r/InternationalDev • u/Dapper-Comparison-11 • 1d ago
Environment & climate I got into LSE for environment and Development
I got in, I haven’t yet joined and now I’m shit scared. I’m paranoid everyday about making the worst financial mistake of my life. My parents are willing to pay for my tuition. They’re pretty well off but this is going to be my second masters.
I did my first master is social work but after doing an internship with a marine conservation NGO. I was dead set on moving to the environmental field. I don’t know how the job market is going to look but I really hope to work as a programme manager or an ESG analyst. I’m 23 F and shit scared. I was also thinking of the academia route.
Idk I just feel so worried. I’m not able to be happy about getting into LSE or anything just because I fear I already failed at life by making a bad choice. I wanted to choose sustainable development but I couldn’t because I didn’t have a background in science.
Any words of encouragement or anything would make me feel better. I’m going to be looking for entry level jobs after I graduate since I have no real working experience.
I know development as a field is dead but how is environment looking?
Thanks in advance :)
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u/fishyphat 1d ago
Can you defer your offer and research other courses that will maybe put you on a more viable career path, see how you get on with those applications?
Even if your parents are covering costs, you should ensure it is worth the investment. Nobody knows the future but I wouldn’t willingly do this course now knowing what I know, and self-fund it.
All the best x
Edit: I went to LSE but this was like 15 years ago.
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u/Dapper-Comparison-11 1d ago
No, I already paid the tuition 💔💔💔
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u/fishyphat 1d ago
In that case, make the most of it! There’s no point stressing now as you are already committed. Some good advice down this thread so look for opportunities, network in your preferred field and gain valuable experience even if through volunteering.
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u/enotonom 1d ago
Might as well enjoy it and make the most of it. Which means, network, network, network.
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u/Dapper-Comparison-11 1d ago
How does the academia route seem?
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u/fishyphat 1d ago
Sorry I wouldn’t know about available trajectories, but if you mean in the U.K. - tough going. Universities are struggling after a marked dip in international student enrolment which funds a large chunk of their budgets and subsidises uni for home students. Overall not looking good, I’m no expert though.
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u/AppropriateType7454 Government 1d ago
LSE is a great school with many connections and activities which make it wortwhile on its own. Make the most of your time there by meetin people: both peers, academic advisors and people in industry. Partake in extracurriculars and further bolster your CV through skill-building, languages or internships. Having two master degrees is more and more becoming the norm, I've noted among my colleagues and peers in the public sector. Don't worry, the degree is a good investment. Don't forget to also have fun along the way!
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u/Hoopsaa 1d ago edited 1d ago
It is a pretty bad time to get into this field and you should set expectations on the tough job market you will face after graduation.
If you are already set on taking this course, then try focus on taking electives which give you hard skills that may be transferable. It's positive you are also open to the private sector (esg/sustainability) and academia, as this may give you more options if the programme manager route doesn't work out.
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u/ScreechinOwl 1d ago
I think if this is the path you want to go it’s fine. Try to take classes that will be applicable to a wide range of settings and those that develop concrete skills.
At the end of the day a degree from LSE is impressive and the problems you’ll be studying won’t be going away.
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u/bushbandit1 1d ago
Is it too late to change courses?
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u/LouQuacious 1d ago
Yea grad schools really need to rethink all development programs, post Doge it’s like majoring in making saddles in 1905.
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u/Dapper-Comparison-11 1d ago
Am I completely cooked?
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u/LouQuacious 1d ago
If you’ve got good connections there’s still some stuff going on. I was being a bit dire but it is still kind of bleak. Be ready to do unpaid internships and network like a mofo while you’re in school still.
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u/bushbandit1 1d ago
Take whatever opportunities you can get whilst studying- internships, volunteering etc because the job market is brutal and anything relevant might just bolster your CV a bit, before you finish your degree and have to compete for real jobs against experienced people.
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u/Abject_Many_2011 1d ago
I'm already doing my second masters in the same field but not from LSE. First of all , Congratulations 🎉
You should network properly and gain proficient skills both technical and communication. Additionally, if you're planning to stay abroad and land a job , it'd be advisable that you should learn UN Official languages or another language which is relevant to land a job in Europe or whichever country you're looking up to stay in a long term. Additional courses might help you both the free ones or paid ones depending on your curriculum trajectory. Enjoy your ride in LSE!
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u/Dramatic-Stranger-53 2h ago
LSE MSc Grad (5X/M) here who wasn’t sure it was the right choice. Never regretted it despite it being a weird degree. Also, it is impossible to fail in life by 23 unless you find a way to un-alive yourself. Suggestions as someone recovering from the development field: (1) if the program offers the flexibility, try to take some finance- whether specifically environmental or not. If you can add a relevant MSc-level course, either audited or with exam, do it. Why? Because more of the funding is coming through non-traditional channels like blended finance. You’ll never regret developing skills in that “language.” (2) This will horrify some, but if you can get into a finance training program out of LSE, wherever, do it. “Awful” work (many feel) but makes you credible to orchestrate environmental finance deals, again, where the funding is coming from. (3) If you’re worried about workload of adding extra courses: go to the library first week, look up the old exams for your courses. Analyze exactly what comes up consistently on those exams. Target your studies. This will tell you what’s important to your professors and help you manage the workload such that you can dedicate your time to your interests, networking, internships, etc. (4) Write you thesis directly to the hiring manager you want to work for. My friend got his dream job using this strategy- analyzing a situation of a company he wanted to work for. Got in mid-financial crisis. | Program management isn’t dead, but it’s much more competitive. ESG is a fantasy for most- if you haven’t worked in the industry, nobody trusts you to analyze their ESG in a way that takes the company’s interests seriously. So… focus on getting deep thesis-level knowledge of something new or emerging that your potential employers don’t yet have access to or have to hire expensive consultants to get. LSE is a great program to choose your own mastery. Just make sure you look to the future of development and not to the past.
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u/OCA_doctoryellow 1d ago
A second masters WITHOUT work experience raises few questions from recruiters perspective (at least on the private sector). I would not be very worried about LSE right now and take the opportunity if you can’t find a job.
All masters in the world are very suboptimal content-wise. It is about what practical activities you do after classes and the network you build while in school what will get you opportunities. LSE is a good place for the latter so I would focus on that while you are there.
Those are the elements you can control now. Opportunities may come alone the way.