Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

In which she learned how to do a British accent Past Review

By (Linguistics, Middlebury College) - abroad from 01/06/2015 to 06/05/2015 with

Queen Mary University of London Study Abroad programme

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I was able to take classes abroad that I wouldn't have been able to at Middlebury. I also met a handful of people who I would never have met if it hadn't been for my time abroad, and I became much closer friends with another Middlebury student who was studying at the same university as I was. I would say just those friendships alone made it totally worthwhile.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

* 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? About 60 pounds (about $92)
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Honestly, the only way to save money is to not be social at all, but that doesn't really enrich your study abroad experience. It's best to save up for the trip and know that you will be spending quite a lot, given the exchange rate.

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
  • Americans
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?
  • Living in halls with first-years
  • I was able to take almost any class I wanted.
  • Registering for classes was very easy.
* What could be improved?
  • Communication from the Queen Mary study abroad offic
  • Having more opportunities during orientation to meet new people
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I knew how much I was going to end up spending, so I could have saved and been more frugal before my trip. I also wish I knew that credit cards in the UK have chips in them—some places didn't accept swipe cards. I also wish I knew more about what going to university there would be like, or just more about the school in general before going.

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:

LIN602 Sex, Gender and Language
Course Department: Linguistics
Instructor: Dr Erez Levon
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Challenging, but very fascinating learning material. Assessed through papers.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

LIN402 Intro to English Syntax
Course Department: Linguistics
Instructor: Fryni Panayidou
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Participated in class more than I would have at Middlebury. Assessed through problem sets and exams.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

LIN222 Language and the Media
Course Department: Linguistics
Instructor: Colleen Cotter
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Not very challenging, and the class was also fairly disrespectful of the professor, which made my experience with the class not so great. Professor was great, but I didn't find what she knew most about particularly interesting. Assessed through papers, presentation, and participation.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

ESH253 Intro to Old English
Course Department: English
Instructor: Alfred Hiatt
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Super interesting and definitely challenging. Relevant field trip included a trip to the British Museum. Professor was very knowledgeable in the subject and made the class interesting. Assessed with exams and papers.
Credit Transfer Issues: