Carla is pursuing a Dual Degree in Business Administration and Law at IE University’s Madrid campus. She is Spanish and she has lived in Madrid and her hometown of Valencia. While traveling and studying abroad in several countries, she decided she wanted to be totally immersed in an international environment. Learn more about Carla and her experience in this interview.
About Her
Where are you from? Have you ever lived anywhere else?
I’m from Valencia, Spain. Although I have never lived outside Spain, I’ve been traveling and discovering other cultures, which is what I enjoy most. When I was a kid, I lived in Madrid until I was eight years old and then moved to Valencia until I finished school. Then, I came back to Madrid to start my next chapter in life, university.
What educational systems have you followed at school?
I consider myself lucky because I’ve had the chance to learn in two completely different educational systems: the Spanish one and the British A-level one. Until the age of twelve, I was exposed to the traditional Spanish method, which trained my memory skills. Afterwards, I switched to a British school where I took the IGCSE and A-level exams, and I discovered a completely new approach, which involved more practical, critical thinking and problem-solving.
What are you studying? What was your impression when you started? Has it changed?
I am currently studying the Dual Degree in Business Administration and Law, and I have just finished my first year. I thought that studying these two degrees would be a good combination since in order to manage and lead the business world, it would be of a great value to have a good understanding of the international legal framework.
During the first sessions, I was feeling a bit insecure, especially regarding the law side of things, since my knowledge on the subject was quite limited. Fortunately, in a matter of time my class and I were actually able to discuss real cases and solve them by comparing jurisdictions. I’ve really enjoyed the subject and I’m glad I made these decisions in terms of both the program and the university.
What are your hobbies/interests?
Dancing is my passion. I’ve been doing ballet since I was four years old, following the Royal Academy of Dance curriculum, and I’m still doing it. Besides ballet, I also dance funky and I took drama classes last year. Finally, I’ve started learning to play guitar, so basically, my interest is music!
Why did you choose IEU?
I chose IEU because I liked the international environment that you can experience while living in Madrid. I was sure I would have the opportunity to learn from very interesting and open-minded people. Also, the fact that it offered the Dual Degree in BBA and LL.B with the comparative law methodology piqued my interest, as it was not the classic methodology used by nearly all law schools.
What do you want to do after graduation? What is your area of interest?
I have not properly decided my plans after graduation since I’ve only completed my first year, but right now, I am more interested in the area of business. I would like to work for a successful brand, hopefully developing my career in the marketing field. But who knows—maybe I’ll end up as a partner in a law firm. I don’t like to limit my options, and I’m open to any opportunities and challenges I may face.
About her professional experience
Are you currently involved in an internship? If so, tell us about it.
I’ve had the opportunity to work in the Marketing Department at IE University for a whole month. As a first-year student, I’m glad I’ve been able to get into the business world so soon, especially in the field that interests me most.
On my first day, I discovered the size and structure of the department. It is divided into segments responsible for different areas, such as master’s programs, the university, social media, performance… I’ve been involved in many projects related to different segments, so I’ve really had the chance to understand how the department works and the vast amount of work needed to carry out a successful marketing strategy. My work has shifted from creating digital formats with the content of the programs available, to having direct interactions with students in order to hear about their experience at IE. I’ve been able to improve my digital and creative skills, since I’ve also been collaborating with the university blog.
I’ve also gained a broader vision and knowledge of marketing. During my first week, I took an online course on HubSpot Academy and got the certificate for Inbound Marketing. The key fundamentals that I would highlight is the buyer’s journey and the inbound methodology that should be followed in order to convert strangers into leads, leads into customers, and customers into promoters of your brand.
About her experience at IEU
What’s the most valuable aspect of IEU for you?
The personalized and exclusive education that you receive. The methodology used is very dynamic and practical. Everyone says that what you study at university does not really reflect what you do in your future job, but IE makes sure that the learning is useful and can be applied in real life. For example, instead of just memorizing the requirements to start a new business, we actually created a start-up, including the whole business plan to present to investors. Regarding the legal sector, we visited a law firm and got to know what a real lawyer does in their day to day. And these are just two examples among many.
How has IEU’s comparative law methodology shaped your perspective about the legal world?
Although I still have many years to develop myself as a lawyer, the comparative law methodology has helped me to get out of the traditional way of learning and has given me a much broader perspective of the legal world. Now I am able to analyze the knowledge gained from different jurisdictions and apply the most relevant solution to a specific case. To become a good lawyer in the twenty-first century, it’s no longer enough to know the laws, so I hope this methodology will give me the right tools and skills in order to make a meaningful contribution to the legal world.