New mum Mamoona masters TESOL

For London Met graduate Mamoona Saeed, 2011 was an eventful year; “I got a husband, a baby and a degree!” she said.

Date: 17/01/2012

For London Met graduate Mamoona Saeed, 2011 was an eventful year; “I got a husband, a baby and a degree!” she said.   

Mamoona, who studied for an MA in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL), was heavily pregnant during her studies and gave birth just two months before she handed in her dissertation. 

Despite having her hands full with a baby girl, Mamoona’s dissertation received the highest mark on the course.  

Originally from Lahore, Pakistan, Mamoona came to London Met to improve her skills and get a qualification that would boost her employability. 

“Studying at London Met was an amazing experience,” she said. “The lecturers were fantastic. Since orientation, there has always been a smiling face there to help us. 

“My teachers gave me invaluable advice and were very understanding of my being pregnant. They were always there to help me out in every part of life.”

As well as juggling her parenting and academic commitments, Mamoona also found time to volunteer as a Student Academic Representative (StAR) during her studies, giving her fellow students a voice in the University. 

Parvaneh Tavakoli, Senior Lecturer in Applied Linguistics, said: “Mamoona is a highly achieving student who has contributed to the course both in terms of academic and social values. 

“She was the course StAR, representing her colleagues on formal and institutional fronts. Being pregnant and giving birth to a baby girl in the middle of her full-time course did not disrupt her from her focus and achievements.”

So, what advice does Mamoona offer to new students on the MA TESOL course? 

“It’s a golden chance for them to shine and excel in the language teaching field. They should keep in touch with their tutors throughout the course to get valuable help and advice. Hopefully, this degree will prove a milestone in their professional careers.”

Mamoona is now planning to study for a Certificate in English Language Teaching to Adults (CELTA), as well as working as a teacher. Her future ambition is to complete a PhD.   

“My time at London Met has been memorable and insightful,” Mamoona said. “It's a place where I turned my dreams into reality.”

Mamoona Saeed, MA TESOL