Sabrina Hou

Get a glimpse into Sabrina's world of balancing her busy life and why she chose to study the MBA. Video credits: Jethro Martin (Director/editor/cinematographer), Billy Wong (Cinematographer) from Media Productions, University of Auckland

“I had always intended to study a Master of Business Administration (MBA). However, completing the Postgraduate Certificate in Business (PGCertBus) first ensured I was on the right track, as I knew what to expect if I continued studying. The PGCertBus was a very practical and up-to-date course – it was very current in terms of content and in-class examples. The four papers fit my purpose very well in terms of my personal interests and providing a pathway to an MBA.

“The PGCertBus also provided a helpful ‘test the water’ approach, especially for anyone who left university a while ago (in my case, over a decade ago!). It allows people to assess whether returning to study will suit their current lifestyle. For me, the PGCertBus helped my confidence and proved that a mother with a full-time job could juggle work and family and simultaneously squeeze out time to study. After completing the PGCertBus, I knew I was ready for the next step. It made me feel 100% prepared for the MBA.

“I did full-time study in the first quarter of my MBA, which was a bit challenging in terms of time. I reached out to the MBA programme support team and asked if I could change from full-time to part-time. They were super-supportive and helpful, adjusting my course based on my circumstances. I feel grateful that the University offers flexibility to mature students, as they understand that many of them might have families as well as work full-time.

“I hoped the MBA programme would be challenging, broaden my knowledge, enable me to experience and learn from different mindsets, increase my networking, offer great teaching, and provide life coaching. All these expectations have been met.

“In the MBA programme, we’ve learned from the teaching, but we’ve also learned from each other. Almost all MBA students have ten to fifteen years of work experience, and a lot of them are quite senior in their fields. So, undertaking an MBA enables networking, which provides great learning and business opportunities. I have met people from so many different industries with different backgrounds.

“So far, I have enjoyed the fortnightly classes very much; they are intense, fun, and intriguing. The freestyle class discussions make me think outside the box. Furthermore, I have applied some MBA knowledge at work – it is just so transferable.

“My advice to prospective students is to believe in yourself – you can do it. And then just do it! To me, the MBA is not just an advanced tertiary qualification – it is a life-changing experience. It has confirmed my thoughts and values; it has given me confidence; and most importantly, it has opened so many other doors in my career. It is hard work, absolutely, but it is worth it. The key is, it does not matter what I do – the transferable knowledge I have learned in the MBA can be applied to any field and to any industry. I have no doubt that it will help me get where I want to be.”