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Birkbeck, University of London
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Birkbeck Chat and Q&A Thread

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Reply 40
Original post by admbeatmaker
A certificate in Legal Methods (Equivalent to the first year of an undergrad degree). Yourself?


Journalism :smile:
Birkbeck, University of London
Birkbeck College
London
Reply 41
biomedicine cant wait!! :smile:
Reply 42
Original post by h82think

Original post by h82think
Modules in Journalism, in Central London :smile:

Where will you be based?


I'll be based in Kent as I live there and work in London.

Will be doing evening study in Modern Languages, Spanish and Japanese
Reply 43
Hey everyone, I'm starting a BSC in Psychology at Birkbeck this October! I know there are a lot of older students about, I just turned 21, are there any other undergraduates on here starting Psychology or any other courses this autumn?
Original post by SammyJ
Hey everyone, I'm starting a BSC in Psychology at Birkbeck this October! I know there are a lot of older students about, I just turned 21, are there any other undergraduates on here starting Psychology or any other courses this autumn?


I'm 20, doing a CertHE in Legal Methods (basically the first year of an undergrad degree).

Looking forward to starting at Birkbeck?
Reply 45
Original post by SammyJ
Hey everyone, I'm starting a BSC in Psychology at Birkbeck this October! I know there are a lot of older students about, I just turned 21, are there any other undergraduates on here starting Psychology or any other courses this autumn?


I just turned 21 too, at the end of August! I'm starting a part time BA in History.
Reply 46
Original post by SammyJ
Hey everyone, I'm starting a BSC in Psychology at Birkbeck this October! I know there are a lot of older students about, I just turned 21, are there any other undergraduates on here starting Psychology or any other courses this autumn?


I'm starting Psychology too, and I'm 18 :wink:
CertHE in Life Sciences Allied to Medicine
Reply 48
I'm 29
I'm 21 - starting English BA at Birkbeck in October :biggrin:
Reply 50
glad to find this thread!
I applied for the Japanese creative industries postgrad. (anyone out there too?) and I'll be having an interview this tuesday, I hope not to get lost ! :biggrin:
Reply 51
I'm thinking of making Birkbeck one of my 5 university choices when I apply this year for law (fulltime), however I am worried that there won't be many people my age.. :s-smilie: im 17, 18 in a few months
Original post by Fofo
I'm thinking of making Birkbeck one of my 5 university choices when I apply this year for law (fulltime), however I am worried that there won't be many people my age.. :s-smilie: im 17, 18 in a few months


I think perhaps there will be far more 18yr old students by the time you apply. I believe this year was the first time the law degree was available full time so it would't have been the most popular choice.

I would say that it's certainly a solid and respectable AAB university for law.
Reply 53
Original post by admbeatmaker
I think perhaps there will be far more 18yr old students by the time you apply. I believe this year was the first time the law degree was available full time so it would't have been the most popular choice.

I would say that it's certainly a solid and respectable AAB university for law.


Ah thanks, that's very pleasing to hear. I wasn't aware it was not available full-time before :smile:
i think it depends on the sort of university experience you're looking for
i know that Birkbeck for example do not have their own halls (though they do have access to the communal UoL ones)
the things i have heard is that it is mainly geared up for mature students with jobs or kids to juggle
however, if you're just looking to get the degree rather than 'experience' university then it's not a bad choice
Reply 55
Original post by SammyJ

Original post by SammyJ
Hey everyone, I'm starting a BSC in Psychology at Birkbeck this October! I know there are a lot of older students about, I just turned 21, are there any other undergraduates on here starting Psychology or any other courses this autumn?


Hi, I'm 21 and going to be starting this October to do part time history and archaeology :smile:
Reply 56
One advantage of Birkbeck is that where there are sufficient students on the full time course, they may run a module during the day and evening. This means you can attend the same class twice (time and schedule permitting). This is useful if you did quite get it first time round. Lectures do not start before 10 and lecturers are often around after 5pm.

If you are missing your student life fix, go next door to ULU (Birkbeck students get ULU membership), there are always events on there. You can socialise with UCL/SOAS students etc. I find it somewhat ironic that the under 21 years are worried about being surronded by "older people" and vice versa. When in education at university level, generally age is nothing but a number. The things you have in common, you have selected the same course and may have similiar long term goals. The differences such as educational background, life experience are always going to be there, but that means both parties have something to learn from each other.

