Hasani’s SOAS journey started with her undergraduate degree, taking courses in Global Development. The thought-provoking nature of the field would spark the first embers of interest, spurring her to pursue the MSc Global Development. As a university that emphasised nuanced and decolonial perspectives like no other, it was a no-brainer for her to stay.

“SOAS is known as one of London’s most politically active universities, and the strong activist spirit has allowed me to foster a sense of social responsibility to advocate for global issues,” Hasani says. “Being surrounded by students and academics who are passionate about driving change has encouraged me to seek solutions to promote equality and justice.”

Programme: MSc Global Development

Full-time students in the programme undertake a year of courses in one of two pathways: gender, or labour and activism. It’s both customisable and filled with real-world exposure through industry projects and work placements.

For Hasani, the weekly case studies in the “Development Practice” course deepened her understanding of global development. She worked on projects like an assessment planning task for a rural development NGO, where she developed strategies to engage the village community.

“The module also drew attention to community-driven global development over top-down solutions which highlights the role of local agency in creating more impactful change — something that has impacted my future career aspirations,” Hasani adds.

The SOAS Careers service was key in preparing Hasani for a challenging career. From CV writing, to interview preparations, to navigating a competitive market — it’s the catalyst for the vast career opportunities she’s gained. 

She’s active in research, looking into public sector challenges and strategies to drive her career goals forward. She’s a student ambassador, too, a role that gives her exposure to various fields.

She recently gained an opportunity through the International Development Placement course. “Through this [course], I recently began an internship with Emerging Public Leaders (EPL), an organisation committed to cultivating young professionals for public service roles across Africa,” she says.