutrition and sleep must all be part of it. When something goes wrong, I start feeling a noticeable lack of energy.
— What would you advise future students of the programme?
— If one of your goals is to get a degree — do not procrastinate or wait for the perfect moment! It may never arrive. I learnt about the online programme ‘Economic Analysis’ just three weeks before the deadline for submitting documents, and I had a lot of doubts, but now I regret nothing. I recommend going through a maths camp before admissions to brush up on materials you may have forgotten, or, if you have no mathematical background, to get a foundation in higher mathematics.
Text by Oxana Budjko, Head of the International Office at the Faculty of Economic Sciences