Past Review

By (History And Political Science, Tufts University) for

Tufts Programs Abroad: Tufts in London

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
My study abroad was completely worthwhile. I had the best time of my life and had some amazing academic and work experiences there; I was able to do things (such as work at Parliament) that I would never be able to do otherwise and my classes were really interesting with amazing professors. While I would have liked to have befriended more British people, I loved the friends I made on the Tufts program because I wouldn't have met them otherwise. So socially, the program was great. The past year changed my outlook on being an American and has helped me become more globally-minded about my political views and about life in general. I was able to do a lot of traveling and still have time to explore London fully.

Personal Information

The term and year this program took place: Full-Year 2008

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I felt that the teachers really knew the material they were teaching and that I learned more in my classes in London than I have at Tufts, mainly because the subjects were more catered to what I'm interested in.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Jaki (the Tufts administrator at UCL) was very helpful because she's been there for a long time and really knows what's going on. She made herself very available to us and was very prompt in her responses. She really had all the bases covered.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I lived John Dodgson House in an en-suite single in a hall with about 10 other people with whom I shared a kitchen. There were 5 floors of the same arrangement with 3 kitchens per floor. We were about 5 minutes walking distance from campus, on the edge of Camden and Bloomsbury and across the street from King's Cross/St. Pancras. In terms of location, I think it was amazing, as the entire city of London was easily accessible from where we were. <br /><br /> My location was great, as I said above, and, for the most part, the dorm was good. I liked the people I lived with but I wish I had been able to get to know some of them better. There wasn't enough fridge and freezer space for the number of people on the hall, but other than that, it was pretty good.

* Food:

I cooked for myself and if I was a better cook, then I probably would have a higher rating. The supermarkets in London are different than the ones in the States, so it took a bit of getting used to at first, but by the end, I knew my way around the food there. The food situation was fine; there were times when I wished there was a meal plan, but all in all, it worked out.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

Jaki made sure to provide a lot of different social outings for us. We got to see a lot of shows and go to a lot of different places (like Bath and Stonehenge); she really took into account what people wanted to do and see.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

As full-year students, we were under the NHS and were able to receive health care from the UCL student health center. I didn't feel unsafe in London.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

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? I had a 100 pound/week budget
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? I spent about 30 pounds a week on groceries, about 10-20 on transportation, and the rest on just everyday activities including going out at night. London is a very expensive city, so you have to be prepared to spend money there. I didn't buy any extraneous things while I was there until the end when I got a few souvenirs.

Language

Language acquisition improvement?

N/A because I was in London.

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Local Students

A Look Back

* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? This was a great program and everything Tufts was very helpful in laying the groundwork.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Tudor and Stuart Britian

Course Department: History
Instructor: Dr. Peacey
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This was a full year history course that I loved. The professor was very knowledgeable in his lectures and helped facilitate discussions about the reading in our smaller group sessions.
Credit Transfer Issues: No
Course Name/Rating:

Introduction to British Politics

Course Department: Political Science
Instructor: Dr. Carter
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This class was required for everyone with an internship at Parliament, but I'm really glad I took it. I think it's important to understand the politics of the country you're in and I learned more about British Politics in this class than I thought I ever would; in fact, I think I can say that I know more about British politics now than American politics.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

London Before the Great Fire of 1666

Course Department: Archaeology
Instructor: Gustav
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This was a field trip based class where we went around London looking at remains from past civilizations, starting with Roman London and finishing with Stuart London. It was pretty easy and the professor was very knowledgeable, especially since he has been a major contributor to this field of knowledge. The essays were very difficult in contrast to the rest of the workload for the class.
Credit Transfer Issues: No
Course Name/Rating:

Renaissance Art in London

Course Department: History of Art
Instructor: Gilly Hatch
Instruction Language: English
Comments: We spent every week looking at different paintings in the National Gallery and the professor knew what she was talking about. It was pretty good and pretty easy.
Credit Transfer Issues: No