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MSc Transport at Imperial?

I have been offered a place in the MSc Transport at Imperial, and I was just wondering if anyone who has taken (or knows someone who has taken) the programme would mind commenting on it a bit? I am just interested in the basics: how helpful the profs are; what the modules are like (core and optional); the workload; the help with dissertation/individual project....etc.

Since I've been offered places at other schools (Leeds, Cardiff, and Newcastle) for a similar programme, I've been trying to get a grip on which would be best for me. This decision is especially difficult since I am in the USA, and can't just go visit schools to speak face-to-face with anyone, and a student perspective would certainly aid in my decision.

Thanks in advance for any help anyone can give!!

Reply 1

J.S.

7

parklife

I have been offered a place in the MSc Transport at Imperial, and I was just wondering if anyone who has taken (or knows someone who has taken) the programme would mind commenting on it a bit? I am just interested in the basics: how helpful the profs are; what the modules are like (core and optional); the workload; the help with dissertation/individual project....etc.

Since I've been offered places at other schools (Leeds, Cardiff, and Newcastle) for a similar programme, I've been trying to get a grip on which would be best for me. This decision is especially difficult since I am in the USA, and can't just go visit schools to speak face-to-face with anyone, and a student perspective would certainly aid in my decision.

Thanks in advance for any help anyone can give!!

I don't think it's too likely that you're going to find anyone her who's taken the course you mention! What you could do is, go onto the departmental webpages, and look for the doctoral students at each respective department; usually (although, unfortunately not always) they have their e mail addresses up. They may not have all taken the M.Sc, however they’re likely to know a lot more about the department, its organisation and perhaps a good deal about the staff.

I guess it would be useful for you to read the more general comments on each of the universities you've been offered a place at on this site. Here are a few of my comments:

Imperial is located in South Kensington, a great place to be - although more so if you've a lot of money to spend. It's quite an exclusive part of London, so an especially expensive part in a city known all over the world to be incredibly expensive throughout :smile:

That doesn't sound too encouraging, so lets attempt to readdress the balance. Imperial College has an excellent reputation; it's one of the best-known schools in the UK. As you will no doubt know, it’s a specialist institution. This may worry you on a social level, however the other universities in London are nearby and student interaction between people of the various colleges is frequent. The reputation of IC comfortably exceeds that of the other universities you're deciding between. It may not be quite so well known in the US, but it's a prestigious university, and is known to be throughout much of Europe, and parts of East Asia.

I don't really know much about Cardiff, aside from the odd joke regarding the peculiar relations the Welsh have with Sheep. As for Newcastle, as its up north, you can be sure that it's a hell of a lot cheaper than South Kensington. Although, a word of caution, the locals have a wretched accent that may just rub off on you - and you wouldn't want that, I mean it's not what you've come all that way for.

Reply 2

Mysticmin

10

J.S.

I don't really know much about Cardiff, aside from the odd joke regarding the peculiar relations the Welsh have with Sheep. As for Newcastle, as its up north, you can be sure that it's a hell of a lot cheaper than South Kensington. Although, a word of caution, the locals have a wretched accent that may just rub off on you - and you wouldn't want that, I mean it's not what you've come all that way for.

I've heard lots of jokes about Welsh-sheep relationships. They're mostly amusing when you're drunk.

(tries to imagine american-geordie accent - fails miserably)

Reply 3

parklife

OP

Thanks for your input, J.S. Yes, I wasn't really expecting much of a response, but I'm somewhat desperate to find some help regarding this, and thought that, just maybe, there would be a student perusing these boards that had taken the course. I've basically narrowed it down to either Imperial or Leeds, as both have stellar transport departments, but I'm pretty stuck beyond that. Just such a difficult decision!

Reply 4

J.S.

7

parklife

Thanks for your input, J.S. Yes, I wasn't really expecting much of a response, but I'm somewhat desperate to find some help regarding this, and thought that, just maybe, there would be a student perusing these boards that had taken the course. I've basically narrowed it down to either Imperial or Leeds, as both have stellar transport departments, but I'm pretty stuck beyond that. Just such a difficult decision!

Unless cost has something to do with it, which it may well do, or unless there's some peculiar fascination you have with Leeds, the choice has to be Imperial College. I've no association with either university, so what I'm telling you is neutral; as far as prestige and recognition go, if there's no difference in the size and quality of the respective departments, then Imperial is by far the better choice.

Reply 5

Random.Girl

14

I don't know anything about your course but I think Cardiff is an amazing city for students. It's got everything you could really ever want with the advantage that you can walk almost anywhere you wanna go. It's also pretty cheap to live there and has one of the best Student Union's in the UK. I absolutely adore it there.

Reply 6

parklife

OP

Again, I appreciate the input, J.S. Cost isn't a factor, and I don't really have a particular fascination with Leeds (although I do hear it has become rather nice place to live). It has basically boiled down to the actual courses, and the units/modules of each. They are somewhat similar (obviously, since they are essentially the same topic), yet somewhat different in that Leeds has a bit more choice, and Imperial is a bit more focused. At this point, that is my main dilemma: the differences in the actual structure of the course and the modules offered. I can see benefits of both, and negatives of both (which is why it has come down to both Leeds and Imperial as opposed to the others), and that brings me full circle to why I posted here in the first place: I am in great need of a student point of view, so that I can find out first hand.

I have tried to email the departments, as well as the international student offices of both universities, but, apparently, it is not legal to disseminate personal information so that I can be in contact with a student or they can be in contact with me (and sometimes the people I contact don't reply to me at all! :eek:

).

I don't mean to be whining, but the whole thing has frustrated me for if I was actually in the UK, I could just go to the uni's and talk to people in person and this whole road block would be solved. I am still extremely enthusastic to decide upon and start my course, but to make the decision I am rather desperate for some help to contact a student to get a first-hand view of the course. It's pretty much gotten to the point of emailing anyone in the department who I think could possibly help at all (even though it hasn't worked so far).

Reply 7

~Sam~

15

-Emmz-

I don't know anything about your course but I think Cardiff is an amazing city for students. It's got everything you could really ever want with the advantage that you can walk almost anywhere you wanna go. It's also pretty cheap to live there and has one of the best Student Union's in the UK. I absolutely adore it there.

I'll echo that. I don't live in Cardiff, but I've been there quite a few times (I went down at the weekend for the play off final as well). It's such a great city. There's so much to do, and the city is just the right size, not too big and not too small. The uni's right in the middle, about two minutes walk from the shops and the millennium stadium. When I looked round the uni it was so nice, and the SU was great!

MSc Transport at Imperial?

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