There's no reason you can't change course; I came to the university as a geography student. But after taking a couple of Russian classes I was hooked!

James Lofthouse
James Lofthouse
Translator
Russian Studies BA, MA Translation Studies (Russian)
James has lived in Tashkent, Uzbekistan where he worked at The British School of Tashkent. He has also translated for a number of NGOs and human rights charities such as "Rights in Russia", and worked for the EU Delegation to Tashkent. He now works for SDL in Sheffield.
James Lofthouse

How has your qualification helped you in your career?

When working in a bi-lingual workplace and working as a translator, the knowledge of both Russian language and culture I gained from my undergraduate degree, as well as translations skills from my postgraduate studies, have naturally helped me a great deal.

What is your greatest achievement to date?

Some of my translations for a human rights NGO were recently included in the United States Library of Congress web archive, having been deemed historically/culturally important. This of course made me very proud.

What were your previous academic qualifications?

I have 4 A levels (A*-B) from Colchester Royal Grammar School

What were your career aspirations when you were younger?

I can't quite recall but I imagine it would have been music-related.

What impact has attending University had on you?

I was given the opportunity to study things I never would have been able to otherwise. It also allowed me to practice a bit of self-discipline with essay writing and time management.

What advice would you give to young people considering University?

Think very carefully about what you actually want to study. 3 (or even 4 or 5) years is a very long time. That being said, there's no reason you can't change course like I did! I came to the university as a geography student. But after taking a couple of Russian classes in first year I was hooked.

Why did you choose Sheffield? / What sets Sheffield apart from other Universities?

I initially chose Sheffield having been thoroughly impressed by the atmosphere of the city itself.

What did you most enjoy about your time at Sheffield?

Sheffield as a city is one of my favourite places in the world. It has everything you'd ever really want without being overwhelmingly large.

Would you recommend the University of Sheffield as a good place to study?

Absolutely, I have nothing but fond memories of my time studying in Sheffield.

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