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Course review
Review by: Charlotte I
University: The University of Birmingham
Course: Political Science
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?
8
Ideally, what 3/4 subjects would you recommend doing in order to be in the best position for your course?
Politics, Sociology and History.
Why did you decide to study your degree programme?
I wanted to have a clear understanding from a range of perspectives on current political affairs.
Explain the things you wish you'd known about your degree before you applied:
I would have liked to have known the modules available and more about the compulsory modules.
Describing your average day
Explain how your day is made up. For example, do you have labs/seminars/tutorials/lectures?
Each week, I have a one hour lecture and one hour seminar for each of my four modules. During a typical University day I have lectures and seminars from 9am until 1pm. After this I eat lunch on campus and go to the library and read for my dissertation. I take a German class every week and tend to stay in the library until 5pm when that begins.
How much extra work/reading are you required to do out of lectures?
It is recommended that you spend up to 3 hours preparing for each of the four hour long seminars. I also currently spend around 5 hours per week on my dissertation.
The best and worst parts of the course
What do you like best about your degree programme?
Debating in the seminars.
What do you like least about your degree programme?
We have to take a methods module. This is annoying as I will not be using quantitative data for my dissertation or essays - and so is essentially a waste of time that drags my entire degree classification down.
Academics and course content
What do you think of your university's academics and facilities?
The opening hours for the library are OK, but it would be good if it was open longer during examination times. Similarly the number of core texts available in the library is not great. However the IT facilities are open 24 hours a day and the short loan book system enables you to get hold of books most of the time, albeit only for one day.
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.
Lectures and seminars, in which there are set questions for discussion.
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University review
Review by: Charlotte I
University: The University of Birmingham
Course: Political Science
Year of study: 3rd
Level of Study: Undergraduate
Visit the The University of Birmingham forum and see what people are discussing right now!
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Describing your university
Sum up your university in one paragraph:
The University campus is beautiful. The teaching is excellent and you are advantaged to be taught by leaders in their field. The location is excellent, with halls of residence and the city being close to campus, and as the only campus in the country with a railway station, getting around is easy.
What is the academic life like at your university?
It is challenging but rewarding.
Describe your Freshers' Week - was it as you expected, better or worse? Why?
It was fun however I was keen to get into lectures and a long time was spent inducting us.
What is the best and worst thing about your university?
Best - leading research institution with world class academics, meaning that you are taught by leaders in their field.
Worst - very elitist and a lot of students are from incredibly privileged backgrounds at the institution and under representation of students from state schools/low income backgrounds.
Sport and extra curricular
What are the sport and other activities on offer like at your university?
The sports facilities are declining and oversubscribed.
The social scene
What is the social scene (and/or nightlife) like at your university? Is it particularly alcohol orientated?
It is very alcohol related, with 4 student nights every week.
What do you think of the city your university is based in or near (as a city)?
Great city - lots to do, especially when on a budget. There is a very diverse culture.
Accommodation
Do you live in a halls of residence or a student house (or college)? What would you suggest is best in your opinion?
Maple Bank is the only affordable hall of residence in my opinion.
Approximately, what is the average cost of accommodation per week in your first year for catered and non-catered halls/colleges?
About £100 p/w for catered, and £85 p/w for self catered.
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