My Experience Choosing a Dissertation Topic
Written by Ambassador Kaley - 01/08/2023
One of the first questions I had when applying for my masters was what the dissertation process would be like. I had written a thesis in my undergraduate and so while I was familiar with the process at my university in Canada, I was unsure of how it would be for a master’s course in the UK. While I can’t speak for all universities, this was my experience at Newcastle University studying for an MSc Foundations in Clinical Psychology.
Supervisor Selection
Towards the end of semester one a PDF was sent out to all students with a list of people who were willing to take on students for a dissertation. Some of these people had pre-established projects and were looking for students to take on one of their projects and others had broad research interests and were willing to take students for their own project ideas. While this helps for students who do not have any strong research interests or a specific project in mind, it is a bit harder for someone with a specific idea to find a project with this kind of system. I have specific research interests so the options for supervisors in my area was very minimal. I went to one meeting for someone in my area of interest, but so did 20+ other interested students. It turned out that she was only willing to take 2 students and with over 20 of us looking to go onto the project, I was not one of them. Since she was my only option for a project in my specific area, I was left without a project and no ideas. This is how I went from having no project and no ideas, to getting a dissertation project I am very happy with.
My Experience
I began contacting other supervisors who studied areas that I am interested in. My main interest is on childhood illness, but because I am also interested in anxiety, disordered eating, a developmental disorders, I started contacting other researchers in these areas. After contacting dozens of faculty members and going to many meetings I started to narrow down my options to 3. Some of the faculty members had already taken on student and didn’t have room for another, and some had projects that I didn’t see myself enjoying working on, so this also factored into my decision.
After having 3 projects that I had an interest in I had to make a decision. What ultimately led to my final decision was which would give me the most relevant experience for my future studies and future career. One of these three projects involved being trained to deliver an intervention and this largely is what drove my decision in choosing the topic.
My course has about 70 students, which is the largest year yet and double what they had last year. This means that way more people were competing for a dissertation with the same amount of faculty as previous years. With most faculty only taking 2 or 3 students it seemed that rejections were more common than getting a project. But with that being said, this was my experience and different programs and different universities may have less students or more faculty. Choosing a dissertation was a very stressful few weeks, but in the end all 70 of us landed on a project.
Tips for choosing a dissertation
- Remember you will be spending a lot of time on this project, so don’t just agree to something to have a project. Make sure it’s something you have at least some interest in.
- If your project isn’t exactly what you want to do out of school don’t worry. The main point of the dissertation is just to get experience.
- Try not to stress too much. While choosing a project may be hard and things may not go as planned, you will end up with a project.
- Go into it with an open mind. While your project may not be perfect or ideal, it can still be something you end up happy with.
- Contact many people and start the process early! The sooner you start contacting supervisors the better your chances are to get onto a high demand project.
Interested in studying in the UK? You can find out more by contacting one of our advisors!
The Best Free (or Cheap) Activities to do as a Student in the UK
Written by Advisor Mackenzie - 15/02/2020
Something that I remember fondly from my time in the UK are free or affordable activities to do as a student! Being a student, I was very conscious of my budget, so I discovered a lot that I could do while not spending too much (or anything at all).
I lived in London, so I will detail some free activities to do as a student there first. Further on I talk about the rest of the UK!
Free activities in London
There are a multitude of free activities in the UK, particularly in London, depending on your interests:
Museums/Galleries – I studied history, so I spent a lot of my time in the free museums of London. There is the option for a donation upon entry, but you are not obligated to do so. My favourites included:
- The Victoria and Albert Museum (free)
- The British Museum (free)
- The National Gallery (free)
- The National Portrait Gallery (free)
- Museum of London (free)
- Museum of London Docklands (free)
- Natural History Museum (free)
- National Maritime Museum (free)
- The Queen’s House (free)
- Sir John Soane’s Museum (free)
- The Royal Observatory (free)
- The Wallace Collection (free)
- … I could go on and on! There are SO many free museums in London!
Sky Garden – Forget the Shard! If you want some amazing 360 degree views of London, while exploring a beautiful public garden (at the top of a skyscraper), the Sky Garden is a must-visit and it’s FREE admission! You must book in advance online for a visit slot, but it is free to do so.
Parks and green spaces – One of my favourite things to do in London was visit the parks and greenspaces for a stroll, or even a picnic. Pick up some cheap snacks and visit any one of my favourite spots:
- Hyde Park/Kensington Gardens
- Hampstead Heath
- Green Park
- St. James’s Park
- The Regent’s Park
- Greenwich Park
- Richmond Park
- Lincoln’s Inn Fields
- Hampstead Heath, London
- Lacock Abbey, near Chippenham
Affordable activities across the UK
Inexpensive day trips – if you book well enough in advance, you can get the train or a coach bus to anywhere in the UK, whether a short or longer trip. I did this many times for well under £20, and would just explore new towns and cities for free. They often have free attractions as well, and the only things you need to pay for are the ticket there and a spot of lunch!
