Leanne Moran – Bachelor of Business (Honours)

Name: Leanne Moran

From: Sligo

School: Ursuline College, Sligo

Current Job: Marketing Executive at The Andersen Partnership in Sydney, Australia

I chose to study the Bachelor of Business honours degree because it did not confine me to one particular role, as can happen with other degrees like teaching or nursing. This degree allows students the opportunity to explore marketing, finance and HR management; and specialise in one of these areas in the final year. This offers great flexibility and a chance to figure out what area really interests you. Similarly when it comes to a career, there are so many different paths you can take when you graduate with a business degree. The variety of modules make it so interesting. You can also pick modules in languages throughout your studies if you wish.

There is a misconception that you need to study business for leaving cert in order to study this degree. This is not the case as I didn’t study business for my leaving cert. The lecturers are amazing and everything is taught from the ground up. The class sizes in ATU Sligo are smaller which offers a lot more interaction with lecturers. You will know each other by name so asking a question or getting help is never an issue.

The degree also includes a six month work placement. This is really important as it allows you to put all you have learnt in university into a real work setting. You also start to build up industry connections. For my work placement I took the opportunity to go abroad on the Erasmus Programme for a full semester.  

For my Erasmus semester I went to ATU Sligo’s partner university IUT 2 Grenoble in France. It was an excellent way to learn about new cultures and make connections from all around the world. While there I got to travel to Italy, Spain, Sweden and different parts of France due to the central location of Grenoble and the cheap transport system. My overall experience was brilliant! My understanding of French, my confidence, independence and communication skills all improved as well as my ability to adapt to change and have a more open mind.

Throughout my time in ATU Sligo I enjoyed the bond that was created amongst my classmates, we were like one big family. I have definitely made friends for life. Student life is great in Sligo – the nightlife, food, things to do, scenery – everything! Student accommodation is also really nice and very affordable. The college canteen has subsidised meals and allows students to get a healthy dinner for €6. Amazing! Everything about the college and town just makes it a really nice place to study.

After graduating, I continued my studies and completed a Professional Diploma in Digital Marketing. I worked as a Digital Marketing Executive with Collins McNicholas in Sligo before moving to Australia where I now work as a Marketing Executive at The Andersen Partnership in Sydney.

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