Study
in England
By
Bruce Myint
England,
with its dreary weather and even drearier food, is not the first
place that comes to mind for a trans-Atlantic holiday. But for
studying abroad, one could do much worse than spend a year on
that pastoral island whose universities rival the best in the
world. I spent two years studying there: as a junior at the University
of Sussex in Brighton and then as a graduate student at the University
of Cambridge. Both experiences were similar: small seminars, quirky
but accessible professors, and a unique emphasis on self-directed
study. English universities emphasized reflection and analysis.
They frowned upon handholding, it seemed, so Americans often needed
to adjust to working independently without the constant tests
and deadlines that organized work back home. Classes met infrequently–
questions and comments about one’s readings often reserved for
the regular one-on-one meetings with a faculty supervisor. I found
that English higher education provided good practice for graduate
studies in the US, which expects a similar autonomy. But although
one studies on their own in the UK, there is always a rich social
life among students as they talk, dine, and drink together. Having
spent many nights at the pub after a long day at the library,
sitting in a toasty room talking among friends was a great way
to pass time during those rainy Februarys that seemed to last
forever.#
Education Update, Inc., P.O. Box 20005, New York, NY 10001. Tel:
(212) 481-5519. Fax: (212) 481-3919. Email: ednews1@aol.com.
All material is copyrighted and may not be printed without express consent of
the publisher. © 2001.
|