Northern Ireland: A different perspective - Queen's University Belfas Past Review
By Maddie N (Applied Economics, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities) for
Queen's University Belfast: Belfast - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
This experience completely changed my perspective. I came into it not exactly sure what I wanted to do after I graduate and came out of it with my goals defined. It allowed me to stay on track so I can graduate on time but it was more than just another semester at school. Now that I'm home it is definitely clearer how it shaped the way that I view the world and where I see myself fitting into it.
Review Photos
Personal Information
| How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? | 0-2 weeks |
Review Your Program
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* Overall educational experience
Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc. |
The UK education system is a little different from the American system because in most courses your grade is based solely on the final exam. Also, when writing papers they expect you to back any assertion you make with plenty of credible research done by other individuals. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
My program administrator went above and beyond my expectations. I never felt like I couldn't contact him for any reason, emergency or not. He was also very knowledgeable about the education system and about the area in general. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
I chose to live in my accommodation. It was very much like my freshman dorm except that I had a private room/bathroom and communal kitchen. Safety was never an issue, there were security guards that patrolled every night and the entire neighborhood was very safe. The walk to and from class could seem long but comparing it to getting around my home institution it was really short. I really liked the location of my accommodation because it was close enough to walk to a lot of the nightlife, a grocery store, and the city center. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
St. Patrick's Day was one of the best days I spent in Belfast. Also, the trips arranged by my program to Dublin and Killarney were incredible. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
The area of Belfast that Queens and most of the nightlife is in are extremely safe. I felt safer in Belfast than I do in Minneapolis. Healthcare in the UK was also really easy to figure out; we just needed to fill out a form saying we were staying for longer than 4 months and then we had the same access as a citizen. I went to the doctor once when I had an ear infection and was seen and treated within a few hours of the time that I called. |
| 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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Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
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A Look Back
| * What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? | Enjoy your time in Belfast because it goes quickly! Queens does an amazing job of getting you orientated with other international students so there is no excuse not to go out and have fun will with tons of new friends. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Statistical Methods |
| Course Department: | ECO 1003 |
| Instructor: | Jinghai Zheng |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | This course was a basic statistics class. Doing the assignments and going to tutorials was the best thing, otherwise the lectures tended to be very boring and ended up being more confusing than helpful. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | Not yet. |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Gender, Sex, and the Body |
| Course Department: | GST 2014 |
| Instructor: | Margrit Schildrick |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | This was the most interesting class I took at Queens and one of the most interesting classes I've taken in my college career. Dr. Schildrick required that the students got involved and offer up ideas to the class for discussion. There was a lot of reading to do but it definitely made the discussion more relevant. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | Not yet. |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Financial Institutions |
| Course Department: | FIN 1001 |
| Instructor: | Barry Quinn |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | Tutorial attendance is essential to do well on the exam. Overall it wasn't too difficult and it provided a unique perspective on the world of finance from a global perspective. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | Not yet. |
