So Kinaara moved from Sri Lanka to London to join one of the world’s most influential dance education and training organisations. “Since arriving at the RAD, my experience has been nothing short of extraordinary. The transition to my life in London has been seamless thanks to the incredible support from my peers and RAD staff,” Kinaara says.

Founded in 1920, the RAD’s 100+ years of experience have led to its rise as a world leader in dance education and training. It operates in over 85 countries with 36 international offices – so you have plenty of opportunity to turn your passion for dance into an international career. Onsite in London, you’ll access state-of-the-art facilities like a purpose-built 200-seat theatre, dance studios aplenty, and one of the largest dance libraries in Europe. If you’re a working professional with many commitments, the opportunity to elevate your career remains just as rich with distance-learning options.

That said, RAD is the best gateway to a thriving teaching career. Want to shape the artists of tomorrow?  With RAD’s expert tutors and their commitment to educational excellence and transforming aspirations into tangible teaching careers you’ll be prepared to do just that.

“My initial focus was solely on ballet, but my time here has exposed me to different styles such as jazz, modern, and a deeper understanding of contemporary dance,” Kinaara says. “This exposure has broadened my horizons and enriched my dance repertoire.”

Teaching placements in its partnership schools and visits from guest lecturers and speakers enhance your skills and readiness even more.

RAD’s global community spans more than 400,000 students. Source: Royal Academy of Dance

From RAD student to professional in the making

The RAD journey begins with selecting the right degree for you. With a strong passion for ballet, Kinaara decided to pursue the BA (Hons) Ballet Education, and she’s now in her final year. It’s a three-year full-time degree that combines intensive dance training and preparation for a career in dance education, informing students on ballet and contemporary techniques.

In the first year, you take technique and practical classes to build your foundation across dance repertoire, choreographic practices, applied dance science, alongside dance analysis and history. In the next two, you boost your teaching skills through education-focused taught sessions and supervised practical teaching placements.

“The close-knit and supportive environment is enhanced by the student-to-staff ratio, which ensures personalised attention for each of us,” Kinaara says. “The bonds I’ve formed with my peers and tutors are invaluable, creating a nurturing and inspiring learning atmosphere.”

If you’re looking for a programme that’s more diverse in genre, RAD offers the BA (Hons) Dance Education programme as a flexible distance-learning degree that can be completed from anywhere in the world, at any time. Students can pursue the programme either part-time or full-time, and at certificate, diploma, or degree level. Experienced dance teachers looking to further their expertise can opt for the Master of Arts in Education (Dance Teaching) programme, a great option for research and professional development.

Students who pursue a distance learning programme are able to tailor their schedule around their commitments. Source: Royal Academy of Dance

For Laura Schneider, the BA (Hons) Dance Education programme allowed her to maintain her commitments while striving for personal and professional growth. It was a six-year part-time pursuit for Laura, one that was ultimately rewarding, albeit a challenge at the start. “The part-time and online study format allowed me to apply new knowledge and ideas directly to my teaching practice, bridging theoretical concepts with practical situations for deeper understanding,” she says.

Through the BA, Laura developed her identity and confidence as a teacher. She took modules that covered dance anatomy  philosophy, and pedagogy, and even received support from the staff as a non-native English speaker. Thanks to the Practical Teaching Placement module, Laura attained Registered Teacher Status, allowing her to become a teaching member of the RAD.

As a result of her positive experience, Laura decided to continue with the Master of Arts in Education (Dance Teaching) programme at RAD. “I greatly appreciated the RAD’s constant effort to make the content more inclusive, diverse, and aligned with contemporary pedagogies,” she says. “This approach inspired me to incorporate these values into my teaching practice and never settle for outdated ideas.”

Highly skilled and forward-thinking – the dance teachers of the RAD are strongly committed to lifelong learning and professional development. RAD graduates are highly sought-after, with a recent graduate destination survey reporting that 87% of graduates were teaching dance and performing arts, while 91% of them work in a teaching profession. They’re based all over the world, imparting their wisdom in different pathways like private dance schools, vocational schools, community settings, higher education, and more.

If you’d like to become one of them,

Follow RAD on Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Instagram, and TikTok.

The demand for expertise in corporate finance has inspired ambitious professionals to seek advanced qualifications; yet with today’s demanding schedules, stepping away for full-time study isn’t always an option.  EDHEC Business School’s Online MSc in Corporate Finance  is a competitive programme from a top-ranked school that is tailored for busy professionals and allows participants to gain in-depth financial expertise without stepping away from their careers.

That’s exactly why Stefan Steiner chose it. “I was working a lot at Amazon on projects that were also a bit financially related –– for example, calculating costs or savings,” he shares.  “I always had an interest in the finance domain, and because I wanted to gain more experience and insight in this domain, but couldn’t give up my job at Amazon, I decided to pursue an online master’s in finance at that time.”

The Online MSc in Corporate Finance strengthens your core skills in finance and business management, equipping you with the techniques to drive financial and sustainable growth. Source: EDHEC Business School

Founded for entrepreneurs, built for visionaries

Established in 1906, EDHEC Business School has built a global reputation for delivering business education rooted in real-world application. With a strong focus on innovation, leadership, and impact, the school has spent more than a century shaping professionals who drive change across industries. Today, EDHEC ranks among the top business schools in France and is internationally recognised for its academic excellence. It holds the 7th spot in the Financial Times ranking of European Business Schools.

Whether you’re still early in your career path out or you are an experienced executive looking to sharpen your competitive edge, the Online MSc in Corporate Finance programme will not only advance your skills and acumen, but it connects you with tens of thousands of alumni around the world. This 15-month programme equips you with a strong foundation in corporate finance and business management, while also giving you the tools to lead through financial and sustainable growth.

The learning approach combines fundamental theory with practical tools and techniques, guided by international experts who bring real-world insights into every course. As you work through case studies, you’ll develop essential skills in financial analysis, corporate valuation, and strategic financial decision-making, which are all crucial in today’s business environment.

