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University of Sussex

Brighton

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Why? Why? Why oh why do People want to go to Sussex?

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Reply 20

Fusilero

Original post by TomU

Yep, a cat:

That... is the third most awesome thing I have ever seen. Someone should get a bloody medal.

University of Sussex

Brighton

Reply 21

jacobbannier

Most people on this forum are probably too up themselves to go to Sussex. Great city + univercity. If you're into studying and being a boring **** maybe some of the better ones would be more appropiate, however Univercity isn't all about that, it's also about being social, making friends, having a good time and generally learning a lot of lifes lessons. For this, I think Sussex is perfect.

Reply 22

beth_simpz

woah is it really that bad?

Reply 23

VioletHunter

I've just firmed Sussex, loved what I've seen of it so far but this thread is freaking me the **** out.

Reply 24

gemini89

Original post by Potiron

it's okay.

Their official anti plagiarism strategy is to get more of the assessed work done by group presentation, cos if people don't write any essays they can't be plagiarising them. That's Sussex logic. There are rumours that it might merge with Brighton Uni.

While I agree with some of the things you've said (particularly about the fairly inactive SU) what the heck is this all about?? That's definitely not an across the board policy - I'm in my third year and I've never had to do an assessed presentation?! I've always done one on average every term for every course, but absolutely not assessed in any way.

Rumours about merging with Brighton!?! Where have you heard that? That's the most bizarre thing I've heard in a while. Brighton and Sussex share a medical school, and that's pretty much it.

Original post by VioletHunter

I've just firmed Sussex, loved what I've seen of it so far but this thread is freaking me the **** out.

While it's interesting to hear (or rather see) other people's opinions, do not get so worried about it. It's the same with universities everywhere - some people like them, some people don't. I visited Bath University and really disliked it while there's plenty of people who go there every year and love it. It's just one of those things.
You always see more negative opinions online about anything cos people go online to complain, not to rave about how good something is (usually). If you like Sussex, then go and you are very likely to enjoy yourself.

While I don't go around saying how much I like Sussex (cos I don't exactly love the place), I do like to make my point where I think people could be saying things untrue i.e. saying the university is in a bad area (??)

Reply 25

Trece13

Original post by VioletHunter

I've just firmed Sussex, loved what I've seen of it so far but this thread is freaking me the **** out.

haha don't worry! the only people you'll get on this thread are trolly nerds sitting on their computers all days badmouthing every other uni except the one they go to.

I mean why does the layout of the campus matter so much anyways?

Reply 26

Trece13

Original post by Potiron

I read about the assessed presentation/plagiarism thing in the Bulletin in an article about Turnitin, possibly written by Farthing, the logic of it made me laugh - it didn't suggest that other forms of assessment should entirely replace traditional ones, but that they should be used more. They only make up about 20% of the first year course, and obviously first year doesn't count for anything, but I think it's a worrying trend. I've done two assessed ones a term and the whole group gets the same overall mark regardless of individual performance.

The merging with Brighton thing is probably *******s tbh, I shouldn't have included it.

I agree with you about people not letting this thread put them off too much. It is still a good university and I'm doing it down unfairly, it has many more positive points than I've admitted. Brighton is a great city, everyone down here is lovely, I definitely disagree with people who say the staff are uninterested and uninvolved. I have other, personal, things against Sussex, and I definitely picked the wrong course which doesn't help, and that was my own stupid fault; I shouldn't be letting that influence my rant. I'm just venting and I feel bad for doing so. Sorry.

If you've visited Sussex and liked it don't let this thread put you off it, ladies and gentlemen.

edit - why don't you exactly love the place, gemini89? (You're more than welcome to not answer that if you don't want to.)

editedit - I should also mention that I know plenty of people at Sussex who think it's the bee's knees.

What do you mean by 'bee's knees'? lol

Reply 27

VioletHunter

Thanks. I guess I'm just worried because I've only insured UEA (English Lit), which everyone on TSR seems to love, and firmed Sussex which doesn't seem to have a strong presence on this forum. But I wasn't even looking on here before making my own decision. :s

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 28

gemini89

Original post by Potiron

My views on Sussex are a bit complex because I don't feel I can 'love it' as I don't actually have much involvement with it! I really hated my first year due to housemates I didn't get on with (with isn't Sussex Uni's fault) and a course which I didn't like (which is probably 60/40 my fault)....Sussex did however let me change half of my course and then go straight into my 2nd of my new joint honours course which was pretty great. Since my first year though, I barely spend any time on campus due to both my timetable and personal choice! I'm in my third year now and had a 3 hour timetable until now, as I am just writing my two dissertations now (yes two, bit annoyed at Sussex about that!). The majority of my friends in Brighton aren't students and I live with my (non-student) boyfriend so I don't feel like the 'typical' Sussex student. Not meaning offense by this, I'm just not really involved in much Sussex related tbh.

