Laura
BSc (Hons) Business and Management
Triple crown accreditation
"Bradford was my first choice when applying and I chose the BSc (Hons) Business and Management. The School of Management has the prestigious 'triple crown' accreditation and that gave me confidence in the quality of the course. I was also impressed with the graduate employability stats from my course and really wanted the opportunity to do a placement year.
"I've been working in a school during my placement. It's been an interesting and challenging time working with the administration team and I know that I'll be able to use this experience in my final year of study as well as in my work after graduation.
"My passion for business comes from my parents who are both in the petrol industry back home in Romania. I remember going to their office with them and being fascinated by their work there and out in the field. I also did an entrepreneurship course in high school which was a fantastic experience and something that I was able to talk about when applying for my course at Bradford."
I've used the careers service a lot! They helped me to find my placement and also to find part-time work during my studies. While on placement I have also continued to develop and refine my CV with the help of the careers team.
Seeing the world
"As part of the course I've had the opportunity to do a week-long exchange visit to Bahrain. It was a fully funded trip to the capital Manama and it was fantastic to experience how business and management is studied in another country. It was also really eye-opening as my first experience of the Middle East.
"I was also selected for the two week ASAP entrepreneurship trip programme to China. In the first week we hosted Chinese students in Bradford and worked together on a business idea. We then had the chance to spend a week in Beijing to continue the work. It was another amazing opportunity to experience another culture and consider how we can learn from each other."
Falling in love with Yorkshire
"When I was 18 I visited my sister, who lives in Yorkshire, and fell in love with the place. Back home in Romania I had studied English for eight years and I knew that I wanted to come to the UK. I love the culture here and I always wanted to study in a country that I might consider living and working in when I graduate. I did struggle with the Yorkshire accents for the first week or two though! I researched the cost of living around the country and saw that Bradford offers great value in terms of housing and other living costs, particularly compared to studying down south.
"My favourite place in Bradford is Sunbridge Wells. It's an amazing collection of pubs and shops built into a tunnel underneath the city. There are lots of great value cafes and restaurants right on the University's doorstep and the people are so friendly. I've enjoyed visiting the museums across the city including Cartwright Hall in Lister Park, the National Science and Media Museum and Impressions Gallery.
"I've explored further afield as well. The museums and shops in Leeds and York are fantastic and I love getting out into the Yorkshire Dales. I was really surprised to find that you can even get to the beach in a couple of hours on the train or in the car!"
Settling in
"I lived with my sister for the first six months which made settling in really easy. I also found the Facebook group for freshers really helpful. It was a great place to keep up to date with news and information and also ask any questions about coming to Bradford.
"Through Facebook, I got chatting to a fellow Romanian student on my course before arriving and we were able to meet up before the start of the year. It was fantastic to already have a friend to go to lectures and navigate those first few weeks with. We have remained friends but I also now have many friends from all around the world. It's been great to come out of my bubble in Romania and have the opportunity to experience so many different cultures and nationalities."
This is where
...I found my place
"The course is really broad, particularly in first year, which has given me a fantastic foundation in business and management. In year one I did subjects such as human resource management, marketing and finance. I have to admit that accounting and finance wasn't my favourite subject and in my second year I was able to select modules more focussed on my interest in marketing, such as understanding consumers and marketing strategy.
"I'm really looking forward to returning to university for my final year. It feels a bit intimidating, thinking about my dissertation and exams but I intend to make the most of it and have fun while I can! I know I'm going to be able to manage my time more effectively this year having just been on placement.
"Doing a postgraduate degree and starting my own business are both goals for the future but right now I'm keeping my options open. I think I'll be back in the careers service soon, exploring potential graduate schemes."
