Welcome 2026 Students

Start Date

Welcome Week will take place between Monday 14 September and Friday 18 September 2026. During Welcome Week your course team will schedule activities for you to find out important information about your course, meet your lecturers and other students, and find your way around.

Teaching on your course begins from Monday 21 September 2026. Please check your timetable for details.

You will be able to see your timetable on iCity using your BCU login details as soon as they are released. You should have received your BCU login details when you were invited to enrol.

International Students

We expect all international students to engage with their studies in person from w/c 7 September 2026.

The final deadline to arrive in the UK to complete enrolment will be week 4 (w/c 2 October 2026).

Timetables

Course Leader

Parnia Samimi

Welcome Message

Welcome to MSc Big Data Analytics at Birmingham City University. You have chosen a programme that sits at the intersection of two of the most in-demand skills in the global economy: analytical rigour and technological fluency. That combination makes this course genuinely exciting, and I am delighted you are joining us.

Your first priority should be attending Induction Week, commencing 14 September. This is a structured and essential part of your transition into postgraduate study, not an optional extra, and it is where you will begin building the foundations for everything that follows. From day one, you will be assigned a personal tutor who will support you throughout your time here. In your first semester you will dive into modules including Applied Statistics, Advanced Databases, and Data Mining, applying industry-standard tools in our state-of-the-art facilities. Our teaching is deliberately practice-driven and you will work on real-world problems.

Do also make time for the Students' Union Fairs on 16 and 17 September at City Centre, a great opportunity to connect with the wider BCU community and explore what student life has to offer.

I look forward to meeting you in September.

Parnia Samimi

Course Location

Your course will mainly be taught in:

STEAMhouse, City Centre Campus (Room numbers start with CST)

First day on Campus

We look forward to welcoming you to Birmingham City University!

You must have your ID card visible at all times when on campus, so if you have received yours before your first day, ensure you bring this with you. If you enrolled late you will need to collect one on campus during your first few days. Please remember that your ID card is for your use only. You must never let anyone else use it.

To complete your enrolment, you will need the following:

• Passport (or other form of photo ID if you are a UK/EU student)
• Original qualification documents if applicable (you will be emailed a list of the documents we need to see once you have completed your online enrolment)
• Visa (international students only)

What else? The rest is up to you! You will find a shop, café, pub, computer access and water fountains on campus, but we do recommend you bring the following on the first day:

• Laptop, if you have one
• Notepad and pen
• Reusable water bottle
• Snack
• Money

And remember, the weather in Birmingham can be changeable!