Matin Sadeghian
Matin Sadeghian
Engineering Management MSc (Distance Learning)
Matin works as a full time engineer in the medical and pharmaceutical field, whilst studying for his Engineering Management MSc part-time online.
Building leadership skills without leaving engineering behind
With an established career in engineering and project management, Matin wanted a postgraduate qualification that would help develop his leadership and management capabilities without losing sight of his technical background.
The MSc Engineering Management at the University of Huddersfield offered the ideal combination, bringing together engineering, project management, strategy and leadership to support the next stage of his professional development.
"The MSc Engineering Management course lets me build on my engineering experience while strengthening my understanding of project management, leadership, strategy, and organisational management. It also encouraged me to complete my PMP certificate studies and earn this valuable certification."
Studying around a full-time career
As a full-time engineering professional, flexibility was a key factor in my decision to study online. Distance learning allows me to balance postgraduate study with my professional responsibilities. It gives me the flexibility to organise my learning around work commitments while still engaging fully with the course, tutors and fellow students.
I can immediately apply the management principles and concepts I learn to practical situations at work. That combination of academic learning and professional application has been incredibly valuable.
Flexible learning
I generally study at home, using my computer to access the university’s online learning materials, lectures, research resources and assignments. I tend to study in the evenings during the working week and use some time at weekends for more focused work, particularly when I am preparing an assignment or working on a larger piece of coursework.
A typical week involves balancing my full-time engineering role with my university studies. My workweek can be quite varied, so I usually plan my study time around my commitments rather than following a fixed daily schedule.
I find it manageable, although it does require good time management and discipline. Studying online gives me the flexibility to fit my studies around my full-time work and other commitments, which is one of the main reasons I chose this format. There are naturally some busy periods at work when finding time to study is more challenging, particularly when work involves travel or demanding projects. I therefore try to plan ahead and make use of evenings and weekends when necessary.
Overall, I have found that being able to study at my own pace and from home makes it much easier to maintain a good balance between work, study and personal commitments.
A course that balances technical and managerial development
"The content struck a good balance between engineering and management, allowing me to build on my existing experience while also developing knowledge in areas where I wanted to strengthen my skills. Being able to connect academic theory directly to real-world engineering and project-management scenarios has made the learning experience especially relevant and practical.
What I particularly valued was being able to relate the theory and concepts to my own professional experience. This made the coursework more meaningful and helped me understand how the subjects could be applied in real engineering and project-management environments."
The course also encouraged Matin to complete his PMP certification studies, adding another valuable professional qualification alongside his Master's degree.
Looking ahead
Looking to the future, Matin hopes to continue progressing into senior engineering and service-management leadership roles, building on his extensive engineering and project management experience while taking on greater responsibility for operations, projects, people and business performance.
"Over the next five years, I see myself progressing into a more senior engineering or service-management leadership position, with greater responsibility for engineering operations, projects, people and business performance. I would like to build on my existing technical and project-management experience and use the knowledge gained through the MSc to take on broader strategic and leadership responsibilities. Ultimately, I want to be in a position where I not only manage engineering activities effectively, but also contribute to wider organisational strategy, develop people and improve business performance."
Advice for future distance learning students
For professionals considering postgraduate study alongside their careers, Matin recommends approaching distance learning with commitment and structure.
"Treat remote learning with the same level of commitment as attending classes in person. Establish a regular study routine and set aside dedicated time for coursework rather than relying on spare time."