Considering that the United States and England are both English speaking countries that are closely connected, I did not imagine their education system being very different. However, I quickly realized that the University of Leeds differs greatly from Drexel in both academics and extra curriculars.
Courses
In England, courses are called modules and a student’s major is their course. Each module has a 1-2 hour lecture per week, and some have a seminar every week or every other week. Lectures tend to be in large rooms, while seminars are small groups of 10-20 students with instructors that lead a discussion about the required reading. Some modules will have one or two midterms, but all of them have a final. These assessments are usually in the form of a exam, paper, or project and due in January. In my case, I have 2 papers and 3 exams for my finals. Students spend less time in class and turning in assignments, but they need to keep up with the material professors post and read the textbook for lectures. No one is checking if we do this, but this structure gives students more independence and responsibility for learning their subjects.
Grading
Unlike at Drexel where I have multiple graded assignments to complete weekly, the grade I receive for my modules in Leeds are only be dependent on midterms and finals. If I receive a 70 on my papers, I will be thrilled. I only need a 40 to pass, which seems low. However, it should be noted that a 70 is equivalent to an A in the US. If I get an 80, it means my paper is worthy of being published in a journal, and while it is possible to get over a 90, no one does (MAYBE with the exception of one or two students every decade).
Clubs
First of all, university clubs are called societies here. The few times I messed up and referred to them as “clubs,” people thought I was talking about going clubbing. There are over 300 societies related to academics, sports, music, volunteering, and more (you can find all of them here: https://engage.luu.org.uk/groups). Societies in Leeds are more active and have something going on every week. The majority have an Instagram account or WhatsApp chat that they post on regularly, so it is very easy to find out about events and what they are planning to do. The downside is there is a yearly membership fee and prices can range. I joined the Film Society for £3, while Snowriders cost me £27. However, I feel that this fee made me think more carefully before joining a society, so I only committed to groups I was very interested in and would actually attend events. If you don’t attend events, it feels like a waste of money and it pushes you to go.
Nightlife
At Drexel, most students are not legally allowed to drink for half of the time they are in university. In Leeds, drinking is allowed after 18, and consequently, a much bigger part of student life. Students go out weekly and societies are constantly hosting socials with drinking involved. A big tradition in Leeds is the Otley Run, where you spend all of Saturday crawling between up to 19 pubs. The good thing is that I have never felt pressured to drink when I did not want to. With over 300 student societies and being in a city filled with cozy cafes and restaurants, there is plenty to do after class even if you aren’t interested in drinking.
These differences take adjusting to. Some differences I have enjoyed, such as how active and communicative the societies are. There are some differences, like my whole grade being dependent on a final, which I am not as fond of. Regardless, this gives me exposure to a new way of life and opens my mind to change. Humans can get so stuck patterns that we do not realize how we can change our lives to suit us better. Experiencing practices that are unlike to what I am used to has given be a clearer idea of what I like and what changes I can aim to implement. When I return to Drexel, I can continue to use new studying methods or be inspired to start a club based on the societies in Leeds.
Published by
Source link
All Materials on this website/blog are only for Learning & Educational purposes. It is strictly recommended to buy the products from the original owner/publisher of these products. Our intention is not to infringe any copyright policy. If you are the copyright holder of any of the content uploaded on this site and don’t want it to be here. Instead of taking any other action, please contact us. Your complaint would be honored, and the highlighted content will be removed instantly.