MSc Project Management graduate Ben Crossley shares his experience studying for his master’s at Salford.

MSc Project Management student Ben Crossley at his graduation, wearing a cap and gown.

Journey to Salford

I’ve always wanted to study a master’s and felt the time was right in 2022 after having gained experience in the workplace and graduating from my undergraduate degree in 2016. I decided to pursue this ambition at Salford as I studied here for my Undergraduate. I’ve always had a close connection with the University as I’ve had family members study here in the past and I’m from Salford myself, so it’s always been familiar place and watching it grow over the past ten years with the investment that’s taking place on campus and the commitment to students solidified that this was the right place to continue my career development.

I began working at Salford after completing my undergraduate degree and have since held several roles before moving into a leadership position over the past four years. This progression sparked my interest in developing my leadership skills further. The experience I gained in my career before starting the MSc gave me a strong foundation. As I progressed through the modules, it became clear that I was gradually integrating new methodologies and techniques into my day-to-day work. I could also identify several past situations where applying these approaches earlier would have led to better outcomes or made tasks easier. Taking a break from study beforehand proved invaluable – I’m genuinely glad I returned to academia with that practical experience, as it made the transition seamless and I never felt out of place.

All about the course

I decided to study Project Management because I love working with people! I really enjoy collaboration and bouncing ideas off others to get the best outcome for the service users I’m working with and the team I’m a part of. I’ve become more confident in my leadership role in managing resources and delegating actions, but studying project management has furthered this as it’s helped me to understand that when managing complex projects or leading change, there are several key steps necessary beforehand to help achieve the overall goals of the project, which, in the long run, help save time and avoid issues

I really found the lectures from industry figures really useful as it was good to get feedback and direct experience from them and what challenges their facing. We had someone from Jaguar Land Rover who was delivering an operations module which was really insightful, and another colleague working in construction who then supervised my dissertation which was perfect as I had someone working in the field supporting me at the final stage of my degree.

The support from my tutors has been exceptional – from the first interactions I had with the programme team to the very end, and even beyond my degree. They’ve been patient, understanding and detailed in their feedback when I’ve asked for support or guidance with the modules. The cohorts are quite big, but at graduation the programme leader recognised me amongst a large number of students, and I was able to introduce them to my family which was a really nice touch and demonstrates their commitment and support to students on the programme.

Building employability

The programme is aligned with the APM, the industry standard for project management competence. This alignment ensures that the content and learning outcomes remain relevant and reflective of current industry practices. Each module focuses on a different aspect of project management, with assessments designed to offer flexibility – allowing you to explore case studies, collaborate with peers and conduct meaningful research. This approach has broadened my perspective on how project management methods can vary depending on the context and objectives. I’ve come to appreciate that there is no one-size-fits-all approach, which has been particularly valuable in my role within a large organisation that brings together a diverse team with varying skills and areas of focus.

The Salford experience

As a student and staff member, it’s been a really positive experience since I first joined the institution back in 2013. The culture and commitment to empowering and improving amongst the student/staff population has really driven me to progress my career with the University and support others in doing the same. Whether it’s students I’m supporting as part of my role or staff members I’m working with, we really do want everyone to succeed here and that positive mindset really rubs off on everyone.

Advice for future students

One piece of advice I would give would be to just do your research, don’t be afraid to ask questions and get stuck in. The programmes overlap so you get to cover a wide range of skills and experience with each programme. This then offers you a greater scope of opportunities going forward, which is really beneficial.

Goals for the future

I’m currently completing an APM qualification to further support my career goals of progressing in Project Management, and I’m hoping to move into a more senior role either at the University or exploring opportunities within the public sector. I really enjoy the management aspect of my role and supporting others, so I’m very keen to stay in a similar area.

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