In this programme, you will learn how to break down a company’s strategy, assess its competitive position, and analyse its financial performance. Using this information, you can apply financial tools and valuation techniques to make smart strategic decisions and understand their direct impact on a company’s margins, profitability, and long-term value creation.

Your journey begins with core pillars of financial education including risk management, and accounting. From there, you’ll personalise your path by choosing two to four electives, with options including strategic foresight, data analytics for managers, people analytics, and more.

“The electives — where EDHEC shines, in my opinion — have an innovative approach to combining these with the financial aspect,” says Steiner. “For example, in brand management and strategic marketing, you have courses that are basically management but are also seen through the lens of the financial background and the financial strength that EDHEC brings to its staff.”

Graduate Roland Nasr agrees. “Surprisingly, other courses, such as my electives in agile leadership, SME governance, and digital transformation, also proved very important for my personal development and growth,” he says.

EDHEC’s Online MSc in Corporate Finance offers flexible schedules, personalised coaching, and one-on-one academic mentorship. Source: EDHEC Business School

Live, interactive learning with real-world impact

In addition to the 100% online programme coursework, participants join one live online class every week that led by an academic mentor. These interactive classes encourage collaborative discussion and provide a space for participants to ask questions and review course content together.

Other major components of the programme are the consulting project and personalised career coaching. The immersive consulting project allows participants to be a part of a real-world simulation that emphasises strategic thinking, application of skills learned, and working in teams. EDHEC’s YouDrive is a tailored experience designed to support participants with coaching and feedback so that they are best-prepared upon completion of the programme.

On average, the programme recommends around 15 hours of study per week, which includes a mix of individual self-paced learning and group work. “The flexible format also allows you to balance your studies with professional and personal commitments, giving you the freedom to learn from anywhere, anytime,” explains Julien Desangle, Programme Director

That balance between independence and collaboration is something participants notice. “EDHEC does a great job of mixing that individual work aspect with group work, having a team, and also rotating teams — having contact with other people in other cohorts or specialities,” Steiner says.

For many, the learning has an immediate payoff. Nasr, for example, applied his new skills directly at work, using financial and valuation modules to create strong financial models and projections at innovative investment firm, Melanion.

“I can confidently say that this was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made,” he says. “I would highly recommend this programme to any other student looking for an online option; this could be the best option for them in finance.”

Learn more about the EDHEC’s Online MSc in Corporate Finance.

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“I strongly believe that to understand a new reality, it is necessary to start from the beginning,” says Guimaraes. She decided to make that leap: moving from her home in João Pessoa to the US city of Tallahassee to pursue the Master of Laws (LLM) in American Law for Foreign Lawyers at Florida State University.

Few schools can match the benefits of an FSU College of Law’s LLM. The programme is affordable with a high return on investment. Total tuition cost for a world-class education here is around US$32,000.  All students who apply are automatically considered for a merit based scholarship.

And when it comes to career opportunities for FSU LLM graduates, they are practically at FSU’s doorstep. Just minutes away from campus are the Florida Supreme Court and the State Capitol. In the capital of the US’s third-largest state, students also have access to numerous government agencies, more than 800 law firms, state and federal courts, and more.

Students get to design a curriculum that aligns with their legal career goals. Source: Florida State University

From Paraiba to Florida

Guimaraes’s journey to the 38th best law school in the nation started with an invitation from a high school friend, an FSU alumna. “It was the first school I visited in the US, and I have no other way to define it than ‘complete and immediate identification,’” she says. “The diverse and welcoming environment of the FSU campus just won me over.”

At first, being more than 5,000 miles away from home had its challenges. She was older than most students and from a different culture. Soon enough, however, she settled in – thanks to the great people she was surrounded by. “The exchange of experiences is quite enriching when you find people willing to teach, to learn, and above all, to respect differences,” she says.

Lucky for Guimaraes – she’s never alone in the FSU journey. From Ireland and Turkey to the Philippines, the LLM’s community is global. Although everyone came from unique backgrounds, they were committed to mastering the US legal system.

LLM students take two core classes: “Introduction to American Law” and “Legal Writing.” Then, they have the option to tailor their electives to their individual needs. Certain students would prefer a broad overview of the US legal system, while others choose to specialise in a particular field, whether in business, intellectual, or criminal law. With FSU’s close connections to legal professionals in Tallahassee, courses keep pace with industry needs.

“The in-class experience, with techniques like the Socratic method, can be new for many of our foreign students, as can things like the legal writing process,” says David Landau, Mason Ladd Professor and Associate Dean for International Programs. “We work to acclimate students to these differences through a series of events and workshops as they begin their studies, starting with a one-week orientation programme in August.”

Many LLM in American Law for Foreign Lawyers students progress to the Juris Doctor programme. Source: Florida State University

Building a global career in Tallahassee

When studying law in Tallahassee, the real world is simply across the road. The Career Services and Development Office helps FSU College of Law students leverage these opportunities to build practical know-how and a global career.

The team hosts major events throughout the year where students network with public defenders, state attorneys, members of the Federal Bench. “We also have an excellent programme and curriculum for bar exam support, for those LLM students who are interested and able to take the New York bar, or another US bar exam,” says Landau.

The results speak for themselves. The FSU College of Law was ranked #6 in the nation for employment prospects. In 2023, it held the #1 spot in Florida when it comes to the percentage of students employed in full-time roles 10 months after graduation. According to LSD.Law, 83% of FSU graduates pass the bar examination on the first try, with 57.4% of them heading straight to work in law firms after graduating.

For Guimaraes, her FSU journey isn’t over yet. “One of my main goals in earning LLM and JD degrees is the qualification to take the bar exam in Florida,” she says. “And to be able to apply the gained knowledge and experiences into making meaningful contributions to the exercise of my profession.”

Check out the LLM Programmes at the Florida State University College of Law today.

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This evolution demands bold, informed leadership, and Bayes Business School, ranked 3^rd in London according to the Financial Times is answering the call. Drawing on Bayesian principles of adapting to new data, Bayes is redesigning its MBAfor a September 2025 launch that prepares professionals for the realities of an ever-changing world.

The MBA, reinvented

This refreshed MBA is designed to develop you into a strategic leader with, advanced communication skills and the ability to act with confidence. You’ll study in an immersive environment that builds your understanding of traditional business functions with the addition of modules in AI, ESG and sustainability to help you thrive in fast-paced, global teams.

“Now, more than ever, our programmes will empower students to achieve their career goals, navigate competitive job markets with confidence, and develop leadership, expertise, and impact that make their contributions truly valued,” says Professor Costas Andriopoulos, Associate Dean for MBA Programmes. “Our curriculum is always evolving to reflect the reality of business, and our new core and elective modules will give a deep insight and understanding of some of the most pressing issues facing the business world.”

Read on to uncover the programme’s three biggest changes:

While traditional exams are still used, most modules at Bayes are graded through situational analysis, report writing, presentations, and business pitches. Source: Bayes Business School

One space. Infinite possibilities.

The newly refurbished Finsbury Square building in the City of London is a study space with state-of-the-art learning facilities, breakout zones, and executive meeting rooms. Here, expert faculty play a hands-on role, guiding you through one-on-one support, group sessions, and real-time feedback during consulting projects. Most importantly, they lead new core modules and electives on emerging business trends.

For example, there’s lessons on artificial intelligence, machine learning and advanced analytics. Sustainability is also a focus area, with Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles embedded in the curriculum along with specialised electives in climate change, ESG strategy, and corporate responsibility. This forward-looking, interdisciplinary approach breaks down traditional silos, weaving together finance, sustainability, and technology.

The MBA has even become more flexible. All Executive programme formats, including the Evening Executive MBA, the Modular (Weekend) Executive MBA, and Global (online) MBA, are now fully compatible, making it easy to shift between study routes. “Students can switch modes to suit changes in location or working practice,” says Professor Andriopoulos.

“There is also greater flexibility in the choice of electives – both in terms of content as well as method of delivery – whether they want to study in person or online. It allows executives to balance study with work, while delivering immediate value to their organisations.”

Bayes also offers a one-year Full-time MBA.

Hands-on learning at its finest

The future belongs to those who are agile, decisive, and unafraid to lead under pressure. That’s why the Bayes MBA is doubling down on experiential learning. With a new elective portfolio, the programme offers more tailored, practical opportunities that bridge theory and action. Examples include consultancy weeks and international electives, integrated assessments, strategy projects, Business Integration Projects, integration weeks, and the London Symposium.

But Bayes doesn’t stop at real-world projects, it goes even further by bringing the business world into the classroom. VR teaching cases simulate fast-paced, high-stakes business scenarios where you must analyse complex data, collaborate with peers, and make informed decisions under pressure. It strengthens strategic thinking and leadership abilities in ways that traditional methods cannot, preparing you to confidently lead in unpredictable business environments.

The Bayes MBA combines London learning with global electives, international consultancy weeks, and a worldwide community. Source: Bayes Business School

An emphasis on professional development

“We are the first business school in the UK to fully integrate career management and professional skills development into the MBA and master’s portfolio,” says Sarah Julliet, Director of Postgraduate Careers & Professional Development.

The Career Impact programme, developed with input from professional bodies and employers, is built on four key pillars:

• One-to-one coaching and career advisory sessions
• Early access to online resources such as the Career Accelerator Course
• Engagement opportunities with industry leaders and a global alumni network
• Credit-bearing modules in strategic career management, leadership development and advanced communication skills

This is how Bayes ensures every MBA graduate builds future-ready competencies. All of this takes place in London’s financial district, just steps from Shoreditch’s buzzing startup and creative scene.

This location isn’t just convenient; it gives you front-row access to the world of business. You’ll be surrounded by global banks, venture capital firms, top consultancies, and fast-growing tech startups. This means constantly gaining real-time insights from industry experts, attending networking events, and hearing from guest speakers representing some of the world’s most influential organisations.

Together, these new changes turn ambition into action. With the tools to lead, the space to grow, and the support to thrive, you’ll leave Bayes ready to climb the corporate ladder with confidence.

Follow Bayes Business School on Facebook, Instagram, , LinkedIn, and YouTube

“At weddings, people would come up to me and say, ‘oh, my child has a lisp’ or ‘my child has a stammer.’ The thing is, that’s not what I focus on,” says Perah Memon, a speech and language therapist in England’s National Health Service (NHS). “The role is much broader than what people think.”

According to the NHS, those in speech and language jobs provide life-changing treatment, support and care for children and adults who have difficulties with communication, eating, drinking and swallowing. They help people who, for physical or psychological reasons, have problems with speaking and communication.

Around 14 million people have trouble with at least one of the challenges mentioned above, reports SENsational, an organisation specialising in assisting children with autism, ADD/ADHD, dyslexia and other special education needs.

So that’s where Memon comes in. 

Memon during her graduation at King’s College London. She graduated with a BSc in Psychology. Source: Perah Memon

How a work placement kickstarted her interest in the field

Born in Ireland and raised in London and Pakistan, Memon’s interest in speech and language therapy only started after a work placement in Bali. 

“I attended King’s College London for a BSc in Psychology, so at that point in time, I was just focusing entirely on psychology and hoped to do a doctorate in it,” says Memon.

“But it changed when I was working in Bali.”

The placement required her to work on several projects for six weeks at random locations. Memon had the opportunity to work with children with learning disabilities and autism, as well as adults with schizophrenia or those in psychiatric hospitals.

The thing was, working in Indonesia meant that Memon had to deal with a language barrier when working with her patients.

Add that to the nature of her work, where the children’s neurodevelopment delays further limited their communication, Memon had to get creative with how she could speak to them.

Her solution? Through pictures, writing, gestures, and head nods.

“The way we communicated was incredible and eye-opening,” shares Memon. “It allowed the children to express their thoughts, even if they couldn’t do it verbally.”

