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Subject: Studying Abroad in the UK?
mrhfan12289 [del] to
All
I believe it would be best to get information from people who actually live in the UK, and so that is why I'm posting this here.
The current school I'm attending has numerous studying abroad opportunities in England, Ireland, N. Ireland, and Scotland. I'm looking to potentially apply for one in the coming year or so.. I'd be looking to take History and computer classes mostly, but being an American, I'm not sure if there are universities known for specific programs.
Also, I'm not considering any of the high prestige uni's such as Cambridge/Oxford as those would be quite a bit of a stretch for me financially..
Furthermore, would one be able to go from Scotland to England for say a weekend without having fill out excess paperwork and such? Basically, I'm totally clueless about the UK. Of course, this is why I'm not considering studying abroad until probably until Spring/Fall 2011.
If anyone has any knowledge of this, or could lead me to information regarding this, I'd be very grateful.
The current school I'm attending has numerous studying abroad opportunities in England, Ireland, N. Ireland, and Scotland. I'm looking to potentially apply for one in the coming year or so.. I'd be looking to take History and computer classes mostly, but being an American, I'm not sure if there are universities known for specific programs.
Also, I'm not considering any of the high prestige uni's such as Cambridge/Oxford as those would be quite a bit of a stretch for me financially..
Furthermore, would one be able to go from Scotland to England for say a weekend without having fill out excess paperwork and such? Basically, I'm totally clueless about the UK. Of course, this is why I'm not considering studying abroad until probably until Spring/Fall 2011.
If anyone has any knowledge of this, or could lead me to information regarding this, I'd be very grateful.
An American clueless about the UK? You are not alone my friend! ;-)
To answer your vague question I can only say a vague yes. If I would you, I would compare the universities that are on the program your school is offering and see if the course and the place are the sort of things that interest you. There are plenty of official statistics that say which courses are supposedly better, but I have been to three universities in the UK and in my experience a lot of the experience is rooted in where you study, not what.
Good luck!
To answer your vague question I can only say a vague yes. If I would you, I would compare the universities that are on the program your school is offering and see if the course and the place are the sort of things that interest you. There are plenty of official statistics that say which courses are supposedly better, but I have been to three universities in the UK and in my experience a lot of the experience is rooted in where you study, not what.
Good luck!
I'm sure others will have good input, i'll probably have some more later on.
In terms of Scotland to England its a totally open border so no worries there :)
In terms of Scotland to England its a totally open border so no worries there :)
history and computing doesn't sounds like some sort of focussed degree where choosing a specific brilliant course will be important. Probably best to pick a generally good university in a place you will enjoy living
eh it's more simply because of my strengths. I know the two don't seem like they mesh well because well one... simply studying the past etc... and the other is working with computers which is currently "in the now," and part of the future.
Like I said, the university I'm at now is part of an organization that offers semesters to study at the following places.
England
Kingston University(London)
Edge Hill University
Scotland
University of Stirling
University of Dundee
Those are my choices(There's more in Ireland/N. Ireland) that I know are partnered with the current university I'm at. So those will definitely transfer for me, I'm sure there are others that will transfer credit earned in the UK, but I just have to do all the work for that =)
Like I said, the university I'm at now is part of an organization that offers semesters to study at the following places.
England
Kingston University(London)
Edge Hill University
Scotland
University of Stirling
University of Dundee
Those are my choices(There's more in Ireland/N. Ireland) that I know are partnered with the current university I'm at. So those will definitely transfer for me, I'm sure there are others that will transfer credit earned in the UK, but I just have to do all the work for that =)
Out of those only Dundee is what I would call a proper university. Stirling is a new university from the 60's and the other two are converted from Polytechnics. Now this may have no issue with the quality of education and teaching any more, but the architecture and services provision with "proper" universities of old are much better. Besides, Dundee is lovely. Having said that, Stirling is also a nice place and I have even quite like Liverpool in it's own way. However, I have lectured a few times at Kingston and it is not great, but if you want to be near London, then it is your best bet.
What sort of things will you be doing when over here?
What sort of things will you be doing when over here?
