INSTEP inspired me to pursue my master's in England Past Review
By Jessica Y (International Relations, International Development, and Asian Studies, Tulane University) for
INSTEP: London - Institute of Economic and Political Studies
My classes at INSTEP inspired me to pursue a master's. Prior to this, I found my classes in America interesting, but not necessarily stimulating. The faculty at INSTEP were hands down amazing! I attended all my classes, not because I had to, but because I genuinely didn't want to miss what my professors had to say. They provided a lot of insight into the British academic system, and as I mentioned before, I'm now going to be pursuing a master's in England! Professor Coker and Crowe's class - The New Security Agenda - also inspired me to focus my international relations/international development academic background towards a MA in Conflict, Security, and Development. If it hadn't been for this experience, I can honestly say that I'm not sure if I would have been so sure of my post-undergraduate plans at this point!
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 6 months+ |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
I found that while we spent less hours in the classroom than is usual in America, my lectures were far more interesting and challenging. I attended every class, not because it was mandatory, but because I didn't want to miss what our professors had to say in our lectures. There was less busy work and, instead, grading based on two research papers. At the end of the semester, I felt that this approach provided me with a better comprehensive understanding of the course material and its application in the real world. Overall, it was a phenomenal experience! Our program director was extremely helpful, the faculty were the best of my undergraduate experience, and London was amazing. I was on the fence about applying to graduate school, but my experience with INSTEP motivated me to apply to grad school in England! |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Our program director, Philip Davies, was awesome! Because of the location of our classes, we saw him on a daily basis, and he was always quick to address any issues we had. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Our flat was amazing! Much nicer than I was expecting for student accommodation in central London. We were located almost within eye-sight of the nearest tube stop, but we were able to walk to class in 15-20 minutes. We did have to bring towels, and I had to invest in certain kitchen-ware items, but overall it was a good set-up. My only complaint is how our internet was rationed. 2 megabytes of data doesn't go far in a week! |
| * Food: |
I found that food prices were generally the same as I'm used to in America. It's easy to overspend though when you're mentally estimating exchange rates as you shop. I found that food expired or went bad much sooner than in America. My flatmates and I suspect that there may be less preservatives in the food. I'm not complaining though; it was nice to do daily shopping, and the produce was consistently fresh even in the winter. For me at least, I cooked most of my meals. English fare isn't generally bursting with flavor, but I'm used to the food in New Orleans so that came at no surprise. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
It was an amazing experience overall! I spent most of my free time going to shows in London and Manchester and managed to fit a week-long visit to Amsterdam. The set-up of our classes gave most of us 3-4 day weekends. I will say that London wasn't the easiest place to meet people. To be honest, I think the only British person my flatmates really knew was my boyfriend. Luckily for us, my flat of 9 meshed pretty well. Nonetheless, there's so much to see and do in London that it's easy to stay busy; most of my flatmates spent every other weekend out of the country. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
I never felt unsafe. London is busy, and there are always people around. |
| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
Yes
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Finances
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* 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) |
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| Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? | I received $500 ever two weeks. I had a lot of miscellaneous expenses, but almost half went to purchases at our neighborhood Tesco - groceries, alcohol, toiletries. I avoided daily tube fare costs by walking to class, but that can run up to $5 a day for round-trip fare at the busiest times. The rest, I spent on train tickets to Manchester and Derby, which cost around $20-25 in advance. Also, if you plan on using more than your allotted internet data/minutes, keep in mind that you'll be spending at least an extra $10 a week to increase it. |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | towels, toilet paper, extra internet, 3% fee on every debit transaction with Regions |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | Fluent |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
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* Who did you live with?
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* Who did you take classes with?
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A Look Back
| * What did you like most about the program? |
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| * What could be improved? |
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| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | The academics of this program are second to none, but if you struggle with being independent, I would not suggest this program to you. We spent less time in class, but that also means that you have to motivate yourself to do more outside of the class. As far as the social aspect goes, the general atmosphere of London could make it difficult to make local friends if you don't put yourself out there. People who don't like straying from their comfort zone might find a program with as much freedom as this slightly daunting. |
