'I'm always trying to learn away from the pitch'
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"I don't want to stop playing and then just sit around doing nothing - and this was something that genuinely interested me."
Everton midfielder Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall is describing his postgraduate diploma in global football sport directorship from the PFA Business School.
For now, of course, the 28-year-old - who is in the best form of his career - remains focused on playing football, but among this year's graduates might be future coaches, executives and sporting directors who go on to influence the game in different ways.
"I hope I've got a long time left in football but, as a person, I'm always trying to learn and develop away from the pitch," the former Leicester City and Chelsea player told BBC Sport.
"Whether I use it in the future, we will see - but it is always good to do it now rather than wait until you have finished playing.
"If the time ever comes when an opportunity presents itself, luckily I've got something that can help me."
The course is designed to run alongside a football career. For example, seminars are scheduled to minimise clashes with matches and training sessions.
Players can also study in their own time, although Dewsbury-Hall said he had some "weird looks" while studying on an iPad during journeys home from away games.
"Maybe some players just don't want to do things like this, but they easily could. It's just not their passion," added Dewsbury-Hall.
"I'm not saying this is my passion, but it's something I've done to show that footballers can complete these kinds of courses while they are still playing. Who knows where it will lead?"