This led to Memon’s own lightbulb moment — a realisation that aside from just tunnel visioning in on her doctorate, she could pursue speech and language jobs instead.

“The experience I had in Bali was incredible,” says Memon. “Having the ability to give a child or an adult the means to communicate and giving them a voice — it was inspiring for me.’

Upon returning to the UK, she pursued an MSc in Speech and Language Sciences at University College London (UCL).

Today, she’s a speech and language therapist at the NHS Trust.

Memon is now working for the NHS in London, UK. Source: Perah Memon

‘Communication and speech are a part of self-identity’

“I think our speech and communication is our self-identity,” says Memon. “It’s in the way we communicate, the way we express our thoughts, the way we express our feelings, and even in our mannerisms, jobs, banter — everything a neurotypical person does verbally.”

However, this all changes for a non-neurotypical person.

There are several ways people can lose their ability to speak, such as laryngeal trauma, vocal cord paralysis, and strokes. Those who have lost the ability to communicate won’t be able even to have basic conversations.

“Losing the ability to ask for your favourite food or drink, and even saying you’re in pain, is very heartbreaking,” says Memon. “It can also be tricky as you have lost your self-identity, how you view yourself, and how you communicate with your loved ones.”

When patients don’t receive speech and language therapy, they may experience difficulties communicating effectively, leading to potential social isolation, frustration, decreased self-esteem, hindered learning abilities, and even mental issues like anxiety and depression.

Children with social communication difficulties (SCDS) often have trouble with following social “rules,” understanding tones, context, and meaning behind words, as well as understanding verbal and non-verbal cues, according to Australian parenting website raisingchildren.net.au.

That’s not all; they might also experience anxiety, have difficulty concentrating, or have difficulty managing their emotions.

Conducting speech and language therapy is one way to help them communicate properly, as well as rebuild their confidence.

While helping patients with their speech is an essential aspect of speech and language jobs, Memon’s job goes beyond that. She helps her patients relearn how to swallow, eat, and drink. 

“It’s a part of everyday life, says Memon. “To live, we literally need to eat, swallow, and drink, but many aren’t able to do just that.”

Difficulty in swallowing often happens because of accidents, strokes, or head injuries. Not being able to eat and drink your favourite things or being able to sit with your family for a meal will take a toll on you. When a patient loses that aspect of life, it’s a challenge. 

However, people tend to mistakenly think that speech and language therapy has nothing to do with drinking and swallowing because the primary focus of “speech” and “language” in the term can lead to people believing it only deals with verbal communication.

Many don’t realise that swallowing is considered a motor function that’s closely related to the muscle used for speech production. Therefore, it falls under the scope of speech and language therapists’ expertise — precisely what Memon is doing.

During her Master’s programme, Memon participated in several work placements in the NHS, in both London and Kent. Source: Perah Memon

What it takes to be in speech and language jobs

As with most careers in the healthcare field, it takes a certain grit and determination to succeed in speech and language jobs. 

It comes with a set of challenges, and one of them is that you’ll have to watch some of your patients’ conditions remain stagnant or even deteriorate.

“Sometimes they won’t improve due to multiple factors, making the rehab they receive unfeasible,” shares Memon. “You’ve worked hard on a patient, you’ve given them all your time, and no matter how motivated they are, it can just not work at all.”

This can be psychologically challenging for patient and therapist.

“It feels like you’re throwing them back into the deep end or even to a foreign end where they don’t speak the language and you can’t understand what they’re saying even if they tried to tell what they’re feeling,” says Memon. 

However, Memon has tips to help you prepare for the journey ahead.

It begins with having empathy.

Becoming a good speech and language therapist is not just feeling for your patients, but truly stepping into their world.

“Understanding your patients and putting yourself into their shooes makes you the best therapist,” says Memon.

It’s not always easy. Speech and language therapy is as much about offering solutions as it’s about focusing on the person in front of you, even when it challenges your own instincts.

“You’ll always need to be person-centred, and sometimes you’ll even have to go the extra mile and remove your personal feelings from the situation,” Memon shares. “You can’t go on with your agenda. It needs to be weaved into what your patients want and need.”

It’s a delicate balance of listening, feeling, and thinking ahead. But above all, it’s about connecting.

“I think empathy goes strongly with the understanding of what they’re feeling,” she says. 

Because in the end, helping someone heal starts with truly understanding what they need, even when they can’t always say it out loud.

A second but equally important skill is communication. While this might seem like the most obvious skill for a speech and language therapist, Memon highlights that it’s much more than just talking.

It’s how you carry yourself, the way you listen, the way you make someone feel understood, even when words fail.

“To become a speech and language therapist, you’ll need good communication skills; it also intertwines into your mannerisms and ability to be an active listener,” she says.

But words alone won’t get you far. Patience and keen observation are necessary too.

“It’s important because you’ll be working alongside patients who won’t understand much of what you’re saying, and they’ll have difficulty expressing themselves,” says Memon.

That’s where the real work comes in: breaking things down, translating knowledge into something accessible, and finding ways to connect without overwhelming your patients — which leads to the last point: problem-solving.

There will be moments — many, in fact — when things don’t go according to plan. Times when, despite your best efforts, you’re left wondering what to do next.

In those moments, Memon says, “you have to turn to what you do know, and that will be in the literature, science, and evidence. You’ll disseminate the research and link it back to the problem you have.”

But even then, it’s not always straightforward. Research isn’t always the solution as the answers aren’t always a one-size-fits-all.

What works in theory may not always work in practice.

“Every patient is different. Every case asks for something new,” she says.

The world witnessed their work when COVID-19 struck, such as when epidemiologists tracked the spread of the virus and public health advocates and specialists spearheaded campaigns to encourage the use of masks and vaccinations. Then, there were those behind the scenes – health policy and management experts leading the damage control and recovery of a pandemic.

The work of these public health professionals is vast and never-ending. It’s why the US Bureau of Labour Statistics projects there will be 1.9 million job openings annually from 2023 to 2033, alongside other healthcare careers. The number is proof that the world needs more people to step up, and it’s something many public health schools in the US are realising. Here are three universities that are actively helping add to the numbers. 