The main thing bothering me about Sussex this year is them refurbishing the library during my most important year, taking all the books I need without warning and then having to get them specifically 'fetched.' Agarhhhh. The 'new' library will be lovely for all first years starting in September though!!

I wouldn't be surprised about Farthing saying something like that....psh. The Student's Union isn't any more impressive than Farthing though - aside from Freshers, there really aren't any actual events during the year. I remember in my first year there was this Sunday Festival before the Easter break....and that's about it? Yes, Brighton is a great city and has lots to do, but I'm sure that Sunday Festival was pretty popular??

I'm overall pretty satisfied with my academic experience here though (well, the last two years of it after I changed) - internationally recognised lecturers in my department, lots of opportunities for help from tutors/lecturers, interesting courses. Oh, except from the whole two dissertations thing.

edit - to the poster above commenting that there's not much of a Sussex presence on TSR...maybe its not a good thing if there's loads of students from other unis (like UEA), maybe it suggests they're not having such a great time really :wink:

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 29

meggandbeans

Sussex is currently one of 3 universities I'm trying to decide between-the other two being Leeds and Sheffield. It's interesting to read such varied opinions on it!! Is it really not viewed as such a great uni?-I'm thinking of from an employers' perspective will it be looked down on compared to Leeds/Sheffield?

I like the course better at Sussex cause it has so much choice-especially in third year, but I'm worried about missing out on the great SUs of the other two-and the fact they won't cost me as much! Is Sussex really so bad? Is it a nightmare that the campus isn't in Brighton centre?

And yeah on the open day they showed us 'round the library and from what we were told it's gonna be verrry nice! But what a bugger to do it whilst people are writing dissertations... =/

Reply 30

meggandbeans

Ahh I see...I just can't decide how much it wouldn't annoy me to miss out on that student atmosphere that a great SU & campus brings..Brighton being such a good place makes me think maybe not so much? Hmph! thanks anyways =)

Reply 31

gemini89

Original post by meggandbeans

It's not a nightmare at all - you only live on campus one year after all (if that, as some people don't for their first year anyway). I like the fact that the campus isn't in the city - the bit of living on campus I did like was the fact I was living in beautiful countryside! Campus has a lovely atmosphere when it's sunny! I now live in the centre of Brighton and when i do go to campus (which isn't too often i admit) it's nice to get out of the city.

Sussex is high up in the league tables right now and in my opinion, unless you go to somewhere in the top 5, a few places up or down is neither here or there.

The Students Union organises a lot of events during Freshers Week, which is probably the most important time for them to actually be active really, so that's sorted.

Library is starting to look really nice, just annoyed it happened to be during the most important year of my degree. It's the same with the re-development of Bramber House (new supermarket, better on-campus food facilities) - will be finished by this September/October, humpf. They also finally knocked down the Russell Building which was an awful two floored portacabin building, that was meant to be there for 2 years and stayed for 8 years or something ridiculous. It was freezing in winter and really hot in spring/summer.

Original post by Potiron

I forgot to mention the library refurb. I didn't see it before it started but I'm assuming it was probably necessary? I nearly got crushed to death in the north basement hunting for Freud :sad:

As far as I was aware there wasn't any books at all in the North basement until this year/start of refurb. I thought the library was fine before they started the refurb, but now I've realised how much nicer it would have been if they'd done it sooner!!

Reply 32

nadiah

Original post by Potiron

it's okay.

It has no money, and it has been laying off academic staff, and evicting the SU shops in order to make way for a "high street experience" on campus by building a supermarket, and it is building restaurants and stuff, so its priorities are a bit warped - money is the highest. There are some excellent lecturers in the English department at least, and they're all very into what they do. First year is pretty easy going, one essay a term and a couple in the holidays - it isn't a high workload so far. Their official anti plagiarism strategy is to get more of the assessed work done by group presentation, cos if people don't write any essays they can't be plagiarising them. That's Sussex logic. There are rumours that it might merge with Brighton Uni. The campus is okay, quite cramped, not the friendliest, most of the people are pretty nice and there is copious amounts of dope. Most of the societies are fairly inactive but there's plenty of clubbing if you like that sort of thing. Since the 24hr bus got introduced into town the SU's done very little on campus apparently.

It's okay.

I hadn't noticed it was shaped like a cat til this thread.

I'd rather go to a university where the students were capable of spelling 'university', tbh.

