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Course review
Review by: Henny G
University: University of Manchester
Course: Economics and Social Studies (Politics)
Year of study: 3rd
Level of Study: Undergraduate
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The course in general
How many contact hours do you have in the average week?
5
Ideally, what 3/4 subjects would you recommend doing in order to be in the best position for your course?
Economics, Government & Politics, Sociology, and maybe Law
Why did you decide to study your degree programme?
It is a combined course where I can choose modules from 13 different disciplines. It is a very adaptable & flexible course.
Explain the things you wish you'd known about your degree before you applied:
I wish someobody would have told me how terribly run the degree is.
Describing your average day
Explain how your day is made up. For example, do you have labs/seminars/tutorials/lectures?
I very rarely attend lectures because all the lecturers do is read out a powerpoint presentation. These powerpoints are available online so I just stay at home & read them. If the subject interests me I'll go to the library & find further reading material on the topic.
I attend some tutorials but the majority are taught by postgraduates & aren't very informative. I attend the tutorials which I enjoy.
How much extra work/reading are you required to do out of lectures?
There is a lot of reading that I could do; it is recommended that I do 15 hours reading/personal study per module (I do 3 modules per semester) but I do very little reading & still come out with high 2:1s in essays & exams.
Is there anything else you think is relevant or that you would like to add in respect of your course?
The only reason I came to this university is because they offered me a £5000 bursary which has been fantastic but I hate my course.
The feedback on exams & essays is ridiculous - one sentence is not going to help me improve the way I write essays. I came to the university & my first essay got a 2:1, all my essays throughout my degree have got the same mark & this will never change with no feedback.
The best and worst parts of the course
What do you like best about your degree programme?
The fact I can choose modules across different topics.
What do you like least about your degree programme?
It's a very impersonal course as it's the biggest course at the university & there are so many students studying so many different courses in my lectures meaning it's hard to make friends on my course.
Academics and course content
What do you think of your university's academics and facilities?
Terrible. The university is run like a business with little contact hours, no contact with seminar tutors or personal tutors. They try to make everything based online & do not allow access to tutors outside of the hour allocated for their office hours each week. The library doesn't have enough books; 3 core textbooks per module is not enough!
Explain how you expected your course to be and how it compares to how it actually is. Give an outline of the content of the course.
The lecturer reading a powerpoint which is usually out of date & assigning reading for the tutorial.
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Other reviews for Economics and Social Studies (Politics)
Ed D, 1st Year doing Economics and Social Studies (Politics) at University College London, University of London
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University review
Review by: Henny G
University: University of Manchester
Course: Economics and Social Studies (Politics)
Year of study: 3rd
Level of Study: Undergraduate
Visit the University of Manchester forum and see what people are discussing right now!
Click here to go back
Describing your university
Sum up your university in one paragraph:
Great city with loads to do & an amazing night life. The Students Union has loads of great societies for those wanting to get active in extra curricular activities but should run more club nights. The academic side of the university is a disgrace with poor contact hours & poor feedback (especially for humanities & social sciences based courses).
What is the academic life like at your university?
Dreadful.
Describe your Freshers' Week - was it as you expected, better or worse? Why?
Terrible. The Union runs two events - a club night & a Freshers' Ball - & everything else is left up to the students to find their own fun. Compare this to other Students Unions, such as Swansea, who run club nights every night.
What is the best and worst thing about your university?
The bursary scheme is excellent & I enjoy getting involved in the Students' Union. The worst things are contact hours & feedback.
Sport and extra curricular
What are the sport and other activities on offer like at your university?
There are many sports societies aimed at anyone who wants to get involved. The sports societies, run by the Athletics Union, is really good in organising Varsity events & socials. The Students Union is also very politically active with lots of societies based around political parties, pressure groups & religious groups.
The social scene
What is the social scene (and/or nightlife) like at your university? Is it particularly alcohol orientated?
Manchester is a huge, lively city & is quite alcohol orientated (for those who want nights like that). There are nights out where it's 80p for any bottle of alcohol. There are also other things to do for people who don't look for an alcohol orientated night out, such as cinema, loads of restaurants etc.
What do you think of the city your university is based in or near (as a city)?
Manchester is an amazing city with lots of things to offer for everyone.
Accommodation
Do you live in a halls of residence or a student house (or college)? What would you suggest is best in your opinion?
I lived in halls in my first year, a student house in my second year & am living at home & commuting in my third year.
I would recommend halls to anyone, it is great for meeting friends & having a fantastic university social life. I didn't enjoy living in a house because of the expense & poor quality student housing in Manchester & the fact that the student areas are so far apart so I was living away from many of my friends.
Living at home is cheap for my third year & I hope I will get more reading & studying done rather than going out all the time.
If you are in a hall or college, is it catered or self catered? Which is better for the first year in your opinion and why?
Self-catered. It gives students independence & many students who live in catered halls never eat there because they're out all the time so it's a waste of money.
Approximately, what is the average cost of accommodation per week in your first year for catered and non-catered halls/colleges?
About £63pw Self-catered (standard small room) & £120 (double en-suite).
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