This is a guest blog by Ayra, first year BA (Hons) Sociology and Social Anthropology student.

Hi everyone, my name is Ayra. I’m an international student currently studying BA (Hons) Sociology & Social Anthropology, and just finished with my first year. I’ve always been interested to pursue my studies in Social Anthropology so it was like a dream comes true when I got the offer to study at BU. The reasons why I choose BU are because the modules offered throughout the three years of my course are very interesting, the attractive location, which is nearby the gorgeous golden beaches and for its international community.

So far, my first year has been very interesting despite it being my first time coming to the UK from Malaysia. There are six modules altogether for a year and it’s fairly distributed and planned for the students, so you won’t feel burdened with the subjects. My favourite modules from my first year are ‘Understanding Communities’ and ‘Social Inequality and Exclusion’. As the modules are heavily influenced by Sociology, most of my lectures were joint with students from different courses like; BA (Hons) Sociology and BA (Hons) Sociology & Criminology. Thus, it was very interesting to hear different perspectives and opinions from students from different backgrounds. I learned a lot from the lectures and tutorials (where you will be in a smaller group to discuss a certain topic) and the readings provided are very insightful about society! There are a lot of studies about different societies and their cultures from around the world. Overall for me, that is the most interesting part about studying my course.

All of my classes are located on Lansdowne Campus. During my first year, most of our classes would be held at the main large lecture theatre in Bournemouth House and the Executive Business Centre. The campus is within walking distance from the beach and town centre so there’s a lot of shops and restaurants around the corner (including student accommodation)! Next year, most of our on-campus sessions will be held in the new building – Bournemouth Gateway Building, so that’s pretty exciting!

BU offers a lot of support for international students. As an international student, it’s been a huge relief to have had access to help when I needed it. There’s Medical Centre on Talbot Campus, Student Wellbeing Centre (for mental health) and an Additional Learning Support team who are always available to provide assistance when needed. If you’re keen on improving your personal and professional skills on top of your academic study, BU has a Global Talent Programme (GTP), which helps students to stand out from the crowd.

In terms of student events and activities, the Students’ Union (SUBU) organise various activities throughout the year for students, including Freshers Week. There’s also a small weekly get-together amongst international students at the Fusion Building, known as ‘Global Café’, where I have made new friends from all around the world (as a result of the current climate, they are now organising an online meet-up).

Overall, my experience has been great so far and I can’t wait to start my second year in September!

Syahirah Haziqah (Ayra)
BA (Hons) Sociology & Social Anthropology

Chat with Ayra directly via UniBuddy chat platform.

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