The flexibility of the MPH programme allows students from different academic and professional backgrounds to pursue a career in public health with a focus on health policy and management. Source: Texas A&M University

Texas A&M University

The Texas A&M University School of Public Health is a school on the rise. It’s the largest school of public health in Texas and the fifth largest in the nation. Here, research funding amounts to more than US$146 million year to year. Here is where you engage in innovative research and develop solutions to optimise and keep a community healthy and strong. You do this by enrolling in its Master of Public Health (MPH), also one of the most affordable top programmes in the country.

Acting as a launchpad towards a fulfilling career in public health, this MPH programme trains you to take on the biggest challenges happening today in various concentrations. Of the six concentrations offered, Health Policy and Management is a standout. Here, you will learn to navigate health systems, influence policies, and manage healthcare delivery to ensure better outcomes for local, national and global communities and populations. You will work at state-of-the-art laboratories like the Southwest Rural Health Research Centre and the USA Centre for Rural Public Health Preparedness where you will collaborate and share ideas with other researchers and faculty.

What is great about this concentration — and the MPH as a whole — is that its flexibility suits students from various backgrounds and interests. Whether you are from social sciences, legal studies, economics, or even international relations, anyone can benefit from the programme’s comprehensive curriculum covering public health, healthcare systems, policy analysis, and healthcare management.

Other than the knowledge and skills you will gain from this programme, you will also receive opportunities to network with former students and industry leaders who can provide you with meaningful insights and support you in your journey towards a career in public health. Apply to the School of Public Health at Texas A&M University now.

The MPH blends social, behavioural, economic, and political science. Source: UMass Amherst School of Public Health and Health Sciences/Facebook

University of Massachusetts Amherst 

No matter which school or department you enrol in, at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, you will learn to answer the burning questions, challenge old conventions, and build a better world. But at the School of Public Health and Health Sciences, specifically, you will learn to address complex health issues by integrating traditional core areas of public health with modern science. The school touches on subjects like chronic and infectious disease prediction and prevention, global health, health and wellness, health equity, and reproductive and women’s health, all with their own research to improve living conditions. 

The interdisciplinary MPH in Health Policy and Management programme blends social, behavioural, economic, and political science for a broader perspective on health services and policy. With 42 credits to complete, this MPH is career-focused, as it prepares you for managerial and leadership positions, whether in academia, healthcare organisations, or health-related agencies. 

Theoretical lessons will take place in class, while practical ones are done in research centres and institutes like the Centre for Community Health Equity Research, the Centre for Programme Evaluation, and the Institute for Global Health. Here, you will apply what you have learned in basic and applied sciences, public health, and clinical practice to your research with the goal of producing solutions to real-world problems. 

The MPH offers concentrations in General Public Health and Epidemiology. Source: UC Davis School of Medicine/Facebook

University of California, Davis 

The University of California, Davis is a top-tier public university with some of the best degrees in the country – one of it being the public health programme. Embedded within the Department of Public Health Sciences, the programme ranks at #29 nationally, training students to be highly qualified public health professionals and leaders in the field. Enrolling here means being with other students who have a strong passion for promoting health and a goal of making a global difference by solving problems in new ways. 

The department offers a few graduate degrees, with the Master of Public Health being one of its most popular. The reason? The programme’s curriculum works in partnership with the public health community, on and off campus grounds. Not only will you work with other university departments, but you will also collaborate with local county health departments and non-profit agencies that comprise teaching, student mentorship, field placements, research, and support for you to achieve your goal of becoming a leader in public health. 

It also helps that the programme is located near the California Department of Public Health, one of the most innovative public health agencies in the US. This opens doors for networking opportunities to build a professional relationship before you become part of the industry. 

Offering two concentration areas, General Public Health and Epidemiology, the MPH is designed for those looking to get into the field of public health quick because this programme can be completed in 10 to 12 months. 

*Some of the institutions featured in this article are commercial partners of Study International 

Take Lana Hendrawan, for example. She pursued an MSc in Radiobiology after witnessing several family members battle cancer, hoping to find ways to make the cancer treatment process more effective and less painful.

For Fidan Rasulzade, it was her sister who inspired her to move to the UK and complete an MA in Special Educational Needs at the University of Exeter.

“My master’s degree was a personal one,” she shares. “My older sister has cerebral palsy. I wanted to research and learn ways to create opportunities for her.”

Before pursuing her MA in Special Educational Needs, Rasulzade was an English teacher at three local schools in Azerbaijan. Source: Fidan Rasulzade

From teaching the English language to raising awareness for special educational needs

Born and raised in Azerbaijan, Rasulzade grew up multilingual, fluent in Azerbaijani, Turkic, and Russian. Yet, it was the English language that intrigued her.

“I love the English language,” she says. “Everyone in Azerbaijan knows a second language, Russian, as the country was part of the USSR in the past, but I wanted to be different and make myself more global.”

With that, she decided to master the English language.

Rasulzade became the top English language student at her high school, and eventually, ended up enrolling in a Bachelor of Applied Science in Education programme, specialising in English, at the Azerbaijan University of Languages (ADU) in 2018. 

After graduating, she began teaching. Her first stint was as a teaching assistant at a national secondary school, Texniki Humanitaar Lisey, before becoming a general English teacher at Oxbridge Education Centre. Her last English and Literature teaching role was at another school, Muasir Innovasiyalar Liseyi. 

It was in these classrooms that she began to notice some students were struggling to focus.

“I had three students who couldn’t concentrate and would make loud noises,” Rasulzade shares. “It was difficult for me and the other students, especially when I had no assistance. I didn’t understand what was happening or how to support them.”

At the time, she had little to no knowledge about teaching students with disabilities, particularly non-visible ones.

It wasn’t until her master’s studies that she realised some of her former students likely had hyperactivity disorders, and one may have been on the autism spectrum.

When people think of disabilities, they often picture visible conditions, like visual impairments, muscular dystrophy, amputations, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, or cerebral palsy.

