Peter has been in the music industry for 40 years and runs his own business. Inspired by his passion for learning, he’s studying a Master’s in English Linguistics at BCU through distance learning. For Peter, studying is a commitment to lifelong learning, following his interests and staying sharp. Find out what motivated him to study a postgraduate degree and how he balances studying, and running a business as well as his other interests.
“I took a rather unusual route to studying English Linguistics, you might find it surprising to hear that it all came from a desire to study French! I tried lots of different adult learning options, but none of them quite suited me as I really wanted to dig into the grammar. The Open University's Modern Languages course offered French, but I needed a second language. Not particularly enthusiastic about starting another language, I chose English.
Through studying Modern Languages for more undergraduate, I got more and more intrigued by the English language itself, particularly forensic linguistics. When I’d completed my degree, I did another diploma with the Forensic Linguistics Institute, but I was still left with a hunger for more learning. So, I started researching and the English Linguistics course at BCU at came up. The course content most closely matched my interests, so I signed up.
For me studying is almost a necessity. Once I finish a course, I get withdrawal symptoms. Studying the MA in English Linguistics has opened a whole new arena and learning adds so much richness to my life.
Distance learning empowers you to take charge. You set your own schedule, demanding high levels of self-motivation. When I get stuck, a quick email to the course leader with my work gets me helpful feedback and keeps me on track.
It’s a different beast from studying full time. You fit it in wherever you can, I might spend an afternoon working or just 10 minutes between tasks. I also like to do a fair bit of cycling, so I do a lot of thinking while I’m out on the bike. It’s a self-directed way of studying and can be led by you.
I’ve been studying for about four years and am working on my final dissertation now. For me, learning shouldn’t be stressful and it’s important to prioritise enjoyment, so I stay engaged. I’m doing this for fun so learning in a flexible way suits me. But I do make sure to do some work every week.
For me, it’s important to keep learning new things, not just being a dog going over old tricks. I find it quite stimulating. I love the music business, but I’ve been doing it for a long time so it’s nice to concentrate on something else.
My advice is to pick a subject that captures and sustains your interest. Manage your schedule in a way that works for you. I’m lucky because I run my own business, I can bring my laptop in and do some work in the afternoons. If I’ve got a whole day off, I’ll go out for a bike ride then do some work later in the day. It’s important to have balance.
If the whole degree feels a bit daunting, my advice is not to look at the whole degree, but to focus on small sections. I break it down and concentrate on the module I’m on at the time, for example if the module is the history of the English language, then that’s what I’m studying for 6 months.
I’ve enjoyed the course content and found it interesting. It’s very varied and you can pick the units which are suited to you. One of the things that attracted me to BCU was that there were fewer modules focused on teaching and more around linguistics, phonology and phonetics which is what I enjoy.
The overall experience has been a very positive one. Studying English Linguistics has changed the way I look at things. It’s also been very self-affirming that I’m still able to do something different. If anyone thinks they might like to have a go at it, I’d strongly suggest they do.”