Dragos Soalca

Why did you choose to study your programme and why Queen Mary?
Honestly, I've just always enjoyed figuring out how things work. I was the kind of person who'd spend hours tinkering with something until it clicked - and Computer Science felt like the natural direction for that. The idea that you can sit down, write some code, and end up with something people actually use is still something I find genuinely exciting. Queen Mary felt like the right fit partly because of London itself. You're surrounded by companies, events, and people working in tech - it doesn't feel like you're waiting to enter an industry, you're already adjacent to it from day one.

What do you most enjoy about your course?
Probably the moments when something finally makes sense after you've been stuck on it. There's a specific kind of satisfaction in breaking a problem down, writing a solution, and watching it actually run correctly. It doesn't get old. The course is also pretty hands-on, which suits me. We're writing real code and building things, not just reading about concepts.

Which modules do you enjoy the most and are there any academics that have had a strong influence on your studies?
Algorithms and Data Structures has probably changed how I think the most - it's less about whether your code works and more about how well it works, which is a different way of approaching problems entirely. Procedural Programming gave me solid foundations early on, and OOP helped me understand how you'd actually structure something at scale. The lecturers on these modules push you to genuinely understand things rather than just get through assessments. That's made a difference beyond just the modules themselves.

Are you a member of any societies or industry events?
Being in London makes this pretty accessible. I've been to employer insight sessions and networking events where you get a much more honest picture of what companies are actually looking for - which is often different from what you'd assume. It also reinforced how much weight is put on projects and practical experience outside of your degree.

What kind of careers support do you get?

There's quite a lot available: CV workshops, mock interviews, career fairs, one-to-one sessions. The careers team is particularly useful for tech applications because the process can be pretty specific, and having someone help you tailor things makes a difference.

What are you hoping to do after graduation?

I want to join a company where the engineering bar is high and I'll be pushed - ideally somewhere like a FAANG company where you're working on problems at real scale. Further down the line, I'm drawn to building something of my own. I think getting that industry experience first is the right foundation for eventually doing that.

What's one piece of advice you'd offer to someone considering studying your programme at Queen Mary?

Start building things before you feel ready. The course gives you the knowledge, but the confidence comes from actually applying it — personal projects, hackathons, whatever you can get your hands on. The earlier you start, the less intimidating it all feels.
And genuinely use the fact that you're in London. The opportunities outside the classroom are just as important as what's inside it.

Learn more about studying Computer Science at Queen Mary.