But many disabilities are not visible. These include depression, bipolar disorder, dementia, learning disabilities, diabetes, autism, or respiratory conditions — all legally recognised as disabilities in countries like the UK, the US, and Canada.

In Azerbaijan, where approximately 560,000 people live with disabilities — 10% of whom are children — that recognition is still lacking.

“People here just see it as a limitation, not a disability,” says Rasulzade. “They don’t even have inclusive education for students who need special care or a formulated way of teaching.”

UNESCO describes inclusive education as an approach that takes each individual’s needs into account, and all learners can achieve goals together. It also promotes gender equality, bridging the difference in values, and eliminates all forms of discrimination.

The lack of awareness about disabilities extends beyond the classroom too, Rasulzade noticed — it happens in the streets of Azerbaijan.  

“When we’re out, people stare at my sister with pity,” she shares. “It made me angry. I didn’t like how people looked at her; it was as if she were a tragedy. They don’t realise that there are people with hidden disabilities too.”

For Rasulzade, this ignorance could not go on.

Her solution? Pursuing a master’s in special educational needs to change the minds of Azerbaijanis for the better. 

Rasulzade’s sister (left) is the one who inspired Rasulzade (right) to pursue an MA in Special Educational Needs abroad. Source: Fidan Rasulzade

Sisterly love, secret applications, and eye-opening experiences

Love can take us places, and the love between siblings even more so. It forms a unique foundation of trust, support, and understanding, even during difficult times.

For Rasulzade, her sister has always been her guiding light. 

“I love my sister,” she says. “She may have cerebral palsy, but she’s incredibly thoughtful. She loves literature, history, and political talks. She’s so knowledgeable. She’s amazing.”  

But the world hasn’t always welcomed her sister’s brilliance.

“There are so many things that stop her from doing what she loves,” says Rasulzade. “I even noticed that she doesn’t have a lot of friends because society isn’t inclusive, and I needed to change that.”

When Rasulzade informed her parents about her plan to study abroad, they opposed the idea.

“I applied for the MA in Special Educational Needs and I did not inform anyone around me, not even my parents,” says Rasulzade. “When they found out, they were against studying abroad. They were also afraid that something might happen to me when I’m abroad alone.”

But Rasulzade wasn’t swayed — she knew change was needed, and she would achieve it, somehow, someway. 

“I wanted to learn more and become somebody different,” she says. “I wanted to get out of my comfort zone. It’s my life, and I want to take responsibility for it. I don’t want to feel like I’ll regret it years later.”

Rasulzade graduated in September 2024 with a distinction. Source: Fidan Rasulzade

During her research for universities with an MA in Special Educational Needs, Rasulzade came across the University of Exeter, one of the top 200 universities in the world according to QS World University Rankings 2025.

Better yet, several friends were already studying there, and she found that Exeter and the UK at large offered better post-graduation prospects.

“There was a one-year scholarship programme for Azerbaijanis to study in the UK, but since my parents disapproved, I applied secretly,” says Rasulzade.

And just like that, a chance application kickstarted a new chapter for Rasulzade. She won the scholarship and was ready to tackle her programme.

In Rasulzade’s words, it was a transformative experience.

“One day, I saw a girl in a wheelchair moving through town, and no one was staring at her,” she says. “The girl was just minding her own business, and nobody was staring at her. It was so bizarre because that wouldn’t happen in Azerbaijan.”

Back home, it’s rare to see people with disabilities in public spaces — the infrastructure just isn’t designed for them.

In Azerbaijan’s capital city of Baku, the metro is almost impossible to navigate with a wheelchair.

Even Nasimi Pashayev, the PR head of Baku Metro, agrees. “It’s against safety regulations to use a wheelchair on the escalators,” said Pashayev in an interview with OC Media. “Installing lifts in deeper stations isn’t possible due to the lack of space.”

This realisation hit Rasulzade hard: her sister had missed many opportunities, including attending university, simply because of a lack of awareness and policies in place for people with disabilities. 

And while Rasulzade’s time in the UK was fruitful — she experienced a growing sense of guilt too.

“Lecture after lecture, I realised that so many opportunities were taken away from my sister,” she says. “She doesn’t have that many friends, and she doesn’t really leave the house. She doesn’t get to do what ‘normal’ people can do, like go out whenever we want and talk to whoever we want.”

She wanted her sister to experience the kind of inclusivity she felt while in the UK — to know what it felt like to be seen and supported.

Rasulzade participated in the ASAN Innovative Development Centre’s forum for young minds to learn about personal innovation, growth and marketing. Source: Fidan Rasulzade

How to change the mind of millions with an MA in Special Educational Needs

When it came time to choose Rasulzade’s MA thesis in Special Educational Needs, it was simple.

“My coursemates were focusing on special educational needs in the UK, but I wanted to do something unique and something that no one has done,” she shares. “So I decided to dedicate my thesis to my sister: exploring the social attitudes towards cerebral palsy in Azerbaijan.”

It wasn’t easy. At times, Rasulzade doubted her decision. Finding resources to support her thesis also proved to be a challenge. 

And when she felt like her thesis was a lost cause, help came from an unexpected source. 

“I had to look for interviewees for my thesis, but I didn’t know where to start,” says Rasulzade. “My parents stepped in and connected me with people who have cerebral palsy. It helped me branch the research since I had limited resources.”

In late 2024, Rasulazade graduated from the University of Exeter with distinction.

Today, she is back in Azerbaijan, working as a Training and Development Specialist at the Ministry of Science and Education.

Rasulazade hosts trainings for teachers in inclusive education and advises the ministry on policy and understanding around special needs. 

“There aren’t many specialists in the field, so I help the people in my department understand research and data sets,” she shares. “People often misunderstand what special needs education involves.”

Thanks to her contribution, thre has also been an increase in inclusive classrooms in mainstream schools.

Beyond her work at the ministry, she also represents Azerbaijan at events like the International Autism Conference, where professionals and experts from around the world come together to speak about current research, practices, and innovations in autism support and inclusive education.

