Sheza Raheel

Bachelors of Social Sciences (Hons) Politics and International Relations (2017)

Sheza Raheel is a Project Associate at EY, a global leader in assurance, tax, transaction and advisory services in Pakistan. Sheza graduated from Manchester with a Bachelor of Social Sciences in Politics and International Relations, in 2017. Here, Sheza tells us a bit about her journey since graduating.

My current role and how I got there

I am currently a Project Associate at EY in Pakistan, implementing a European Union-funded project: Promotion of Human Rights in Pakistan (Huqooq-e-Pakistan). Before this, I was an analyst at a political risk and intelligence company called S-RM in London.

Immediately after finishing my undergraduate degree, I was accepted into Oxford for a Master's. I believe my academic training at Manchester made that possible. After my Master's, I started working at a political risk company in London and was able to apply so much from my International Relations course to this job. Even now, in my current role, the writing and analysis skills I acquired at UoM continue to help me!

I was always interested in working in the public sector but my course definitely solidified that interest and equipped me with tangible skills to be able to apply for such jobs.

My experience at Manchester

I was sure I wanted to go to the UK to study International Relations and I applied to various universities. However, the course at Manchester was the most aligned with my interests and I remember being impressed with the wide range of modules on offer. The modules seemed the most interesting out of all the universities I had looked at, which is why I chose UoM.

Another reason for choosing Manchester was the city itself. I knew I wanted to live in a big city that still felt manageable, Manchester was exactly that for me.

I really enjoyed my studies but I am also very thankful for the support I got from both the academic and administrative staff in the School of Social Sciences, who were always willing to sit down with me to discuss future academic and career plans and give me valuable advice.

What I discovered since graduating

The most surprising takeaway from my course was realising how much my studies applied to everyday life after university. A lot of the research that I did and the modules that I took were to satisfy my own academic curiosity but when I began my professional career, I realised that so much of the knowledge about global politics and development that I acquired was very relevant in the workplace

My advice for future students

Have a look at all the modules on offer to see what aligns with your interests and future research plans! In your first year, make sure you pick a wide variety of modules so that you’re able to explore all of your interests.