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Anglia Ruskin University??

Just wondering what people on here thought of Anglia Ruskin University at the Chelmsford Campus??

Im considering studying Construction Management at the uni. Does anyone know what the department, lecturers etc are like for this course (Built Environment department I think)

Thanks! :smile:

Reply 1

rottcodd

I've had several friends study at ARU (though none studying your course unfortunately) but they have all been fairly unhappy with the standard of teaching. You also have a mad amount of holiday - obviously it varies between courses, but despite the advertised term dates, all my friends didn't start term again until mid february - you get a massive christmas holiday compared to most other unis. Your Easter holidays are two weeks longer than everybody else, and a couple of people didn't even go back until late October. They also seem to give you lots and lots of chances to muck up. I had a friend fail her dissertation in her third year, they let her redo it and resubmit it, and she past her degree. Most of the people I know at other universities (and my own university), if you fail in a module after your first year, you fail and that is that. They all found the tutors fairly unsupportive and generally had quite a bad experience. But to balance that out, there must be thousands of people that graduate from ARU being very happy with their degree, so you should really go and visit it and try and check it out for yourself.

As for the campus itself, it's very central and near to some very nice pubs (and very tacky bars/clubs if you like that sort of thing) but also near some parks and a vague green area so it's a fairly good location in that respect.

Reply 2

Timbolecta

Oh ok thanks for info. Any other people studying at ARU? Opinions?

Reply 3

Cyburn

Im a 2nd year Computer Science student at the Cambridge Campus:

I like ARU, sure it may not be the most ideal university, but unlike Cambridge University it doesnt have has much social pressure.

Reply 4

Mystic

I'm a first year forensic science student at the cambridge campus. I like the uni, but the organisation needs a little work at times. Although the uni has had some bad press, I think you should visit and make your own mind up. Because you may like the place, and think it's good. Everyone has their own opinion, also the course you want to do may be better run than mine....

The social life is quite good, and the SU events have been good, i.e the Friday Flirt nights (which often have a theme, so you have to option of drressing up)

Reply 5

ian12345

did you join anglia in this department? was it any good?

Reply 6

gato_tareko

somebody knows the chelmsford city? What you think about the location, the people, the market, etc?

Reply 7

Zoty

Hey everyone !

Does anyone take the Animal Behaviour and Ecology and Conservation course ?
I would like to know your opinion and if you have any suggestions, that would be great. I put my other application to Greenwich Uni-Animal Management, but it actually takes place at Hadlow College. I will need to decide between these two eventually and since I live abroad I dont have the chance to wisit them in person.
Which one would you recomend and why ? thanks a lot !

Reply 8

killerhales

Zoty: Not sure how far away you live, but considering you will be paying high international fees to either uni, it would be in your interest to get the cheapest flight you can and visit both over a few days during a school vacation. It would be pretty bad if you get there and simply don't like the place. The cost of a visit is relatively low compared to the cost of fees and living expenses!

Reply 9

Zoty

killerhales: thanks a lot for the reply, guess you are right, I live in central Europe and I am coming to England in May, I will try to come sooner, but need to study fot the A-levels :/ just wanted to know in advance, what to expect.

Reply 10

Whenthedovesfly

I am not sure if this helps much but I saw so many people asking about ARU and no one really answering so I thought I would add to the few who did.

I went to ARU this last Christmas to visit my kid who is a fresher there.

She is very happy but she is in a Performance Program, and she wanted hands on vs. heavy load. (she got enough of that in her USA HS where she worked her rear off)

So she is enjoying the class time and does seem to have a lot of extra time. She can get a job if she wanted to and many do have jobs, as an international student you can work up to 20 hours a week.

The city of Cambridge is lovely and full of antique buildings and large spacious green parks, a large pool where folks can swim, covered of course.

The Uni of Cambridge is sectioned off into diverse colleges all very old campuses and enclosed. The campus of ARU is the opposite, it is open and in the city, about a few city blocks from it, before the residential area gets started.

There are loads of bikes and most use them to get around. Some folks commute from neighboring cities. Some have complained about quality of education, in fact one guy even left and went home. But the rest are there and content. The room in the dorm is en suite, at least hers is, and there is a communal kitchen where several rooms share. There are many kitchens per floor where different rooms go to make their food. The housing outside of the dorms is a bit cheaper but not by much and that is only if you have a room mate, or you pay between 380 to 480 for a room and you share a bath and kitchen/communal areas.

My kid is happy there. In fact we did a three week tour in Europe.
and she could not wait to get back to her dorm, missing her friends and the life she has there. The people are very nice and the clubs are fun. The city is very small and cozy, and it is easy to maneuver. I think it is a good fit for her. Not too big (london) and not too small in that it is boring or in that everyone is the same, (there are lots of different people, languages, and it is culturally alive. ) The school looks pretty diverse as well.

Anyway, I hope that painted a pic about the school.
BTW yes it is not the easiest for folks who are international as the loans are slow in coming but just go anyway cause they work it out in the end and you have what you need, just ask them to put things out for you until the loans are done.

Being in Cambridge a is big plus to the school. If you are pooped from over working in HS then this is your school. If you want something that is going to drive you mad with pressures then apply to Cambridge instead. :smile:

or another demanding and hard to enter school. But this school is fine, they try to help folks who may not be organized or can't manage their time with little helper classes, which is sweet.
I like the school and the kid does too. Hope that helps. (my kid by the way was taking high level APs and IB coursework btw, so if she likes it, it must not be too bad.)

Reply 11

Whenthedovesfly

As far as the chelmsford? location? for ARU, check into the crime, I think it was a bit higher than Cambridge, so look into crime when you check any city you are about to move to.

If you follow the news day to day of the place you are looking at that should give you a gist of what to expect. That is what my kid looked at, her idea.

Also she asked the schools if they were going to train her in what she wanted, and many said no, only the study of vs. the practice of, so she was very clear about what the curriculum would give her and she picked her UCAS options based on that, she wanted Conservatory schools and we did do a separate trip cause her sibling is in another UK school, but they did not offer accommodations (you had to literally rent a flat in the city, and that in just outside London was very pricey!) She would have had a very complex situation. (as it is she has no catering or maid, so she has to clean her en suite and cook for herself, unlike her sibling who got maid and catered.)

But some of the people who did not research their curriculum as well were surprised and left. (maybe two people at best that she knew anyway.)
So make sure you know what curriculum you are getting and if the place is up to your need for safety.

Reply 12

georgie_veyccan

I am also thinking of joining ARU for PG in construction management. Doesnt anybody know or have heard of people studying CM there.

Reply 13

fortunecookie

Original post by gato_tareko

somebody knows the chelmsford city? What you think about the location, the people, the market, etc?

I actually come from Chelmsford so if you have any questions about the town then just go ahead :smile:

The town itself isn't actually that bad. I used to hate it and think it was really dull, but it's gone under a lot of changes recently and seems to be improving. There are loads of shops, nice pubs, though the clubs are quite chavvy and there isn't much choice. Then you have the usual cinema etc. Of course London isn't far either if you want a little more excitement.

Generally the people are pretty friendly, though compared to where I study now I think they could be a bit more friendly, but I think that is more of a north/south thing. The market is actually alright, but quite tacky, depends what you want really.