Brighton up your day! Past Review
By Erin G (Biology, General., The University of Texas at Austin) for
University of Sussex: Brighton - Direct Enrollment & Exchange
Same as previous question.
Personal Information
| If you took classes at multiple universities, list those universities here: | N/A |
| 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. |
Less emphasis on grades, more self-motivation required, summer examinations for fall semester, less stress. |
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* Host Country Program Administration
On-site administration of your program |
Great way to learn about the country before all the other students arrived. Learned bus routes, opening times, etc. There were city tours and many opportunities to meet people. |
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* Housing:
How satisfied were you with your living arrangements? |
Laundry system awful. Had to walk across campus and several times the laundrette was closed when it should have been open. Had to buy sheets/cooking set, community bath/kitchen. Felt safe. Not at all aesthetically pleasing. The dorm was very used (Norwich house). Toilets clogged several times, no hot water/heating for 36 hours at one point. Kitchen and bathrooms shared between 12 people and cleaned twice a week. Porters not very quick to fix any small issues. |
| * Food: |
Cooked for myself. Lots of good options at the local supermarkets, ASDA and Sainsbury's. There are also a couple shops on campus that have the essentials. Good restaurants in town if you don't want to cook, just make sure they're open. |
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* Social & Cultural Integration:
How integrated did you feel with the local culture? |
Went on several day trips to English towns. Met many amazing people from all over Europe. I had the time of my life in this aspect. |
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* Health Care:
How well were health issues addressed during the program? |
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| * Safety: |
Be careful about sharing with people. There are lots of new viruses that you wouldn't have been exposed to. I got sick on a couple occasions but never had to use healthcare. Just watch your belongings at all times and be smart about your actions and where you put yourself. |
| 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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| Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? | The exchange rate and conversion fees are what kill you. Also, certain things cost the same but come in smaller sizes, so lower value. Be sure to be careful about your cell phone usage. |
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? | Exchange |
Other Program Information
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* Where did you live?
Select all that apply |
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* Who did you live with?
Select all that apply |
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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? | Do it, study abroad. It opens up so many new perspectives. You realize just how big the world is. This experience was worth every penny! I can't even really put into words what it did for me, you have to experience everything for yourself. Brighton was a great city with many attractions. England as a whole is beautiful with its green rolling hills and London gives it all a comsmopolitan feel. The history of the country is also intriguing as nearly everything over there is so much older than anything in America. |
Individual Course Reviews
| Course Name/Rating: |
Animal Diversity |
| Course Department: | Biology C1003 |
| Instructor: | David Harper |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | Very interesting to learn about all different phyla, focus upon British animals. Extremely knowledgeable professor. Low class participation. Lots of information. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | N/A |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Behavioural Ecology |
| Course Department: | Biology C1135 |
| Instructor: | Jeremy Field |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | Not as balanced as a U.S. course might have been. Rather, the lecturers seemed to focus on their particular area of research. We talked a lot about social insects. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | N/A |
| Course Name/Rating: |
Psychology of Childhood and Adolescence |
| Course Department: | Psychology C8813 |
| Instructor: | Robin Banerjee |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | My favorite course at Sussex. Very engaging course material. Very knowledgeable professor that was also a good lecturer which is rare. This first year course was most similar to an American class. There were two lectures a week then one discussion. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | N/A |
| Course Name/Rating: |
American History to 1877 I |
| Course Department: | American Studies T7004 |
| Instructor: | Kenneth Owen |
| Instruction Language: | English |
| Comments: | Fun to see a different perspective on American history. Not like an American class set up at all. One discussion per week for two hours. Good instructor. Made the class discuss the issues to learn all the material better. |
| Credit Transfer Issues: | N/A |
