“The biggest advantages are progressiveness, relevance of the courses, and development of practical skills” — interview with student Diana Margazanova
On Choosing a University
When choosing a university, I considered its reputation, quality of education, the programs it offers, and the subjects within those programs. I only considered HSE University.
I applied to three programs: Digital Product Management (at that time it was called Digital Innovations in Enterprise Management), Business Administration, and Business Informatics. I wanted a program that covered not only everything related to business, but also the IT field. My current program was my top choice from the beginning, because it is entirely taught in English and provides two diplomas — from HSE and the University of London.
Why Do You Think You Made the Right Choice?
In my opinion, one of the biggest advantages is the progressiveness and relevance of the content we’re taught. This is especially important in my program, because technology evolves rapidly, so the study materials need to be constantly updated.
Another important advantage is the focus on developing practical skills. Our program includes a lot of project-based work, including collaboration with major companies such as Cloud.ru and VK.
About the Courses
– Which subjects and courses did you like the most, and why?
Open Innovations — it provided a lot of useful and non-obvious techniques that can be applied in business, and we analyzed real-life cases.
Management and Innovation of E-Business — I really liked the professor. She made classes as engaging and useful as possible and invited guest speakers.
Game Theory — a very useful subject for understanding decision-making principles and strategy.
Digital Business Transformation — this course helped us understand the process of digitalizing business; we developed solutions for various companies.
– What useful skills did you acquire during your studies? Can you give examples of how you applied them?
Honestly, I gained a lot of skills — such as programming, data analysis, machine learning, business analytics, operations and strategic management, marketing, UX/UI design, working with databases, project and product management.
These skills can be used for data-driven decision-making, technology development and implementation, improving customer satisfaction, and managing business in general.
The study load is quite intense. The subjects and formats are diverse, which helps with well-rounded development. The volume of material is extensive, and the difficulty level usually depends on the subject and the professor.
Opportunities for Students
– What opportunities at GSB and HSE as a whole have you taken advantage of? What did they give you for your personal and professional development?
I used the services of the GSB Career Center to find an internship and got into a large IT company. I also completed HSE’s courses on data analysis in Python and deep learning. Additionally, I participated in Alfa Digital School — a joint project between Alfa-Bank and HSE. All of this helped me gain practical experience in IT product development.
– What do you do outside of your studies? Do you have enough time for it? How do you maintain balance?
Outside of studying, I do sports, pursue creative hobbies, and often take additional courses. The schedule is quite flexible, especially in the later years, so I usually have enough time for everything. The exception is the exam period and pre-exam sessions, when the academic workload increases significantly, so I sometimes have to give up some other activities.
– Have you worked during your studies? What knowledge gained at HSE has helped you professionally?
I haven’t worked, but I did an internship as a data analyst and used the knowledge from my bachelor’s program and data analysis courses at HSE.
Future Plans and Advice for Applicants
– How do you see your future professional development? Do you plan to continue your studies in a master’s program?
I plan to work and study in a master’s program at the same time. I haven’t decided on the specialization yet, but I’m interested in logistics at HSE, because I really appreciate the quality of education. Unfortunately, the only such program is in St. Petersburg, so I’m still considering it.
– What would you advise prospective applicants to the Digital Product Management program at HSE GSB?
First, pay special attention to math, especially in the first years — it’s one of the most challenging subjects. Mathematical analysis and statistics appear frequently in other disciplines as well, so any gaps in knowledge may cause difficulties later on.
Secondly, if your English proficiency is not very strong, focus on improving it before you apply. Otherwise, it will be quite difficult to understand the material and complete assignments.