And the best part? Her parents, who once objected to her decision to pursue her MA in Special Educational Needs, are now her biggest supporters.

“They’re proud of me because I came back home, shared my knowledge, and helped others understand what disabilities are and the importance of inclusive education,” Rasulzade says. “They now see how it’s improving lives, especially my sister’s.”

“I had no idea what machine learning or high-performance computing was when I first moved to the US for my PhD,” says Alade. “I didn’t even know what microgels were — and that’s what my research is about.”

Alade is one of the 85,000 Nigerians studying abroad, with 20,029 in US universities during the 2023-24 academic year, making them the seventh-largest group of international students in the US.

There, universities welcome Nigerians to add diversity and enrich learning and research on campus. But for Nigerians, like Alade, an American degree is so much more: it’s a shot at a brighter future.

Alade, a PhD in Physics candidate, with his poster presentation at the American Physics Society (APS) Global Summit held in Anaheim, California, US. Source: Oreoluwa Alade

The biggest difference between a PhD in Physics in Nigeria vs the US

It was towards the end of his bachelor’s degree at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), when Alade decided to pursue a PhD in Physics.

“I was completing my Bachelor of Technology in Physics with Electronics, and I was looking for PhD opportunities, and I stumbled upon Professor Alan Denton from the Department of Physics at North Dakota State University (NDSU),” he shares. 

“I remembered his name because he worked with another physics professor, the late Professor Neil Ashcroft, as I used the textbook he wrote during my undergraduate years for a solid-state physics course. Professor Denton researches computational and theoretical modelling of soft materials, and I became interested in it.”

Nestled in Fargo, North Dakota, NDSU is a public land-grant research university with over 11,000 students. The university is ranked 231st in national universities and 126th in top public schools in the US, according to US News and World Report. Its physics department holds a national ranking of 189.

NDSU’s Department of Physics is dedicated to preparing the next generation of innovators to advance science, engineering, and industry. With a strong emphasis on real-world problem-solving, the department equips students with the skills and knowledge to push the boundaries of science and technology.

This commitment is reflected in several research achievements, such as uncovering what makes a prominent paint glow dark for hours and discovering the possibility of enhancing the brightness and efficiency of blue and green light emitted from silicon carbide nanocrystals.

Alade took a chance and applied to NDSU for a PhD in Physics. A month or two after he sent in his application, he got an interview and then followed his acceptance with a full scholarship.

In 2022, he packed his things and moved halfway across the world to pursue his dreams.

“Studying in the US is like going to a different world,” he says. “If you signed up for a two-year programme in the US, then you’re doing a two-year programme, no more than that. If you’re getting a six-year PhD in Physics in the US, it’s strictly a six-year degree. Plus, the US government takes education seriously and supports it; Nigeria does not do that. They don’t provide support for students and even professors.”

Alade has participated in nine published physics journal articles during his time as a PhD in Physics candidate. Source: Oreoluwa Alade

The word “access” is a “very big word” for Alade.

“In the US, there’s more access to research tools, funding, and high-performance computing clusters. I even get to attend and present at prestigious physics conferences. I just returned from the American Physical Society Conference a week ago,” he shares.

Hailing from Nigeria, Alade was no stranger to limitations in learning. Apart from lacking funding and facilities, Nigerians lacked textbooks and well-trained, well-paid teachers.

During strikes by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Alade and many other students even had classes cancelled.

“My class was the most affected by the strikes, so I graduated in 2024, rather than 2020, my initial graduation year,” he shares.

Alade, a PhD in Physics candidate, with his poster presentation at the International Soft Matter Conference (ISMC) held in Raleigh, North Carolina, US. Source: Oreoluwa Alade

Microgel, machine learning, and internships in AI

For Alade, pursuing a PhD in Physics in the US is boundless and has opened new opportunities for him. 

Once unfamiliar concepts to him, he can now use machine learning, microgels, and high-performance computing as the core of his groundbreaking research at NDSU.

Microgels — tiny, soft hydrogel particles — are emerging as transformative materials with far-reaching applications in medicine, biotechnology, and environmental engineering. 

From drug delivery and tissue engineering to climate-responsive packaging and biosensors,  these materials are poised to reshape how we build, heal, and interact with the world. 

Alade’s work focuses on he physics underlying how microgels behave in external environments, and it’s done through advanced simulations and artificial intelligence to model their structural and phase behaviour.

“It’s important to understand how these particles adapt to external conditions like temperature or ph levels,” he explains. “That’s what makes the microgels so promising for real-world use — they’re smart, responsive, and heal themselves.”

A 2022 study found that microgels possess high mechanical performance, long-term sustainability, and convenient operation ability in emergency medicine. The microgel has rapid response properties that allow emergency medical personnel to help stop bleeding.

Alade’s research brings a unique computational physics lens to this field, helping scientists design better-performing microgels from the ground up.

Now, you may be wondering, how does microgel relate to physics? Shouldn’t it be chemistry or even biology?

Well, Alade uses machine learning and computer vision AI to conduct his research on microgels. 

Machine learning helps solve complex physics problems, so he trains the machines to learn patterns for stimulations to see if the microgel shrinks or swells. 

Alade applies machine learning tools such as Physics-Informed Neural Networks (PINNs) to simulate how microgels swell or compress under various conditions. 

These simulations not only accelerate physical discovery but also reduce the need for costly and time-intensive lab experiments.

Working in this interdisciplinary space has fueled his passion for artificial intelligence.

“My background in computational physics has been instrumental in preparing me for machine learning systems,” he says. “It’s what led to my current internship at one of the top firms in the US, where I’ll be working on generative AI and large language models.”

Alade’s ability to translate physical intuition into machine learning pipelines is rare and valuable. His work connects theoretical models with real-world applications — from medical devices to materials design to AI algorithms that learn from physical constraints.

While Alade was attending NDSU on a student visa, he managed to get a CPT (Curricular Practical Training) visa for his internship.

