Multi-tasker Michael juggles family life and two university courses to further career in research
A busy dad-of-three who juggled studying for two university-level qualifications, working full-time and looking after his family is celebrating after graduating from the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan).
Michael Haslam, from Accrington, has collected his First-class degree in MSc Personality Disorder by Research at UCLan after studying part-time for three years.
The 38-year-old said: “I am delighted to be graduating with a First-class master’s degree and really pleased with what I have achieved. The course was very demanding and the past three years have been incredibly tough on myself and my family as I’ve had no time off to enjoy weekends or Bank Holidays with them.
“Having a supportive family who have just let me get on with studying when I needed to has made all the difference.”
Michael, who currently works as a Lecturer in Nurse Education at Edge Hill University, is also studying for a Postgraduate Certificate (PGCert) in Teaching Higher Education that he is due to complete in June 2019.
But juggling two qualifications at the same time hasn’t proved difficult for multi-tasker Michael who found it easy to switch between his studies. Commenting on how his course at UCLan has helped him, he said: “The skills that I’ve acquired have really helped me in my current job and also whilst I was working in practice as an A&E Liaison Nurse in East Lancashire last year.
“The course has helped me to understand how a personality disorder emerges in a person and I’ve been able to conduct further research into this developing area of psychiatry. I’m then able to pass this knowledge on to my students which I wouldn’t have been able to share otherwise.”
A fully qualified mental health nurse, Michael’s master’s dissertation achieved a high First and really impressed the external exam board. His research on suicide and self-harm has since been condensed and submitted for journal publication.
Yet it seems that Michael’s studying days are far from over as he plans to get back to the books after finishing his PGCert next year and take on a PhD.