Emmanuel Tsiga

Media and Communication - BA (Hons)

Despite getting a triple distinction at BTEC and initially enrolling on a diagnostic radiography course at BCU, Emmanuel realised that the course wasn’t for him halfway through the first year. He made the decision to pursue something he’s really passionate about – the music industry.

"It was a long journey to find the right course for me. In college, I chose the Level 3 BTEC course in applied medical science which covered biology, chemistry, physics and maths. I was never good at exams and as this was a coursework-based qualification I did very well and finished with a triple distinction. After finishing college, I moved on to do a degree in diagnostic radiography at BCU, however halfway through the course I realised that it wasn’t the right fit for me, and I decided to finally pursue my career in something I was actually passionate about.

After doing some research into the music industries course offered by BCU, I instantly knew that it was the perfect one for me. I had a very smooth internal transfer to the new course which I now love and aim to complete with a first class honours.

Fitting into the BCU community was very easy on both courses and I very quickly made friends for life, despite being on the first course for only one year. The first week at university can be very daunting as you are thrown into a situation where you don’t know anyone, however, you should remember that most people don’t know anyone either so you’re all in the same boat.

My tutors have been a great support, especially helping me with the transition from a completely different course. I find one-to-one tutorials extremely useful because the tutors here really try to address your needs personally, and it’s also an opportunity to ask certain questions or raise any concerns which isn’t always possible during a lecture or seminar. BCU creates a student-friendly environment - it’s open, accessible and supportive to all.

Assignments on the course have helped me to realise what I really want to do in the future. For example, for my first year project, I set up a small events company and put on an event - I really enjoyed the process of doing it. I am very proud of the outcome of this assignment as the event was a real success.

The skills I gained and the lessons I learnt are applicable not only to the course but they’re also useful to the real world of work. I believe that real briefs and practical projects like these are extremely beneficial. I have learnt to take more responsibility for my work and take control of my learning development. By the time I graduate, I would like to expand my current company through collaboration with other larger companies.

I am proud to be part of the BCU community – everyone here has a story to tell and everyone’s experience adds to the diversity of BCU. ‘I AM BCU’ represents who I am."