RHUL Past Review

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The classes I took met only once per week for lecture and once every other week for seminar. Almost every week, I had to meet with my assigned study group for each class to complete a group assignment. The classes at RHUL have much less contact time than those at PC. Most classes last through two semesters, with several assessed papers and an exam in May. However, because I was only there for one semester, my entire grade depends on the final out of class essay that I wrote for each class.

On-site administration of your program

When I first received my final study plan, I was registered for two English courses that were supposed to be worth one UK unit apiece (a total of 16 US credits). On my home school's course equivalency list, however, they were only considered to be worth 4 US credits apiece (a total of 8). After a series of emails, the RHUL visiting student office confirmed to the Arcadia program that the credits were correct and I was taking a full courseload. Two weeks after classes started, I saw another study abroad student who I had met previously in one of my classes, and she informed me that she had just transferred into that class because she found out that the English classes that she as taking were not worth as much as she had originally been told. After visiting the foreign student office and the English department office, I was told that there had been a change and my classes were only worth .5 unit apiece for one semester. I was then enrolled in an additional class that was worth a full unit for the semester.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived in a single room in an on campus flat with about 20 other students (both local and foreign) with whom I shared two kitchens. The uni provided two pillows and a duvet and I needed to buy a sheet set and duvet cover. It was a very safe area and a short walk into town.

The food was about the same quality as you would expect to find in a typical college cafeteria.

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The orientation allowed us time to explore London and Windsor before we moved into our rooms on campus. The school provided trips into the city for shows and tours.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Egham is a very small and safe town where the university students outnumber the residents. England has very strict gun and knife laws and I never felt threatened when I was traveling through the country. I had no health issues while there and was not required to get any special vaccines before I went.

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

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• Apartment

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• International Students
• Americans
• Local Students

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• Local Students

• Living on campus

• Communication between the program and the university