Joe Elliott

BA Linguistics and Languages

'When I was accepted onto my BA course, I felt somewhat daunted about the prospect of returning to study after a 16-year break and wondered whether I would be able to balance my studies with a full-time job and personal commitments.

'However, after the first couple of weeks, my apprehension was replaced with a feeling of excitement and an eagerness to learn. The lectures were stimulating, the lecturers were enthusiastic and experts within their fields, and student participation was actively encouraged and valued. I learnt a great deal from my tutors and fellow students.

'Part-time study requires hard work, dedication and self-discipline, but I feel that the fulfillment and sense of achievement gained from acquiring knowledge in a vibrant environment allowed my commitment to develop naturally and somewhat unconsciously.

'What makes Birkbeck unique is that staff understand and cater for students who have busy lives. They are extremely supportive and will go out of their way to help students who may be struggling or are in need of help or advice.  On the whole, balancing studies with other commitments turned out to be much more manageable than I had originally thought when starting the course.

'My language studies have helped me in my role as a Senior Teaching Assistant, as I am now more skilled and more confident in teaching French and Spanish to young children. Additionally, my linguistic studies have given me access to a range of research and theories from which I can draw when teaching English and foreign languages.

'If, in the future, I decide to undertake an MA, Birkbeck will definitely be the place I'll choose to do it.'