Stuart is a graduate from the MBus International Business with a Modern Language programme at the University of Strathclyde
Tell us a little bit about your background...
I had studied Advanced Higher French at Gryffe High School and really enjoyed it, so that made me want to pursue a career that involved languages.
What drew you towards undertaking your programme of study?
I read that the IBML course was popular and I thought it would be beneficial to combine languages with business in order to have a wider set of prospects upon graduation. I was also attracted by the year abroad through the ERASMUS programme.
Tell us about the format of the programme. What were some of your highlights?
At the time, there were five years of study, the fourth of which was spent abroad. I chose to spend a year in Murcia, Spain. My studies were divided between marketing and management classes on one hand, and French and Spanish classes on the other.
Tell us about your year abroad and how this added to your overall learning experience...
My year in Spain was unforgettable and shaped who I am today. I was the lucky recipient of the Stevenson Scholarship, which helped fund the move to Spain. That year allowed me to put into practice everything I had learned in class and at home during the first three years at Strathclyde. I took the advice of tutors and previous students and lived with Spanish people. I only took classes in Spanish and took every opportunity to interact with the locals. My Spanish level shot up, especially compared to those Erasmus students who didn’t.
At Murcia University, there were translation and interpreting classes, so I opted mostly for this, which made me realise that was what I wanted to do as career. Upon returning to Strathclyde, it made me more focused and gave my final year much more direction as I knew where I wanted to end up.
What was the academic support at Strathclyde like?
The support and dedicated of the tutors – especially in the Languages department – was outstanding. In the first couple of years, the French classes were boring for me as Advanced Higher level is quite high, so my tutors were happy to give me extra work and suggested articles, comedians, films, etc. that I could use to challenge myself and maintain my level.
Where are you working now?
I am now a freelance translator and proofreader. I went on to study Translation and Interpreting at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, then moved to Umeå (Sweden), later to Valencia (Spain) and I’m now in Sant Cugat, just outside Barcelona. I am married to a Spanish man and have picked up Catalan as a third foreign language.
What advice would you give to someone considering applying for a Languages degree?
If languages are your passion, studying at Strathclyde is an excellent way to get started on the right path. Remember that you can learn a lot in class, but you can’t learn an entire language, so you have to be prepared to listen to tutors’ advice and explore the language outside of the classroom. Be curious. Do an Erasmus year if you can – it will change your life.