Also because a lot of people at Birkbeck are working, it presents a good networking opportunity, for those thinking long term.

An American friend, who relocated to the UK was surprised to find that Birkbeck was a part time university as their perception was it have has a good reputation for research internationally.
(edited 12 years ago)
Reply 57
Hi guys, I've got an interview on Friday at Birkbeck for a BA in Philosophy, Politics and History starting this year. I was wondering if anyone had any advice to give on what I might be expected to answer. i wouldn't think there'd be any model answers i'd have to give as that was all done in my statement.

I think I have to add that I'm absolutely delighted to have been offered an interview given that i've only got BCC after some resits because things didn't go to plan in my gap year.

i'm expecting the things like
- why do you like about the course?
- why part time degree?
- what will you go on to do?
- you wrote this in your application statement. discuss it further?

i'm sure there are more things to be thought of which i haven't managed to write down in this post but i'd appreciate any help you guys are willing to offer!

thanks

(btw... i couldn't be bothered with the punctuation half way through...)
Nihongo no gakusei desu!!! :smile: Birkbeck is nice!
Reply 59
I only started at the beginning of this month, but for anyone wanting to, or thinking of applying to BBK, here's what I can share so far:

Well for starters, I never attended the orientation (I had undergrad finals elsewhere to prepare for before beginning at London), but in all honesty it isn't hard to find your way around. Maps are available online and people (staff and students) are happy to help you find your way.

As far as the range of people attending (at least my course, BSc biomedicine) it is a diverse group, ethnically, age-wise, and roughly a 50/50 split in gender. Everyone has various academic backgrounds. For example I am a grammar school student and graduate, there are older grads, people with few formal qualifications, young post- A-level students, people educated abroad, etc. I haven't detected any snobbery or elitism from anyone I have met - indeed everyone seems keen to get to know each other and help each other whether they have previously met or not. There's also no seeming evidence of inferiority felt by others either.

Our classes are split between different colleges around the Bloomsbury area, and this doesn't have much effect on the students. Most seem pretty motivated, as you'd expect from a part-time group who have other pressures taking up most of their time (the reason I chose BBK over UCL full-time is due to other life commitments).

For the younger students thinking about BBK - you fears are ungrounded, I'm happy to say. Whilst most people drawn to part-time study are going to be older, they're not much older (I'm still in my 20s... ok very, very late 20s...), but even though there are differences you'll find that there being a common ground with the groups (i.e. the subjects) ties you all in together. University is much different from school!

As far as prestige is concerned... This isn't my first time at university, and I have to say the quality of teaching and work is pretty much what you'd expect from any college at the University of London - indeed we share facilities with other colleges, such as UCL and Kings, and this is not by coincidence. Make no bones about it, if you slack off just like any of their other colleges you will be kept under the watchful eye to ensure you really deserve or are able to keep pace with a UoL place.

I think the 'lack of prestige' label really comes from the numbers of students who do not have great academic backgrounds before studying at BBK. Nonetheless, the education offered is not compromised here, although I suspect drop out rates may be slightly higher because of this and the fact some older students may have trouble getting back into the swing of studying again, life commitments get in the way, or maybe they realised they simply didn't want to continue after all.

So in a nutshell:

You're studying at UoL which is no bad thing.
You have the benefit of close ties with students of other colleges, and people from diverse backgrounds.
It is part-time for the most part, enabling you to hold down commitments elsewhere (like I said before, this was the deciding factor to me).
Elitism is only for those who care about it - Studying at BBK instead of Imperial or Cambridge won't affect your passion to learn or intelligence, unless there are issues there anyway.
There's a good mix of those with few formal qualifications and advanced qualifications.
There are lots of extra-curricular activities (for want of a better phrase) open to you.
For those interested in humanities subjects, you have the benefit of studying in the heart of one of the great capital cities of the world - there is a lot to experience there!
BBK has some world-ranked departments, and links with Nobel laureates.
The people are friendly and helpful, and for the most part great to be around :smile:

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