“All I needed was the right support from my university,” he says. “Once I had that, I pursued opportunities that aligned with my skills, and companies were eager to bring that value onboard.”

In a past project, Adale tackled one of the most pressing challenges in computer vision: how to enhance object detection in fisheye camera images, which are notoriously distorted and difficult to interpret.

Basically, to reduce the clip distortion caused by the nature of CCTV cameras (fish-eye lens).

His framework combined frequency-domain attention mechanisms with a dual aggregation transformer, significantly improving detection accuracy across surveillance datasets.

The simulations and patterns that he has to teach the machine tie it all back to physics and its systems. On top of that, physics and math equations are used in the mix.

This work has wide-reaching implications, from urban safety systems and autonomous vehicles to smart infrastructure. By addressing fisheye distortion using physics-based transformations, Alade built a bridge between real-world sensory data and AI reasoning frameworks.

“Physics and mathematics are the foundation of everything AI is achieving today,” Alade asserts. “From optimisation to probabilistic modelling, these concepts are rooted in the same equations that govern the physical universe. Without this, the world wouldn’t be able to move forward.”

The American list consists of 600 people, with 30 selected in 20 industries each; Asia and Europe’s lists each have ten categories for a total of 300 people each. 

Only Africa alone has a single list of 30 people. Despite his best efforts, Mayowa Gidi, now 30, has just missed out on earning that particular achievement.

Still, he’s not throwing in the towel yet – Gidi is determined to make his mark, especially in the Nigerian movie and animation industry. 

Gidi might have missed out on being listed on the Forbes 30 Under 30, but that hasn’t stopped him from giving it his all for the future of Nigeria’s movie and animation industry. Source: Mayowa Gidi

From pursuing engineering to the arts

Born and raised in Nigeria, the only “sensible” professions outside of being a lawyer or doctor that Gidi knew of that involved drawing were architecture and mechanical engineering.

He opted for the second, but by the second year of his degree at Covenant University, Gidi knew that he wouldn’t be making his career in engineering.

Instead, he turned back to his early passion for the arts.

“I’ve always loved arts and games, but the thing was that I didn’t know how they were made,” shares Gidi. He found the answer when a friend at university showed him Autodesk 3ds Max, a 3D modelling and animation software. 

“I had a look at it, gave it a try, and was enjoying doing work with it,” says Gidi. “It made me realise that this might be a career path that was closer to what I liked.”

Gidi’s (R) first step to getting his foot in the door of the Nigerian movie and animation industry began with a diploma in 3D arts. Source: Mayowa Gidi

With that decided, Gidi completed his mechanical engineering degree and moved abroad to Canada to pursue a Diploma in 3D Arts at the Vancouver Institute of Media Arts — a school he learned about by chance during his time at Covenant University.

“I’m an introvert; I don’t talk to people a lot,” laughs Gidi. “But someone sat beside me during university once, and we just got talking. He was bringing up things about the arts, and he told me about the school, so I looked it up and thought, ‘Okay, I could go there.’”

The programme was what Gidi needed to get his foot into the animation industry – full of hands-on experiences and expert guidance from lecturers – the perfect launchpad to kickstart the next phase of his plans. 

The big-picture goal of uplifting the Nigerian animation industry

As a long-time admirer of movies, Gidi has plans to take the Nigerian movie and animation industry to the height of its potential and make it comparable to anywhere else in the world.

His first step towards that? Establishing Peakframe Studio in 2017, right after earning his diploma in 3D arts.

“I love the creativity you get from doing animation,” says Gidi. “It’s like building puppets because animation is like puppetry, you’ve brought the character to life, even if it’s just a bunch of code or a bunch of vertices on your screen.”

“I think that’s one of the things I really enjoy the most about animation – it’s a very expressive profession.”

Together with a co-founder, Gidi wanted to build a studio where companies in the country could seek help in improving their graphics and animations. It began with helping individual companies with their adverts to working on government awareness campaigns, and now, Peakframe Studio is preparing to produce a movie.

“It’s a pretty big deal, and it’s a lot about realising that big ambitions cost a lot of time and resources that people might not be willing to risk,” shares Gidi.

Regardless, Gidi is determined to see this project and his passion for the animation industry through – this time with another card up his sleeve: a master’s in game development at Sweden’s University of Skövde.

“I sort of had another idea that seemed like it had a decent amount of potential,” says Gidi. The idea in mind? Revolutionising the way practical courses are taught in school. 

It’s not an easy road to lifting the country’s movie and animation industry to its best potential, but Gidi is ready to do what it takes to get there. Source: Mayowa Gidi

Connecting the dots with the degrees

Most might not see how a bachelor’s in mechanical engineering from Nigeria, a diploma in 3D arts from Canada, and a master’s in game development from Sweden can come together cohesively.

To Gidi, however, the picture is as clear as day.

“The idea was to build a teaching application that schools in Nigeria could use because many of them, including my own school, did not have the necessary level of resources to be able to adequately teach their students, especially for practical courses,” explains Gidi.

Even now, Gidi’s master’s degree thesis revolves around building a programme that simulates different practical courses in virtual reality.

It is learning by doing at its finest.

“That’s why I chose game development, not just to make games, but to learn what I need to build the simulations I want to create,” says Gidi.

His studies in Nigeria had shown him the problem, and his 3D arts degree offered him half of the solution as it gave him the foundation required to work with 3D models. And finally, his game development studies have equipped him with the programming and evaluation skills to make up the last piece of the puzzle.

But Gidi might not even stop there.

“I realised during my master’s that if you want schools to adopt your platform, you need to find the best ways for them to do so, and that means I might need to get a PhD to figure that out,” shares Gidi. “I never thought I’d get a master’s degree, and now I’m considering a PhD, but when you have a goal, you do what you need to achieve them.”

At the same time, he hopes to seek more investment to build the platform, giving it the chance to reach its maximum potential, like simulating an entire chemistry lab instead of just a handful of experiments.

“I think that would solve a decent amount of problems for education, especially in Nigeria and some other places,” says Gidi.