Bachelor of Commerce
For Rachel Malden, coming to the University of Otago wasn't the easiest choice, but it turned out to be the right one.
“I really wanted to live away from home for the first time and meet some new people. I was a bit unsure if I would like Dunedin but thought I'd give it a go for at least the first year. I never looked back.”
“Otago is a pretty special place to be a student. Being no more than a 20-minute walk from campus or any of your friends' flats, and a short drive to some of the nicest beaches in the country is pretty cool.”
Although she had originally enrolled in a finance and genetics double major, the draw of economics made her change course.
“I found a passion for economics at the end of first year, so added this as a second major. I really enjoyed my science papers, but I'm sure I made the right decision in terms of where I see myself career-wise, at least for the next chapter of my life.”
Rachel found the lecturers in the Economics department super friendly and approachable, and loved the wide range of economics papers available.
“There are so many options, which many of my friends were surprised were economics papers. My absolute favourite was the behavioural economics paper, and I also enjoyed the economics of health and education.”
Rachel was also impressed by the many options the University offers for travel.
“During my three-year degree, I was able to take part in a summer school programme in Shanghai with nine other Otago students, which was definitely a highlight of my time at university. It gave me the opportunity to experience another culture and I made some friends for life on that trip.”
Since graduating, Rachel has taken up a position at PricewaterhouseCoopers as a graduate analyst in the finance and economics team in the consulting division.
“Otago degrees are definitely well recognised by employers. I know I've got a lot more to learn on the job, but I think my degree has given me a good base knowledge and taught me a lot about work ethic and time management.”
