Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Dublin is the anglophone place to take in European architecture Past Review

By (Middlebury College) - abroad from 09/10/2018 to 05/25/2019 with

University College Dublin: Dublin - Direct Enrollment & Exchange

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
This experience gave me practical experience I needed in architectural practice, as well as an opportunity to travel Europe and widen my perspective on design and life.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The program in general offers students a lot of freedom to get out of it what they want to put in. Little work is required during the bulk of the semester in terms of assignments, leaving much of the education to the student. This is liberating but requires planning, as much of the weight of the course is dependent on final portfolio submission and heavily-weighted exams. The tutorial program in the architecture studio was excellent.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Housing was nice and clean with good amenities, but I wish the kitchen had an oven.

* Food:

I cooked for myself.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The Irish are a welcoming and friendly people, and I felt that I fit in to a very international studio.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I never used any healthcare service on campus, but I'm sure there is healthcare easily accessible to those who need it.

* Safety:

Dublin is an amazingly safe city, and I never felt in danger, even walking around at 3 AM

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

I met a lot of interesting people, traveled to amazing places, and learned a lot of practical skills that I couldn't pick up at Middlebury.

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)

I lived very sparingly, but having a bike was somewhat essential, being in a suburb with few grocery stores nearby.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? About $100
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Get a bike to avoid paying bus fare and to save time, and don't go to too many pubs/restaurants, especially in Temple Bar.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

Direct Enrollment/Exchange

* Did you study abroad through an exchange program or did you directly enroll in the foreign university? Direct Enrollment

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with?

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • The tutorial system of teaching
  • The freedom to study whatever I wanted
  • The practical and helpful skills I learned
* What could be improved?
  • Planning and having a set schedule for a program
  • Things could start on time
  • The heavily-weighted exams at the end of the semester
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Having so much freedom to study anything in architecture and to develop a design under the guidance of tutors is a great privilege.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
The Academic or Linguist
You went abroad with specific academic goals in mind; the program credentials and rigor of your coursework abroad were very important to you. You had a great time abroad, but never lost sight of your studies and (if applicable) were diligent with your foreign language study. Good for you!

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Architecture Studio III
Course Department: College of Engineering and Architecture
Instructor: Alice Clancy
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This course was my favorite of the year abroad, as it incorporated a trip to the Venice architecture biennale and allowed me to develop my creative process through the lens of a European context. The tutorials offered plenty of 1-on-1 instruction as I worked through the collaborative design projects, and I felt welcomed into the studio environment as someone who hadn't been previously involved in the program. I participated much more than I would back at Middlebury, because everyone was very interested in the ideas I had to offer to studio work. Assessment was made through a final portfolio submission as well as intermittent critiques, so it was more continuously assessed than the other modules I took.
Credit Transfer Issues: No. I could have used this credit as an intermediate architecture studio requirement, but I already had taken a course in this area.
Course Name/Rating:

Architectural History and Theory II
Course Department: College of Engineering and Architecture
Instructor: Livia Hurley
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This course was entirely lecture-based and the lectures moved very quickly, so note-taking was difficult. I was unsure of the system of assessment going into this course, as I was coming from a different assessment system. The final exam was 100% of the assessment throughout the course, and relied heavily on writing fast. That aside, the theory of modern architecture is fascinating and the architectural library had plenty of resources for learning content. The assessment was not ideal.
Credit Transfer Issues: I could have used this for my modern architecture theory requirement, but I had already taken a course in this at Middlebury.
Course Name/Rating:

The Indoor Environment
Course Department: College of Engineering and Architecture
Instructor: Paul Kenny
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This course was not too challenging, but heavily lecture-based and required only minimal research in the library. The subjects covered in the course of the semester were not outlined at the beginning of the course, and the output changed from a course about primarily daylighting and sustainable strategies to a more specific course on the use of plastics in building construction. Assessment was based on two papers, one on daylighting strategies, and the other on the use of plastics in construction.
Credit Transfer Issues: No. This course doesn't meet any distribution or major requirements at Middlebury though.
Course Name/Rating:

Imagining Architecture
Course Department: College of Engineering and Architecture
Instructor: James Rossa O'Hare
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This module did not require too much work and was assessed continuously through an assignment submission every week, but the topics covered by the work were essential to know for practical digital drawing and production of images using current media. The assignments were fun and creative, and allowed for ample exploration into a variety of digital media.
Credit Transfer Issues: No. This course is not a distribution or major requirement at Middlebury, but it is very helpful for work required in internships and thesis.
Course Name/Rating:

Architecture Studio IV
Course Department: College of Engineering and Architecture
Instructor: Peter Tansey
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This was a very applied and fun studio covering the issues of sustainability in housing development, which allowed for free exploration of the theory and design of sustainable housing. The greatest challenge was in figuring out what was expected of me, as there was little instruction in studio, but I was given a lot of time to work through and develop the design of my project, and the course included a study of Irish vernacular architecture as well as a site visit. The final portfolio was the primary form of assessment, and intermittent critiques showed the work that was necessary. Peter Tansey was very knowledgeable, but sometimes unprepared for lectures and did not plan too far ahead.
Credit Transfer Issues: I did not use this course for credit, but it was good training for the practice of architecture.
Course Name/Rating:

Building Frames and Skins
Course Department: College of Engineering and Architecture
Instructor: Oliver Kinnane
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This course was challenging in that it required a lot of time to produce construction-quality drawings, mostly hand-drawn, and through a process of critique that was often incredibly critical. Regardless, I learned a lot about the building envelope and structural systems, and was assessed through a final portfolio submission of each bi-weekly assignment as well as a challenging timed final exam on construction detailing. The tutors were knowledgeable, but often difficult to work with, as they did not give easy answers to seemingly-simple questions.
Credit Transfer Issues: No, but this was an essential experience to have, as someone planning on pursuing architecture in the future.
Course Name/Rating:

Theory and Design of Structures II
Course Department: College of Engineering and Architecture
Instructor: Jennifer Keenahan
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This course was assessed entirely by group projects, and, as someone stuck in a less-motivated group, this was difficult. However, the assignments were interesting and applied, requiring research into structural systems, span-to-depth ratios, and specification based on material properties. The lectures helped with these, but some assignments were still difficult to understand what was expected.
Credit Transfer Issues: No, but there are no course or distribution requirements for this subject at Middlebury.
Course Name/Rating:

Enhancing Digital Drawing
Course Department: College of Engineering and Architecture
Instructor: Angela Hayles
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This course offered hands-on tutorials in the technical aspects of digital drawing and construction visualisation through AutoCAD, InDesign, Photoshop, and Illustrator. These are essential skills to know and the instruction was excellent and informative. As someone learning to convert from imperial to metric, I received plenty of help with that. Assessment was based on a mid-term pin-up of autocad drawings and a final portfolio booklet submission.
Credit Transfer Issues: There were no issues with credit transfer, but Middlebury does not offer a course like this so it does not apply as distribution credit.