It’s amazing how fast four years can go by. From choosing a major to choosing a career, there’s a lot of decisions to be made as a student. But one of the best decisions I’ve made while at Duke was pursuing the Markets and Management certificate. However, I didn’t just wake up and think “I’m going to get the MMS certificate!” Instead, it took some time for me to really figure out if MMS was the right certificate for me. Perhaps you as well are in the same boat, figuring out if a certificate in Markets and Management is really worth it. To help you decide, I will share with you some advice that helped me make my decision. Hopefully, it will prove to be useful for you as well.
Use the Duke Alumni Site
Trust me, the Duke alumni site isn’t just for seniors trying to find job opportunities. Instead, it provides a great avenue to talk with former students who, once upon a time, had to make the same choices as you do now. On this website, you can contact those who have also received the MMS certificate, or possibly those who pursued your major and the MMS certificate. These alums can provide you with a realistic understanding into how this certificate will complement your major. They can also help you explore the different career options that you can pursue with this educational background. When I was considering the MMS certificate, I emailed two Duke alums. They told me the classes they took and how it helped their post-graduation decisions. Hearing their own experience helped me make the decision to pursue MMS. And regardless, it’s never too early to start networking.
Take A Class
Interdisciplinary by nature, the Markets and Management certificate offers courses from several departments from Economics to Sociology. Thus, I would encourage students to take any course that they would find interesting that also counts for the certificate. Or, I would advise students to take a class under the Markets and Management department. Moreover, these courses will provide a great introduction to the certificate.
Talk with an Ambassador
While there was not the ambassador program when I was considering the certificate, fortunately, there is now! We are current MMS students, who really want to help our peers learn about all the opportunities MMS has to offer. Feel free to contact us and we will be happy to answer any of your questions.
Regardless of your decision, I hope these few words of advice helps you make the best choice for you. You only have four years at Duke! So, make the best out of it
