The Student Room Group

Why I chose Herts

Hey everyone! 👋

I wanted to share my incredible journey and experience as a Dietetics student at Herts. 🎓When I was researching universities, Hertfordshire stood out to me for several reasons, and let me tell you, it lived up to every expectation!

🏢Impressive Facilities: Herts boasts top-notch facilities that have truly enhanced my learning experience. From state-of-the-art labs to realist simulations rooms, studying here has been a breeze. My favourite spot is the LRC. I spend a lot of my time there, writing assignments,or revising for exams, and I find the atmosphere perfect to focus on my work.

🌍 Ideal Location: Let's talk about location! Situated just a stone's throw away from London, Herts offers the best of both worlds. Not only do we enjoy the perks of a vibrant campus environment, but we also have the excitement of the big city right at our doorstep. And let's not forget the beautiful countryside and endless leisure option in the area! Hatfield has great transport links too, including a train station and buses, so you can easily get to nearby towns.

💡 Supportive Faculty: The lecturers in the Life Medical Science department are absolute gems. They're not only experts in their fields but also incredibly supportive mentors who go above and beyond to ensure our success.

🤝 Practical Experience: One of the highlights of my time here has been the practical experience opportunities. Hertfordshire offers clinical placements in various healthcare settings, providing invaluable real-world experience. On my first-year, I had the opportunity to work in a mental health unit for 4-week, and shadow various members of the multidisciplinary team. Now in my second-year, I had the opportunity to work directly with community dietitians, and be exposed to many specialities, such as; home enteral feeding, and learning disabilities. I have learnt a lot with the placements.

🏆 Active Student Life: Beyond academics, I've been actively involved in the university's sports community. Being part of the Hertfordshire Ultimate Frisbee Club has been a blast, allowing me to stay active and make new friendships.

🎓 Student Services: The support doesn't end in the classroom. From career services to mental health support, I have found the student services team to is always there to lend a helping hand. The careers team have been particularly helpful to me, not only by helping me enhance the information in my CV, but also by helping me gain confidence in interviews, which is a weak point with me.

Overall, my experience at Herts has exceeded my expectations. I feel incredibly grateful to be part of a supportive learning environment that's preparing me to make real difference in the field of nutrition and dietetics. If you're considering Herts for your studies, I highly recommend it! Feel free to reach out if you have any questions about the program or the student life here.

Best regards,
Natacha
(edited 8 months ago)
Hi Natascha, I am really stuck between Hertfordshire and London met for dietetics. Please could I ask you, how much biochemistry is in the course? As I feel this is my weak point? Also, regarding placements in a little worried as they said at interview that placements could be really far flung in Norwich, Cambridge etc, I wondered if you get a far away placement, does the uni help you with finding accommodation? Also, are there normally a few of you being sent to that location, or just one person per placement? Also, how are accommodation costs for placements funded? Do you have to pay yourself for all costs??
And one final question please, how are the 28 weeks of placement divided up year by year?
Thanks so much in advance!
Original post by AAAaaa12345
Hi Natascha, I am really stuck between Hertfordshire and London met for dietetics. Please could I ask you, how much biochemistry is in the course? As I feel this is my weak point? Also, regarding placements in a little worried as they said at interview that placements could be really far flung in Norwich, Cambridge etc, I wondered if you get a far away placement, does the uni help you with finding accommodation? Also, are there normally a few of you being sent to that location, or just one person per placement? Also, how are accommodation costs for placements funded? Do you have to pay yourself for all costs??
And one final question please, how are the 28 weeks of placement divided up year by year?
Thanks so much in advance!

Hi @AAAaaa12345,

You will be doing some biochemistry in a module called Nutritional Biochemistry and Metabolism. You will do some biochemistry in year 1 and year 2, but the course as a whole is not very biochemistry heavy. I was concerned myself about biochemistry but I have found it pretty straight forward. The main focus of the biochemistry is to help students understand how the metabolism works, and how to analyse metabolic biomarkers (inc. blood tests) to prepare you for when you go on placement.

Regarding placement costs, I am not sure if you are a home student, but my accomodation and travel costs are reimbursed by the NHS Learning Support Fund. It is worth having a look at the criteria so see if you are eligible, because it will be a massive help during your studies. The allowance for the accomodation is quite generous and I normally book an Airbnb for the duration of my placement, and then claim back the cost at the end of the placement (inc. travel costs). If you are not eligible, I would recommend contacting the university and see what other financial support they have available, which you might be eligible for.

My placement was divided in the following manner:
Year 1 - 4-week placement (From May until June)
Year 2 - 10-week placement (From April until June)
Year 3 - 10-week placement (From July until September)

Teaching is usually delivered over three to five days with 12-25 contact hours a week. Placements are full-time and approx. 37 hours per week. The missing 4 weeks are simulations on campus, which will be delivered to help you prepare for the placement, and they also count towards your placement hours.

