The "Ask a Durham Student" Thread :)

What are tutorials like?

(sizes, time wise, work you do)

Also, is it possible to change your college allocation D:

Hi. I've applied for German and ab inito Russian (2012 entry), and I'm really struggling to choose between Durham and UCL. Would anyone who studies Modern Languages be willing to let me pester them with some questions? I can PM you if you'd prefer.

Is Economics taught in the Business School?

:/ Admission Inquiries are on Old Elvet road but surely that's not where it is taught?

The department of economics and finance, within the wider business school, is based at Old Elvet. Teaching will take across the city, however, but largely Old Elvet and nearby Elvet Riverside (on New Elvet).

Thanks! Do tutorials also take place on Elvet?

Hi, I'm a first year studying Law at Van Mildert college, so feel free to direct any questions you have about the course my way. x

Tutorials are in the economics department on Old Elvet, however from September 2013 they will be at the top of the Hill in the new business school building (next to Aidan's college).

Lectures are mainly at elvet riverside, the block of lecture theatres on the main road up to the science site. A couple of modules have lectures at the science site.

Cheers! What is this new building you speak of tell me more!?

Hey! I was just wondering if you know what the reputation of Durham Law School is like amongst the top UK law firms, particular the MC?

Also how are you enjoying the law course so far? Oh and is there any opportunities to do any placements/work experience or anything abroad. Sorry for all the questions! x

Magic circle firms are in Durham all the time doing networking events, presentations, skills events, etc. Durham's law society has an arrangement with some MC and SC firms where they have Durham-only exclusive open days in their offices and do mentoring schemes where you are mentored by a current solicitor in one of the firms.

At least one MC firm does interviews in Durham (to save everyone getting the train down to their offices) so obviously they interview a good number of Durham students or it wouldn't be worthwhile them coming up.

Positives: brand new building

http://www.dur.ac.uk/dbs/about/development/

Negatives: opposite end of Durham from the old department... so whereas before if you were in a Bailey college it was a 5 minute walk to lectures and 10 minutes to tutorials, now it will be a 5 minute walk to lectures and a 25 minute walk to tutorials (basically you can't win by picking either a hill or bailey college as contact hours will be split between the top of the hill and elvet riverside).

Makes my pooling to Mildert all the more better

Positives: Good Exercise and I'm doing joint honours with Politics so they were both at opposite ends anyway

Is this new building just for economics?!

Hi, This seems to be a question and answer session predominantly about Law, but I had a more general question. Which college would you say is most open to applications from mature students? I'm a 23 year old History student who's looking to progress back onto full-time degree study after a couple of years out travelling and working, and then an unfortunate period of illness. I've recently completed a Foundation Certificate in History and so am hoping that this would be viewed favourably alongside my A-levels.

I'd appreciate any feedback you could give.
Many thanks,

Sebastian

Hi,

The department, not college, decides whether to give you an offer or not. So it doesn't matter which college you apply to, whether you get an offer or are rejected is determined solely by the history department.

College wise, all colleges are open to applications from mature students. Cuth's used to be the college that most mature students applied to because historically it's been the college for people who don't want to live in college, but now you can apply to any college and live out (or live in college if you want to). Not all colleges have family accommodation though so if you need family accommodation you should check the college pages of the university website to see which college offers what (though I would guess that it would be much cheaper to rent a family house in Gilesgate or one of the neighbouring villages rather than living in college accommodation).

The new economics building is near to where the politics tutorials are

It's for all the business school courses taught in Durham, so:

undergraduate economics tutorials
postgraduate economics, business and accounting & finance degrees
MBAs