Theatre/Music - most theatres and concert halls offer student priced tickets that are MUCH cheaper than a standard admission price! I saw plays and musicals for as little as £5-15. Look for "concession" prices or student prices before buying!
National Trust, Historic Scotland, or English Heritage properties – so many of the UK’s amazing properties and estates are incredibly inexpensive to visit, and also offer student discounts on their entry fees. Some of my favourites I was able to visit were:
- Prior Park Landscape Gardens, Bath
- Bath Assembly Rooms, Bath
- Lacock Abbey, near Chippenham
- Saltram House, Plymouth
- The White Cliffs of Dover, Kent
- Chiswick House, London
- Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh
- Kisimul Castle, Isle of Barra
- Clava Carins, near Inverness
- Prior Park Landscape Gardens
- Bath Assembly Rooms
Hiking – I loved hiking in the UK. There are so many stunning places to take a hike, whether you want to spend one hour or several!
Student discount schemes – There are a ton of student schemes and discount cards available to you in London and the whole of the UK. This includes UNiDAYS (discounts on almost everything!), tastecard (save money on food!), Totum (formerly National Union of Students) card, student passes for transportation, and student prices on membership cards to the historic and heritage organizations I mentioned above.
As you can see there are a multitude of cheap or free activities to do as a student in the UK! Take advantage while you’re studying in the UK – you will not regret it!
Interested in studying in the UK? You can find out more by contacting one of our advisors!
Sources
https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/
https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/
https://members.historic-scotland.gov.uk/
https://www.myunidays.com/GB/en-GB
Studying in the UK vs Studying in Canada
Written by Ambassador Kaley - 24/01/2020
Since coming to the UK I have noticed quite a few differences from Canada. I have come from an undergraduate in Canada to a masters in England so some of these differences may be because of being in a postgraduate course. Regardless, there are quite a few things that differ in studying in the UK.
Marking criteria
In Canada I was marked with a percentage, GPA, and letter grades. Here it’s a little different. For my postgraduate course there are 3 categories that your marks can fall into; Pass, merit, or distinction. The major difference is by what is considered merit or distinction. While 50 is still considered a pass, for my course a merit is 60-70 and a distinction is 70 and above. As well, the grading scheme only goes up to 90. Getting a 60 is considered rather good and many people don’t even get above a 70 whereas in Canada getting a 70 was often an average grade. I must admit it has been difficult getting used to seeing a low number and associating it with a good grade.
Exam and semester dates
Back home my undergraduate exams would happen in December before Christmas and second semester would start in January when you return from the break. Here my exams are in January after I return for Christmas and second semester doesn’t start until the very end of January. As well, first semester started in October.
Weight of assignments
This has been very difficult to get used to. Back home one class would have multiple assignments, 1 or 2 midterms, and a final exam. This meant that everything would be worth less. Final exams were typically worth 25% and you could go into it with a high grade due to previous assignments, midterms, and attendance increasing your overall grade. Here, I have two classes where there’s one assignment worth 100%. Another class had two assignments worth 50% each, and one class had an assignment worth 25% leaving the final exam worth 75%. This has been really hard to get used to as you only have one chance to do well and your entire grade falls on one assignment/ exam. However, on the plus side it makes for fewer due dates and less work throughout the term.
Class schedule
Back home I would have to select my own classes and make my own schedule. Here, my schedule was made for me. This first semester I had 4 classes with school only two days a week, and lunch breaks scheduled in for me. This was a lot of stress taken off the registration process and leaves for lots of free time built into my schedule for me. Another bonus is that classes tend to go on a 9-5 schedule where in Canada I had classes as early as 8am and knew people who had evening classes that went until 10pm.
While there are many differences that I have come across since studying in England, overall the experience hasn’t been anything too shocking and these differences are all part of this adventure. Some have taken some getting used to (assignments worth 100%) where others I have happily taken on (schedules made up for you). If this has made you curious as to what studying in the UK would be like, then contact an Across the Pond advisor to get started on your applications!
Why You Should Consider Studying Outside London
Written by Advisor Lauren - 15/01/2020
London is an amazing city full of history, there’s no denying that. There is so much to do, so much to see, and it’s the capital of England. What’s not to love? It’s so amazing, that people often forget there are other cities that are just as, if not more, amazing in the UK. This is a list of reasons why you should consider studying outside of London, and maybe consider some other cities (or countries!) to be your home away from home!
The Cost
Let’s just get this one out of the way. Studying in the UK is expensive no matter what, but the cost of living in London is the highest. Why not look at other cities with lower costs of living, save some money, and then use it for a trip to London instead?
