The Studying Bit

Well, Its that time of year - studying. Preparing for exams is much different in the UK than it was in the US. Instead of having quizzes, tests, essays, and presentations due throughout my courses, nearly everything is due at the end of my course (with the exception of two essays). I knew some of this stuff was coming, and I don't really consider myself a procrastinator, but suddenly it seems like I don't have enough time to complete it all. Granted, I will be leaving in December in order to arrive back to CMU in time for the Spring semester, whereas my British classmates will have a 'revision period' from about mid-December to mid-January, when assessments are actually due. I will be turning mine in early of course.

Some courses have the typical exam and are finished in December. For example, next week I have a written exam in Spanish 3 and the following week I have an oral exam for that class. Likewise, I have a final exam for my British Life and Culture course in two weeks and a final presentation due this week. For my other two courses, I have to turn in final assessments, which are like portfolios of all the things I've done this semester. My assessments will mostly consist of exercises I've done in class but will have needed to revise throughout the semester, a couple of creative writing pieces, two critical reflections essays, and forms and essays that I've worked on throughout the course as well. I'm a bit nervous that everything gets turned in at the same time. This means, I must have kept track of each bit of paper I've done in class, but also that I have no idea how well I'm doing in the class or how my professor tends to mark his or her papers. This is much different from the US where a student can track his or her progress throughout the course by the grades he or she received on all class assignments.  Here's hoping for the best!

Study and education is quite different in the UK as I've come to realize. As mentioned earlier, little to no coursework is done throughout the semester, rather students are expected to create portfolios of their work for the end of the course. Some courses may even be a year long and the assessment is not turned in for the duration of the course. Also, classes are generally much more laid back. My professors have short presentations prepared for the class, possibly a handout or two, and classes meet between one and two hours a week. There is often the lecture and then the 'seminar' or 'tutorial' where students meet for a short period of time to discuss what was gone over in class. The majority of schoolwork is expected to be done outside of lectures. Professors do not delve into topics at the level they might in the US. Independent study is expected of students if they want to do well in the course. At CMU, when I went to the library for research, it was often for a paper topic or a specific lesson from the class, at Kingston my research has been more holistically focused on the course topic.

Education in the UK took a lot to get used to at first, since it is so independently-minded. It may be a matter of preference for the student how he or she prefers to study. I've found that I really like the US method of learning as compared to the UK. American universities tend to promote a 'well-rounded' student whereas university in the United Kingdom is more focused on producing 'experts in a given field.' Once a student has chosen his or her course of study in the UK, they will rarely focus on any other topics besides the one they have chosen. If a student is studying English, he or she would not take courses in Science or Math. However, in American university, a student is expected to have some knowledge of each study. Therefore, a student majoring in English will have taken a number of Science and Math courses in order to graduate. I think both methods have good and bad to them.

The British system is beginning to make more sense to me, and I think I could potentially choose a Masters course in the UK (only a year long course). It is quite different to what I have grown up with however. To any American students thinking of studying in the UK, I recommend you are aware of the education differences and prepare yourself for more independent study. It really is a great experience!

I can't believe I only have three weeks left in the UK and only two weeks left of uni. The time has gone by incredibly fast. I've learned a lot of valuable things so far and met some really great people. It will be difficult to say good bye.