Efe Tekkanat is a second year media student at Bournemouth University and currently doing his internship at Anglo-Continental. He writes regularly about culture and technology in his blog www.efetekkanat.com
“I’ve always wanted to work in the communication industry, whether it’s advertising, marketing or public relations. After looking at the universities in Finland, I decided that, for an international career, I should take the big leap and move to the UK. Regardless of what industry you’re aiming to work in, moving to England to study can be an immense boost for your career. I chose Bournemouth University because of the reputation of its media school. My degree (Communication and Media) offers me the widest skill set. I’ve studied journalism, marketing and even linguistics on my course! If you are into marketing and digital media, studying in Bournemouth might suit you, as the town has a vibrant and thriving marketing scene. There are marketing networking events organised regularly and students are always welcomed to those. Many students also appreciate that London is just a two-hour bus ride away.
A lot of my Finnish friends have asked me how I prepared myself to study in the UK. It is important to note that a lot of your time will be spent reading in the library, so you should be comfortable reading and writing in English. Here are some tips to get you ready for studying in an English academic environment:
- Listen to and read English material as much as you can, as often as you can. Read your favourite books in English, watch movies, listen to podcasts and audiobooks;
- Consider signing up to English speaking online forums and connect with people that share the same interests as you. It’s even better if you have the opportunity to visit England and study at a language school, before starting your university;
- University is all about academic writing and demonstrating that you are able to defend your arguments. A good thing to do is to set up a blog, research your favourite topics and start publishing your opinions. The most important thing with this is to have fun and enjoy the learning experience.
In addition to this, I strongly recommend to try to intern at a company that you are passionate about. I am doing mine at Anglo-Continental, which is one of the largest English language schools in the UK. Working at Anglo-Continental gives me the opportunity to learn more about education marketing. I enjoy working with current and prospective students and meeting new people from around the globe, helping them to have an enjoyable learning experience. Having applied through an education agent myself to study in Bournemouth, I know quite well how exciting the opportunity of studying abroad can be.”