Why do professionals return to university to study AI mid-career? Mary-ann Astle, a corporate communications and public affairs professional, shares her decision to pursue a master’s in Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation while balancing a full-time career, business ownership and teaching. Her reflections explore AI, digital change and the realities of lifelong learning.
Mary-ann: It will probably come as no surprise that I used AI to research which university to choose for a master’s in Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transformation.
Not exclusively; I still read course content properly and did the usual due diligence, but it was part of how I approached the decision. That, in itself, says quite a lot about where we are.
Using AI to choose an AI degree
My research led me to the University of Southampton. My Enrolment Advisor was a key part of my final decision. We spoke several times on the phone, and his consultative approach helped answer questions and sense-check my thinking. I was genuinely appreciative of the time he gave.
I’ll be starting the master’s in June and I’m immensely looking forward to it.
AI is a subject that can attract very different views depending on where you sit on the spectrum. At one end, it’s people using tools like ChatGPT to jump on trends or speed up the day job. At the other, it veers into dystopia, with machines taking over entirely.
The reality is far less dramatic, and far more important.
The growing gap between using AI and understanding it
What matters is what AI is already doing: reshaping how information is created and, crucially, how it’s trusted. Within that, there’s a growing gap between using technology and understanding it. That gap matters - it’s also a gap I’ve seen before.
What journalism taught me about technological change
I first went to university aged 17 with my sights set firmly on journalism (hence a BA (Hons) Journalism from Teesside University). After graduating in 2000, I spent the next 20 years building my career, from trainee reporter through to Executive Editor (Digital), helping transition a traditional newspaper into a digital-first operation and growing one of the fastest-growing regional news websites in the UK.
It taught me how to understand information quickly and shape it into something people actually pay attention to. It also gave me a front row seat to something else.
Why industries struggle to adapt to new technology
I watched, often with increasing frustration, how slow the industry was to adapt to the internet and emerging technologies. Not because the change wasn’t obvious, but because industries are rarely built to adapt at speed. At the time, it felt specific to journalism. Looking back, it wasn’t.
You can see the same pattern playing out now across almost every sector with AI. The shift is visible and the impact is already happening. Yet, in many places, the response is delayed or surface-level.
That recognition is a big part of why I’m doing this. That experience, of seeing change coming and watching how slowly it can be absorbed, is what makes this next step feel less like a leap and more like a continuation.
Moving from journalism into higher education
A mid-pandemic pivot, one I didn’t see coming, took me away from journalism and into Higher Education. I now work full-time as Head of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs at University of Staffordshire, focusing on reputation and how organisations communicate in complex, fast-moving environments.
Alongside that, I run my own marketing and PR business, now supported by some brilliant graduate talent, teach yoga and aerial arts, and train in CrossFit and HYROX, which keeps things interesting.
Balancing full-time work, business and study
People do sometimes ask how I fit it all in. The honest answer is that I don’t always know, but I’ve found that if you genuinely enjoy what you’re doing, you tend to find a way.
I’ve always approached things as a series of small, manageable goals: micro-projects that keep things interesting and, more importantly, achievable.
What learning MidJourney taught me about public perception of AI
A recent little project was teaching myself MidJourney in a weekend, which ended up becoming a fully formed children’s book, written and illustrated. It never made it from printed 'author's proof copy' to publication, not because the idea or quality wasn’t there, but because the reaction of friends shifted as soon as I explained how it had been created.
It was a useful moment. Not discouraging, but clarifying. A reminder that the technology is often moving faster than people are comfortable with, and that perception and acceptance are still catching up. I’ve realised I tend to follow things that spark my curiosity, rather than overthink where they might lead.
Why AI kept appearing in the books I was reading
Last year, I set myself a simple goal: read 52 books in 52 weeks. When I looked back, a surprising number of them circled back to AI, its impact, its risks and, more interestingly to me, its potential. At some point, when the same theme keeps showing up, it’s probably worth paying attention to.
Why I decided to return to university
That’s where this decision to pursue a master’s really started to take shape. Going back into formal study isn’t about changing direction, it’s about deepening my understanding of something that’s already influencing my everyday life.
The Southampton course stood out because it combines the technical foundations of AI with its real-world organisational and strategic impact, which is exactly where my interest sits.
Studying AI while working full-time
The course is also flexible, which matters because alongside this, I’ll still be working full-time, running a business and teaching. The juggle is real, but it’s also something I’m used to.
This decision to go back to university as a mature student is a personal one, separate from my full-time role, but one I’ve been open about at work. I’m very grateful for the encouragement and understanding of my line manager at University of Staffordshire.
I genuinely believe people are far more capable than they give themselves credit for, and often the only real limits are the ones we set ourselves.
Advice for anyone considering a career pivot
And if there’s one thing I’d say to anyone thinking about a career pivot or going back into education, it’s this:
- Don’t assume you can’t do it.
- Don’t assume the timing has to be perfect.
- Don’t assume the juggle is a reason not to start.
- If you’re genuinely interested, if it’s something you keep coming back to, you’ll usually find a way.
- It might not be neat, and it might not be easy, but it’s very rarely impossible!
Thank you to Mary-ann for sharing your thoughts on returning to higher education to study AI.
Discover our range of online Artificial Intelligence master’s degrees
The University of Southampton offers three flexible online Artificial Intelligence master’s degrees. Choose from the MA Artificial Intelligence, focused on machine learning and practical AI skills, the MA Artificial Intelligence (Digital Transformation), exploring AI’s impact on organisations and the workplace, or the MA Artificial Intelligence (Criminal Justice Systems), examining the ethical and societal challenges of AI in criminal justice.
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