How good is SELCS at UCL?

Finally been accepted to UCL for PhD at SELCS (School of European Language, Culture, and Society) at UCL. Aside from its stellar reputation, I've been hearing negative stuff about some of the depts. at UCL some of them here at TSR. I realise that things vary from one dept. to another and at PhD level things mostly reply on your rapport with your supervisors. Still, I'd like to know opinions from people who study there or have first hand info.
Also my experience with UCL's administration has been very negative but I'm not sure if that is indicative of how things will go once I am actually a student. To me mangament is important not just academia, i.e if I am wasting have of my time fighting for admin stuff, that will def. reflect on the whole experience.

Thanks

Reply 1

klika89

All in all when it comes to SELCS it's a new thing (created last year) so it's difficult to say anything. Studying at UCL already for 3 years I can say that administration was better in the past but it got worse as no one is used to the new rules yet so I expect it to get better soon. Personally I have never had to fight for admin stuff as such

University College London

London

Reply 2

Lizia

It's my home department, although I'm an undergrad. To be honest, I don't think SELCS really has much of an influence on its students. They're your department, but you'll very rarely ever come into contact with them. The only exception is the undergrad year abroad, but that doesn't affect you.

I wouldn't really consider the admin side when it comes to comparing unis. You'll come into contact with them so rarely that any admin hassles you have shouldn't be the difference between choosing one place over another. The only people you'll really have contact with are your tutors/supervisors and unless you have names of tutors then we can't really tell you much about them.