we had homework??? 😨

If you’re anything like me, you will probably treat your exchange like a mini vacation for the first couple of weeks. You’ll be too busy going on trips and hanging out with newly made friends to even remember the reason you traveled all those miles- to study. Sadly, that carefree feeling only lasts so long; soon reality will sink in, and you’ll find yourself falling back into your regular student habits. 
 
You may be wondering what exactly it’s like to study at the University of Strathclyde. Are the courses hard? Are the professors nice? How heavy is the workload? Will I be able to balance a social life and pass all my courses?  
 
These are all valid questions and I hope I can give you some insight into the reality of studying at the university. Please note, I am only taking three courses at the Strathclyde Business School. Therefore, I can’t really speak on what it’s like at other departments for international students. To be qualified as a full-time student at Strathclyde, you must take a minimum of 60 Strathclyde credits (30 ECTS credits). At the business school, this usually correlates to three courses per semester worth 20 credits each. I decided to take the following three courses:
 
MK 209: Understanding Consumers and Markets
MK329: Marketing Communications in the Digital Age
WE213: International Business Environment and Strategy
 
All course information like assignments and lecture slides are located on the website MyPlace. I was not familiar with this platform having only used BrightSpace, Canvas and Chalkboard in the past. However, I found the site very straightforward and had no trouble signing up for tutorials or accessing my classes. Make sure to sign up to tutorials within the first two weeks of classes as they are mandatory to attend (some classes may deduct marks if you pull a no-show!). Essentially, tutorials are subgroups within a class where 15-20 students go through exercises with their TA, this is also where you will create your groups and ask any questions you may have about the course.  

Even though I’ve taken very similar courses at my home university, I still find most of the class material engaging. Each of my classes has multiple professors that cycle throughout the term. This allows students to learn the curriculum from varying perspectives and teaching methods. Every professor I’ve come across has been extremely welcoming and helpful, even answering questions outside of class hours. In terms of difficulty, I don’t find the material hard to understand but since the semester only spans 11 weeks you are given a lot of information which may be challenging for you if you’re unfamiliar with any of the core concepts. The courses are not demanding since there are not many deliverables, however this does place more weight on your final exam. Fortunately, the business school provides exam preparation services that you can use to help you revise such as access to past papers and mock exams for some courses. 

 
Yes, you are here to study- however, that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun. Put aside some time to go out and make tons of unforgettable memories while you’re here! 
 
rae :)