Commute
There are so many cities in the UK that have simpler transportation for you to get to and from campus. I studied in Edinburgh, and never once got stuck in rush hour traffic. Why spend time stuck in London traffic when you could be studying (or really, out exploring)?
Landscape
Sure, London is a beautiful city, but does it have the hills of Scotland or scenery of Wales? Living in cities like Edinburgh, Cardiff, Belfast, Newcastle, and many more, it is so much easier to escape the city and spend the day out in nature, just exploring.
Travel
London is in the South of England, so it’s pretty far to travel to get to other parts of the UK. You could go to school somewhere like York, in the middle of England, and be able to travel easily to London, but also to Scotland, Wales, and tons of cities throughout the UK. Sure, you can fly almost anywhere from London, but wouldn’t you rather be able to take a day trip on the train to another city?
Tourists
London is a very touristy city. That’s probably why you want to study there, right? Sure, there’s a ton to see, and the Royal Family is super close by, but ultimately, you are in the UK to study. Maybe you want to go to a university where you won’t have to push through crowds of tourists to get to class, and there are plenty of other cities in the UK that are great for this! Glasgow, Aberdeen, Leeds, Essex, and more are all beautiful cities full of things to do and see, without the overpopulation. Go to London to be a tourist, not to dodge them!
Originality
London is a pretty great city, which is why everyone wants to study there. Why not check out a school or city that maybe isn’t as studied at, and have even more amazing stories for your family and friends back home! Sure, maybe no one you know has ever heard of Chester, but they’ll be dying to go by the time you’ve finished studying there. See new parts of the world, and learn something new about the UK; there’s more to it than just London!
Ultimately, the choice is yours. London is an amazing city, and if that’s what your heart is set on, good for you! Just know, there are so many cities in the UK that have so much to offer, and you should give those a chance!
Interested in studying in the UK? You can find out more by contacting one of our advisors!
How to Handle being Homesick While in the UK
Written by Kiranpreet - 01/08/2023
It has been around 3 months since I first arrived in the UK. Throughout my time here so far, I have gone through a lot of emotions. First: being excited to start a new chapter in my life, second: being nervous to make friends and feel at home, and third: feeling content with where I currently am in life.
Excitement
Excitement is what will help you experience the first couple weeks in the UK without feeling homesick. The first week, I had my mom come with me to help get my room sorted and adjust to the UK lifestyle. This was very beneficial as I didn’t feel overwhelmed with having to do everything myself. Many students, of all ages, had their parents or someone come with them and it truly does help with transitioning into living on your own (especially if you haven’t before). With so much change happening, such as moving to a new country, a new language for some, new rules, new time zone, etc.; a whole bunch of newness, having someone with you, helps to completely change your life.
Nerves
Nerves are a big thing; this is what hit me once my mom left and school had finally started to pick up. The nerves made me feel lonely and homesick. However, a huge tip I can give is to talk to people. Try to socialize, and not stay too alone for a long period of time. Whenever I felt homesick, I would call my parents and friends back home, but I would also ask my friends here in the UK to hang out. It helps to get your mind off of things, and chances are they are 100% feeling the same as you. Contacting you Across the Pond advisor can also be an option, I believe all of the advisors have experienced university abroad and they can definitely speak from experience and provide tips.
Content
Feeling homesick is hard, especially when you aren’t only a couple hours away. Moving to a new country can be extremely difficult, however, getting through the first couple months (which are the hardest) is worth it in the end.
My top 10 tips would be to:
- Bring someone with you if possible, to help with the transition
- Put yourself out there, make friends and socialize
- Talk to someone if you’re feeling alone or homesick
- Plan trips or activities for the weekends to avoid feeling homesick
- Call home, if you’re feeling homesick, chances are you are being missed too
- Make the best out of your time here in the UK
- Watch videos on feeling homesick
- Develop a routine to avoid feeling like you have nothing to do
- Talk to an Across the Pond advisor
- Enjoy!! Feeling homesick will only last so long, it will get easier. Enjoy your time in the UK and live your best life!
Homesickness is just one con of moving to the UK, however there are SO many pros. There are such great friends, opportunities and self-growth that I have achieved since moving for law school. I highly recommend making this choice for yourself.
Interested in studying in the UK? You can find out more by contacting one of our advisors!
The start of the Christmas season is marked in different ways for different people. Many of us in Canada have grown up with the notion that decorating your house with lights and tinsel is a good way to get into the holiday spirit. Maybe you have even driven around with your family looking at other decorated houses in your neighbourhood.
le, check out Winter Wonderland in central London. Located in London’s Hyde Park every holiday season, this massive carnival includes opportunities to do some shopping, rides, carnival eats and other fun activities.
