From Dual Master's to Climate Change Policy Analyst in the UK

I am Sofia Basheer, a climate change policy analyst at InfluenceMap in the UK. I started working here after I completed my Dual Master's in International and World History from the London School of Economics and Columbia University. I spoke with Leap about my journey for their expert student series—Indians who had studied abroad recently and are still in that country pursuing their dreams—because I want to help others wanting to take the same career jump that I made.

Q: Tell us about your background.

I’m from Kerala and pursued an integrated master’s in Development Studies at IIT Madras. During my fourth year, I had the opportunity to do an exchange semester at the University of Bologna in Italy, where I spent four months exploring a wide range of courses. It was during that time I realized I wanted to delve deeper into history.

A year before graduating, I applied to graduate history programs in the US and the UK. I received a couple of PhD admit offers but ultimately chose a Master’s program between the London School of Economics and Columbia University since I couldn't get funding for the PhD programs. My first year was spent in New York, and my second year in London, culminating in a dual MA and MSc in International History from both institutions.

Q. How did you decide where to go and study? What was the process like?

From my research, I knew the US and UK had some of the best programs available, so it made sense to apply there. Additionally, I had a personal preference for living in an English-speaking society, which made both the UK and the US ideal options at that time. In addition, I was primarily interested in the history of the British Empire for which I felt the proximity to UK archives and sources was useful.

Q. What was it like to study there?

One of the good things about studying on two different continents was that I got to see how the academic system works in these spaces. In the US, academia is more flexible than you'd imagine. The barriers to entry in the US are high, but once you reach there you can research or learn whatever you want.

In the second year, I moved to LSE in the UK. It was a completely different system. There the curriculum is designed to thoroughly familiarise students with the historiography and the different debates in literature. So it was a much more intensive and organized space. The grading system also felt more stricter here than in the US.

I initially found it difficult to adjust to the UK curriculum because COVID had shut all universities, transitioning to fully online courses, and everyone around was stressed from the uncertainty. So moving from a flexible academia to a more rigid one like the UK felt a bit difficult. But in retrospect, I think the structure of the UK curriculum and the detailed feedback from my professors helped me hone my research skills and better understand the discipline.

Q. Can you break down your expenses? How did you finance it?

My initial offer of admission came with a 50% scholarship on tuition fees at Columbia and 25% at LSE. I also got some hardship funding from Columbia in my second semester. In my second year, I also got an additional 50% scholarship for tuition at LSE. Overall I spent close to INR 50,00,000 on my education, accommodation, and fees included. I financed this through a student loan in India.

My scholarships were university-specific and not tied to any particular program. For Columbia, I received their tuition fee waiver, which was more like a fellowship. At LSE, I was awarded the graduate scholarship. Both were part of the universities' general scholarship pools rather than distinct, named scholarships.

Q: How was your job hunt after graduation?

I knew from day one that I had to find a job at the end of my degree, primarily because I was constrained by student loan repayments. I started searching for internships the week I reached New York. It was a bit stressful because I didn't have any prior full-time work experience that could help me get a job there. After my first year, I interned at Brookings India (now Centre for Social and Economic Progress) in the foreign policy vertical in the summer. Meanwhile, I also had part-time content writing jobs throughout my degree.

I found a full-time job only after I finished my degree in the UK. It was exciting because the role I landed was a research-based one in a think tank.

I used a variety of platforms for finding jobs and internships - Google, Linkedin, university job portals, etc. I was pretty organized for this process - I used to allocate half a day every week to check for new listings, prepare CVs, or set up appointments with the university career guidance team.

Do you have any tips for jobs or the CV process for those who are in the field and looking for jobs?

I would recommend to anyone in India, especially in the humanities field, who wants to choose further studies abroad to stay back after their degree and get some work experience before moving abroad. That will make a big difference in your resume and your future job search. Another advice is to make as much use of the career services of the university that you're applying to. I used Columbia and LSE’s career hubs throughout my years there, and they were very helpful. I also set up resume review sessions and mock interviews with the university career teams.

Q. Do you want to give any general advice?

I am a realist, but I would still say that if you’re passionate about studying a subject, no matter what it is or where it’s offered, I’d say go for it. As long as you’re willing to figure out the practical realities of your decision, like funding, job searches or moving from home, it will be fine. In the end, if it’s something you truly want, you should pursue it—otherwise, you might regret it later. I made a deliberate decision to follow this path, even though nearly everyone around me thought it was a bad idea financially and otherwise. Looking back, it was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I have met amazing people, made so many friends, and broadened my intellectual horizons in this process.