Maya Shah

Why did you want to study in Birmingham, and what were you most excited about when coming here?

I chose to study at Birmingham because of the course: I studied BA English Language and Linguistics and the breadth of modules I could choose from in my second and third years really excited me. Birmingham also has a gorgeous campus with a well-stocked library, plenty of study spaces and green areas and of course Old Joe! The city centre has loads of entertainment and fantastic transport links for getting around the country.

Why did you want to study English Language and Linguistics at Birmingham?

For me, the stand-out reason I chose my course was the breadth of optional modules available. I could choose from a huge range of topics and therefore personalise my studies to what interests me most. One thing that particularly stood out to me was the Professional Skills module, through which I secured my dream placement at HarperCollins Publishers. My dream is to enter the publishing industry after graduation and this placement was such a valuable opportunity for helping me achieve this goal.

What are your favourite places to visit in the Midlands?

Birmingham City Centre has everything you could need - shops, entertainment, restaurants and transport links. Harborne has some lovely independent shops and restaurants (plus another Waterstones!). Edgbaston is leafy and green and Winterbourne House and Gardens is free for students. Stratford-upon-Avon isn't too far away and is full of history!

Describe an average week in your life

I'll talk you through an average week in my life in second year, as third year has been extremely busy! I would spend a couple of hours every day in lectures. I would usually do some independent study after each lecture - normally involving doing the readings, preparing for my seminars and working on any assignments. On Wednesdays, my day off, I usually went into the city centre to visit the cinema and Waterstones (just a quick 5-minute train ride from University station). I also worked as the Secretary and Culture Editor for the Linguist magazine, so every couple of weeks I would attend a committee meeting and have some articles to edit alongside my uni work.

How do you think your degree and studying abroad will support your future plans?

As I mentioned before, I completed a placement at HarperCollins Publishers through the Professional Skills Module. This was an invaluable opportunity that allowed me to build skills and connections that will hopefully serve me well when applying for jobs in the publishing industry. The UoB careers service is absolutely fantastic - we get weekly emails rounding up career opportunities from internships to volunteering to grad jobs. There are multiple internship schemes the university runs including the Collaborative Research Internship scheme and the B-Experienced Internship scheme. In the summer between my first and second year I did a B-Experienced internship at a theatre company and built loads of admin skills (which are useful for pretty much every entry-level job), improved my confidence when working in professional settings and got a taste of life in the creative industries. I owe a lot to the career opportunities I've had during my time at Birmingham!