London Study Abroad: Incredible Experience, Incredible City, Average University Past Review

By (Business Administration, University of the Pacific) for

University of Westminster: London - Study Abroad Semester or Year with an Optional Internship

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
My study abroad experience was extremely worthwhile. In taking classes outside my major, I realized that my career path belongs in business (I had previously considered law school) and that I am, in fact, eager to begin my accounting job upon return to the United States. I am also grateful to have had the opportunity to experience London so thoroughly. It is not my favorite city in the UK or even in England, but I am glad that I now know this. Learning to live in a city as large and complex as London is a worthwhile experience in itself and the trips I independently took to museums and galleries were highly educational. I loved my time in London and I made strong, lasting friendships with other study abroad students, so I believe my time was well-spent.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The change in grading styles was a major adjustment- I am accustomed to regularly doing graded work and receiving feedback, so I had a difficult time coping with the fact that my marks would remain a mystery until the end of the semester. Because entire module grades may be dependent on as little as two 1500 word essays, it was difficult to know how many hours of work should be done for each class. The one type of assignment that required regular work was the weekly reflection log which I was assigned in three of my classes. I made sure to be thorough and thoughtful in every log, but it did still not seem to have the educational impact I had hoped an assignment worth as much as 30% of my final grade would have required. The classes themselves met much less frequently than they do in the United States- each class met only once a week for anywhere from 1 to 3 hours. All classes had one to two "reading weeks" in which class did not meet. Independent reading was not explicitly recommended in my classes, so throughout the semester, there was very little to do other than attend class (and, in my case, go to my internship). Nearly all of my work for each class was focused in the two to three weeks preceding each assignment's due date, but during that time, I worked longer hours than I have in the United States. The most negative aspect of the experience was the in-class atmosphere. Students were highly disrespectful to instructors and some of my instructors seemed to be much less knowledgeable about their subjects than my professors in the United States tend to be. From the marks I have received so far, I appear to have done reasonably well in my courses, but I feel that the system as a whole did not result in me learning as much about each subject as I would have in an American-style class on the same topic. This system appears to work well for UK students, but I am very accustomed to learning in an American classroom and I found it difficult to gain the thorough knowledge of a topic that I usually feel I have acquired at the end of a class.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The program was so large (400 students) that students were not "cared for" in any way. I essentially became a Westminster student for a semester, minus the information and aid provided to actual first year Westminster students. Overall, I was able to manage my way through the semester without any major difficulties, but I did this without the assistance of the Education Abroad Team.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Though I was fortunate enough to have received one of my first choices for housing, I know of many other study abroad students who were informed very near to their start dates that they had been denied university housing and must independently find an apartment in London for the semester. I was initially assigned a smaller, more affordable room, but due to a clerical error on Westminster's part, this offer was revoked (after I had sent my deposit) and I was required to pay extra for a larger room. The dorm itself was the most affordable of the options and it is clear why- it is located in a less central area of London and is very poorly maintained. Much of the filth in my hall is due to the cleaning habits of the other students on my floor, but the rooms themselves are not well-maintained either: when I moved in, the walls were cracked and there appeared to be mold around the windows. I was required to purchase my own sheets and crockery upon arrival.

* Food:

Food was not provided in any dining halls, but grocery stores and fast food shops are plentiful in London. I spent much more on food than I had originally budgeted, but this was largely because my dorm's kitchen was often unusable due to the cleaning standards of my floormates so I opted for pre-made or take away food instead. London grocery stores: Tesco, Sainsbury's, Co-Operative Food, M&S Food Hall. London fast meals: Eat, Pret a Manger, Costa, Pizza Express.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

The university did advertise a tour program held through a third party which many direct-enroll students signed up for. This was an interesting, affordable, and social way to see England. I would give the tour company itself (Proscenium) five stars, but Westminster's involvement was only in the booking process so I cannot comment on their performance.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

All dorms were extremely tightly guarded 24 hours a day, so they were extremely safe. I had no health issues for the University to assist me with, so I cannot comment on the quality of their health services.

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)

Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Even if you prepare by purchasing bedding ahead of time, startup costs will be approximately $300: this includes extra blankets, detergent, hangers, and other necessities. Also, if you do not intend to cook your own meals, food will cost at least $12/day.

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

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Dorm
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
  • Local Students
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • Central London location
* What could be improved?
  • Interaction with English students
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? If it is possible, I would recommend that students seek out another London university for their study abroad experience. Most of my experience with the university itself was either average or negative. My personal experience living in London was incredible and I will remember it forever, but my experience interacting with University of Westminster itself was consistently the low point of my days. Additionally, due to the large program size, it is very difficult to find opportunities to interact with English students. I made many valuable friendships with students from around the world, but none of them were English. Access to citizens of your host country should be a major aspect of studying abroad and the program at Westminster fails spectacularly at it.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Introduction to Legal Studies

Course Department: 1LAW417
Instructor: Amanda Taylor
Instruction Language: English
Comments: This course was interesting, but not particularly challenging. It covered a broad range of UK legal topics, but as it was not a course intended for study-abroad students, it made no specific effort to engage with London or England in the form of field trips or case studies. I participated in class as often as I would have in the United States, but very few others did. It was a small class of approximately 15 students, but only about three students (myself included) participated. I suspect that this is because many of the other students in the class are first-years and are still unsure about being active in a class.
Credit Transfer Issues: I do not plan to have any credit transfer issues as this course was taken purely for elective credit.
Course Name/Rating:

Personal and Professional Development

Course Department: 4WBS504
Instructor: Xanthy Kallis
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Lectures lacked pertinence to the internships to which they were supposed to relate and seminars consisted largely of activities that were uninteresting, not educational, and relevant to neither the internship nor the information from the lecture. The module was required in order to participate in the internship and the internship itself was valuable, but the class itself seemed disorganized and generally unhelpful to students.
Credit Transfer Issues: I do not plan to have any credit transfer issues as this course was taken purely for elective credit.