Sebastian loved studying at BU so much that he decided to stay on to study a postgrad degree in MSc Internet of Things with Cyber Security. We asked him some questions about his decision and you can read his reposes below.

What was your main reason for studying a postgraduate qualification?

To gain double specialisation in two highly advanced domains and enhance my employment options.

Why did you decide to stay at/return to BU?

Because it is The Best University in Bournemouth and Poole! 🙂

What are the best things about your course and academic experience overall?

The best thing that happened is that I entered in various competitions with all sorts of amazing people and I was able to expand my hidden potential to a level where I am now confident that I can do almost everything within my domain and it will help me achieve my final goal of working for Google one day! Another aspect that I loved when coming here is that I was able to gain some experience within my desired field and at the same time the visits from companies such as IBM or JP Morgan that opened my eyes towards what businesses are really looking for when hiring potential employees. Finally, I thoroughly enjoyed the Graduation Ceremony for my undergraduate course because it was a once in a lifetime moment for me where all my work has finally been rewarded and I had the honour of shaking the hand of VIP Chancellors and have it registered on YouTube none the less! Nothing that I hated ever since coming here! 🙂

What are your favourite things about living and studying in Bournemouth?

My first favourite thing ever since moving here from Romania is studying within Bournemouth University!
My second favourite thing is to finally be able to pursue my goal of getting to Google with higher chances compared to the one I had within my country.
Finally, the third thing is the city itself, because it has limitless attractions, such as the beach, Town Centre, Odeon, Cameo and plenty more!

What were your career aspirations before coming to BU and what are they now?

I always wanted to work for Google ever since I was 13 and I did my first IT lesson in school! The only thing that changed ever since coming here are my chances of reaching this goal!

How do you feel your postgraduate experience at BU will help you in your future career?

My postgraduate course puts me one step ahead or closer to my competition and my chances of getting into Google increase and after my Master’s course, I plan to go to America and apply for a PhD in Google because they now applied these courses for those who aspire to work for them!

If you already have a graduate job lined up, please give details…

At the moment, I have a job offer for a company called Sysccollective and a second potential job offer for a client whose invention I will be using for my postgraduate dissertation!

What postgraduate financial support have you been eligible for?

Student Finance has sustained me in my four years at university!

What have been the main differences you’ve found in postgraduate study vs. your first degree?

The postgraduate course provided me with an actual in-view of what programming languages are used the most in companies and the demonstrations did in class made me more aware of what I still need to improve compared to my undergraduate course.

What piece of advice would you give to someone considering BU for their postgraduate studies?

My first advice for potential Masters or PhD students is to do a Master’s first and afterwards head towards PhD because the Master’s provides more support for your project, whereas a PhD is more independent and the assistance is smaller. I am helping my girlfriend with her PhD course and I had the chance to see how students work within their PhD. Another piece of advice is to prepare in your summer holiday if you really enjoy what you do because those who are not willing to put in the work will be giving up in the end.

By Sebastian Poiana
MSc Internet of Things with Cyber Security students and BSc (Hons) Software Engineering graduate.