We won the shop back btw, or at least it looks like we have! (Source - ussu worker)

OP, I LOVE Sussex - I hate the management but then again it seems most uni managements are ****. We are super close to Brighton, & The campus is so Beautiful when it's not covered in scaffolding - especially when it's sunny!

The teaching has been really good too (for the most part).

Each to their own though, I suppose!

Reply 33

Meesta

to name a few reasons... it's a top 20 university + top for biology, sunniest campus, it's like 8 mins on the train to Brighton, great people go, i like the uni setup + seems as through its quite communal, i like that it's near another uni + a train station, plus many more reasons!! :danceboy:

sure it has a couple negatives but the pros by far outweigh the cons for me

Reply 34

94_confessions

I personally really like Sussex. It's climbing higher and higher each year in the university guides and is in the top 10 for my department. The campus looks a bit grim now because of all the scaffolding and construction, but it'll look great when it's all finished. And it really looks beautiful in the summer when it's all green!

Admittedly, it doesn't boast the nicest accommodation, but the lecture halls are nice, the library is great and so it the campus layout. Some people won't like it of course, but I am personally very happy there. It all depends on which part of the university you'll be spending your time in really, I know the lecturers and labs there are pretty good, but the quality of equipment and staff for other departments may vary.

Either way, I like Sussex! :borat:

Reply 35

James4d

Original post by VioletHunter

I've just firmed Sussex, loved what I've seen of it so far but this thread is freaking me the **** out.

Calm down, this thread could be written about any university.

OP's post was basically: "the universities architecture is ****". Well ok, some parts are pretty grim, but there are some nice buildings, and the green countryside makes up for it.

Completely bi-passed how great Brighton is. And the fact that a great uni, getting better. A lot of construction work being done on the uni right now.

Its not for everyone. But if you liked it on the open day, you'll like studying there.

Reply 36

MagicNMedicine

I don't get where this business about Sussex being bad architecturally comes from. It's not like its full of grim 70s grey concrete. The campus is basically a fairly open green space with reddish-brown brick buildings which are not too tall. The light dispersal on the campus is good so when the sun's out it gets everywhere which doesn't happen so much when you have a more compact site with taller buildings. I wouldn't say the buildings are anything special but I wouldn't say they were ugly and when I've been to Sussex campus it has felt quite a pleasant site, when you're at higher parts of it eg the library steps, you can see that you're surrounded by hills and it is basically in the middle of the Sussex Downs.

I think one of the forms of snobbery on TSR about buildings is that some students want old looking buildings, especially Oxbridge rejects who want to try and subconsciously recreate for themselves the feel of history of being in an Oxbridge college, which is why they like Durham and apply for that Castle accommodation there!

Overall I agree with the assessment of Sussex as being a bit underrated. Considering it seems to have a 'middle ranking' type reputation these days, there do seem to be a disproportionate number of Sussex alumni in politics and the media, traditionally very elitist fields, and also there are a lot of overseas business leaders who studied at Sussex, especially in developing countries, I think they have done a lot of scholarships and so on for students from developing countries.

Possibly one reason for this was that in its heyday Sussex did enjoy a high reputation as one of the academic big hitters. Both my parents got rejected from Sussex in the early 1970s, my Mum reckons back then it was seen as say Warwick is now, ie not one of the 'old school' but one that was more or less up at their level and that a lot of people applied to so it was hard to get in.

Back then it had a reputation for rebellion (not just the rentamob student protests you get now, big serious lobbying campaigns against apartheid and so on) so it was where all the academic Che Guevara types wanted to go to, if they wanted to avoid the establishment unis, especially as back then when there was no internet or TSR, people just read newspapers and heard radio reports and Brighton had this image of being a left wing haven of revolution and sex by the seaside.

It seems that for whatever reason, Sussex went into decline in the 1980s and 1990s but it seems to be climbing back up. So overall I think its a pretty good institution.

Reply 37

lizlaz350

The area of Brighton is lovely and also has a good nightlife, the teaching is good and they have some cool societies.

I don't care what the buildings look like, they won't be getting me a degree or impact on how much I enjoy my time there.

Reply 38

meggandbeans

So overall people think it's a pretty good uni but how would you say it compares to one like sheffield? I'm also a bit wary of it being full of londoners who might go home during holidays...=/ liked it on the psych open day though and I wouldn't say it was ugly at all! but then I does love me countryside-makes up for some of that accommodation *shudder*
I'm gonna have to get a magic 8 ball to make this damn decision for me!

Reply 39

Arielle

Original post by GodspeedGehenna

Sussex is a top UK Uni? u mad? It's alright, but there would have to be a large amount of synchronised gas mains explosions across various universities in the UK for it to become 'one of the top'.