Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

My London Internship through Boston University Past Review

By (PSYCHOLOGY., Trinity University) for

Boston University: London - London Internship Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
yes!

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 6 months+

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

staff seemed very helpful at the beginning but this died down by week 3. it was very hard to get in contact with them to ask them questions. often times did not follow through with what they were saying (ex: they provided incentives to blog by saying that if students did this they would earn a free london eye trip although students did not receive the trip). They were not open to students input as ways to make the program better. seemed to not be too invested in the program.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

the crofton. south kensington. <br /><br /> neighborhood: richest one in neighborhood. it is very nice but also pretty expensive. it is a quiet neighborhood and everything closes at 9. not much to do past 9, but it is in zone 1. it is kinda far from the tube (15 min walk) , but close to the bus stop for the night bus (you will have to go to a different area to get any sort of nightlife) it is pretty safe neighborhood. had to buy an ethernet cable. everything else is provided but beware the items provided are cheap and you will be charged 20 pounds if anything is broken. rooms are nicely spaced and very clean. you get your own bathroom and that is kept very clean. someon cleans your room every 2 weeks and the ladies are soo nice. there is 24 hour security and to get in and out of the building everyone must show id, including guest (yes they will need to be signed in 24 hours in advance).

* Food:

no food provided by food. must go to a grocery store which is pretty far (at least the cheapest one is) or you must go to a cafe. best place to dine for cheap is cafe deco which is close by. there are alot of pubs around and one literally around the corner which serves food at a decent price and serves amazing drinks. beware though food portions are small, drink portions are big.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

AMAZING! attended the wireless festival and the tiesto concert. night life is amazing, unlike anything ive experianced before. daytrips offered by the program are a must. they are awesome and a great bang for your buck.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? LOTS! its super expensive (exchange rate was 1.4 to the US dollar) so budget. keep track of everything and anything you spend and you can really control your spending. its soo easy to overspend.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? unanticipated expenses: going out is expensive if you drink hard liquor. the beer and cider are the best bang for your buck, and is also a great part of british culture so getting to know your different beers is useful for after work drinks with co workers.

Language

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Psychology and Social Policy

Course Department:
Instructor: Dr. Stephen Clift and Claudia Hammod
Instruction Language: English
Comments: it was challenging. you get to learn about all the different parts of psychology. includes field trips to the freud museum, the natural history museum, the refugee council, and the science museum. grading was based off a one final exam and one paper. there was a group presentation involved although this is not taken into consideration. the teachers were knowledgeable and had lots of experience in the field. i participated less in class than in my home institute but this was because i wasnt as knowledgeable in the field.
Credit Transfer Issues: i do not know this yet, as my transcripts havnt gone through
Course Name/Rating:

Contemporary issues in british welfare
Course Department:
Instructor:
Instruction Language: English
Comments: liked the course. sometimes it was a little dry but overall pretty interesting. alot of the course focuses on the nhs. involves two paper one that is written under test conditions. no field trips. very helpful if u will be doing an internship in a place that deals with any sort of welfare.
Credit Transfer Issues: