Past Review
By Amanda T (Evolutionary Biology and Art History, Tulane University) for
University of Edinburgh: Edinburgh - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
Personal Information
| The term and year this program took place: | Full-Year 2009 |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The academics are very different; it is a lot of independent study; for the art history courses, you only have one test and one paper that reflect your entire grade (the professors expect a lot more out of you than American professors). Everything is manageable if you pace yourself with the amount of information you need to know. My finals from my third year fall courses were in the spring, which made it 'interesting' because you had to relearn everything from the previous semester. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I always felt safe walking around (day or night); the walk to the city center is about 15-20 minutes; there are pubs on every street corner. |
| * Food: |
Vegetables and fruits taste better in the UK; however, the bread molds very quickly. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
For my Easter Holiday, I went back packing with my close friends across the Highlands, Isle of Skye, and the Hebrides. I highly recommend it- it is one of the most memorable experiences that I've had in Scotland. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
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| If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? |
No
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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? | about $50 to $100 |
| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | buy a student rail discount at the beginning of the year if you plan on traveling around the country; set up a bank account at Bank of Scotland and not Royal Bank of Scotland because there are more atms available through the former bank. |
Language
| How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? | None |
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
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* Who did you take classes with?
Select all that apply |
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | If you're independent, this program is for you. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Animal Biology II |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | |
| Instruction Language: | |
| Comments: | I really enjoyed the class- you learn a lot about everything pertaining to animals. The professors change every 2 weeks and all of them have been wonderful. The lab component is more hands on with lots of dissections. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | No |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Netherlandish Paintings |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | Tom Tolley |
| Instruction Language: | |
| Comments: | Tom is very knowledgeable and very friendly. Since this is a third year course, you go into deeper and more scholarly material. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Sexual Politics and the Image |
| Course Department: | |
| Instructor: | Angela Dimitrikaki |
| Instruction Language: | |
| Comments: | This course was the most difficult one at Edinburgh; the material covered was very confusing and hard to understand (and interpret). However, I learned so much and ended up really enjoying it (not from the lectures or seminars, but from the independent study). |
| Credit Transfer Issues: |