What jaize says is his own point of view!... :) 'Consume' at your own risk!!!
1. Some of the 'old' Polytechnics are better than some of the old universities!
2. Their infrastructure is at times better!
3. Stirling is a fantastic place to live around, especially as it has the highest standard of living in the UK.
4. Scotland is always preferable to England :P unless you must live in London which is second to none worldwide for culture and entertainment. Surpasses NY, LA or Chicago without any effort.
5. Check out the annual Times ranking of British universities and their respective departments for a clearer understanding of which faculties in which universities are better. If I remember correctly it is published around July/August.
6. The three great universities of England are Oxford, Cambridge and Hull! I'd check the Rowan Atkinson dictionary of modern English before arriving in the UK.
7. Good luck :)
1. Some of the 'old' Polytechnics are better than some of the old universities!
2. Their infrastructure is at times better!
3. Stirling is a fantastic place to live around, especially as it has the highest standard of living in the UK.
4. Scotland is always preferable to England :P unless you must live in London which is second to none worldwide for culture and entertainment. Surpasses NY, LA or Chicago without any effort.
5. Check out the annual Times ranking of British universities and their respective departments for a clearer understanding of which faculties in which universities are better. If I remember correctly it is published around July/August.
6. The three great universities of England are Oxford, Cambridge and Hull! I'd check the Rowan Atkinson dictionary of modern English before arriving in the UK.
7. Good luck :)
I had actually been considering Dundee as my first choice.(I've still got a year before I do anything though.) I must say, that going to London might be quite a shock for me as I've lived in suburbs of decently sized, but by no means a major city such as Chicago/NYC/LA. Never been to any of the Major US Cities other than for some quick tourist type stuff. So I was looking to try to avoid downtown London if possible. Anyways, that Kingston place looks more like a community college(dirt cheap type stuff that people go to because they have no idea what they want to do with their lives, so instead of wasting money at a 4-year institution taking your basic English/Math/History type courses, they go there for 2 years, then transfer to a 4-year place to finish out a major)
As far as things to do? Well besides studying, look to explore the UK, check out a football match or two if permitted, learn the differences in cultures etc etc.. Basically, everything a tourist would want to do, but with the added fact that I'd be there for ~4 months
As far as things to do? Well besides studying, look to explore the UK, check out a football match or two if permitted, learn the differences in cultures etc etc.. Basically, everything a tourist would want to do, but with the added fact that I'd be there for ~4 months
people go to because they have no idea what they want to do with their lives
so, for example, the type of people that would study a combination of history & computing just because they are quite good at those subjects?
so, for example, the type of people that would study a combination of history & computing just because they are quite good at those subjects?
I'm majoring in History already, add to the fact that England/UK has been around much longer and one would therefore assume they have a much more in-depth history available than what I learn with your generalized courses here in the States.
The computers is just a particular hobby of mine and I take a course in the computers here or there.
The computers is just a particular hobby of mine and I take a course in the computers here or there.
hey man, i agree, when i done history in school, we just don eabout america, it was stupid. america only has up to 300 years of histort, but the uk has thousands.
sorry just got angry there cos i failed it. :(
sorry just got angry there cos i failed it. :(
You are right, it is a community college sort of a place, but don't knock not knowing what you want to do with your life, I suspect I will die before I find out myself!
Seriously? Your history classes were mostly about US? UK is even more interesting than I thought it was :P
I had 3 semester of American history and literature[separately] and UK his/lit...I enjoyed that, though some of my fellow students hated those classes. It was at studies though...still, I thought that in UK you try to 'convey' your history, which is quite interesting, to next generations...it's weird hearing that you learnt mostly about US history?! Unless you've lived for some time in the States...
/sorry if I got something wrong, I am a bit drunk so...:P
I had 3 semester of American history and literature[separately] and UK his/lit...I enjoyed that, though some of my fellow students hated those classes. It was at studies though...still, I thought that in UK you try to 'convey' your history, which is quite interesting, to next generations...it's weird hearing that you learnt mostly about US history?! Unless you've lived for some time in the States...
/sorry if I got something wrong, I am a bit drunk so...:P