Lastly, whether you are or not paired during your placement is dependent on the capacity of the placement site. I was paired on my first year, and in my second year I was on my own. This did not have much of an impact on my placement experience.

I hope I was able to answer your questions, and good luck making your firm choice.

All the best!

Best regards,
Natacha
Great analogy
Hi natascha, thanks so much for your reply it's really helpful and reassuring! Just a few more questions please?
I am planning to live in the halls of residence, I wondered if you stayed there and what your thoughts were on that?
Also, I wondered if there would be a lot of young people on the course as I am 18, coming straight from college and I know there are a lot of mature students in dietetics, so I wondered what proportion of your year group was mature students?
Also I wondered where your placements took place on the two you have done so far?
Thanks so much!
Original post by Herts UG Student
Hey everyone! 👋
I wanted to share my incredible journey and experience as a Dietetics student at Herts. 🎓When I was researching universities, Hertfordshire stood out to me for several reasons, and let me tell you, it lived up to every expectation!
🏢Impressive Facilities: Herts boasts top-notch facilities that have truly enhanced my learning experience. From state-of-the-art labs to realist simulations rooms, studying here has been a breeze. My favourite spot is the LRC. I spend a lot of my time there, writing assignments,or revising for exams, and I find the atmosphere perfect to focus on my work.
🌍 Ideal Location: Let's talk about location! Situated just a stone's throw away from London, Herts offers the best of both worlds. Not only do we enjoy the perks of a vibrant campus environment, but we also have the excitement of the big city right at our doorstep. And let's not forget the beautiful countryside and endless leisure option in the area! Hatfield has great transport links too, including a train station and buses, so you can easily get to nearby towns.
💡 Supportive Faculty: The lecturers in the Life Medical Science department are absolute gems. They're not only experts in their fields but also incredibly supportive mentors who go above and beyond to ensure our success.
🤝 Practical Experience: One of the highlights of my time here has been the practical experience opportunities. Hertfordshire offers clinical placements in various healthcare settings, providing invaluable real-world experience. On my first-year, I had the opportunity to work in a mental health unit for 4-week, and shadow various members of the multidisciplinary team. Now in my second-year, I had the opportunity to work directly with community dietitians, and be exposed to many specialities, such as; home enteral feeding, and learning disabilities. I have learnt a lot with the placements.
🏆 Active Student Life: Beyond academics, I've been actively involved in the university's sports community. Being part of the Hertfordshire Ultimate Frisbee Club has been a blast, allowing me to stay active and make new friendships.
🎓 Student Services: The support doesn't end in the classroom. From career services to mental health support, I have found the student services team to is always there to lend a helping hand. The careers team have been particularly helpful to me, not only by helping me enhance the information in my CV, but also by helping me gain confidence in interviews, which is a weak point with me.
Overall, my experience at Herts has exceeded my expectations. I feel incredibly grateful to be part of a supportive learning environment that's preparing me to make real difference in the field of nutrition and dietetics. If you're considering Herts for your studies, I highly recommend it! Feel free to reach out if you have any questions about the program or the student life here.
Best regards,
Natacha

Hello...Natacha, I have applied for M.Sc.,Medical Microbiology in University of hertfordshire. I have one doubt on admission process. I have submitted 6 semester marksheets and I scored 8 CGPA in it. But, University is asking consolidated marksheet. Now only I have applied for consolidated marksheet. I will get it on next month only. Can you clear me ? 6 semester marksheet is enough ? Or consolidated marksheet is compulsory? If compulsory, how much time they will give to sumbit?
Original post by AAAaaa12345
Hi natascha, thanks so much for your reply it's really helpful and reassuring! Just a few more questions please?
I am planning to live in the halls of residence, I wondered if you stayed there and what your thoughts were on that?
Also, I wondered if there would be a lot of young people on the course as I am 18, coming straight from college and I know there are a lot of mature students in dietetics, so I wondered what proportion of your year group was mature students?
Also I wondered where your placements took place on the two you have done so far?
Thanks so much!

Hi @AAAaaa12345,

I'm glad you found my reply helpful and reassuring! I'd be happy to answer your additional questions.

I personally don't stay in halls of residence, but I have been to the halls of colleagues and I believe it is a convenient way to meet people and make friends, especially when you're new to the university. Those that stay on residential halls make more connections with students from other courses compared to commuting students like myself. However, I cannot really comment on what it's like to live on campus because I've not lived on campus.

Regarding the age mix, my cohort has a good balance. While there are several mature students, there are also many young people straight out of college like yourself. It creates a diverse and supportive learning environment. Going by the applicants that I've seen, this year seems to be quite mixed as well, so you don't need to worry about not fitting in with your cohort.

For my placements, I've had the opportunity to work in a hospital setting in Essex, and this year I was in a community setting in Norfolk. Both experiences have been incredibly valuable and provided a broad perspective on the field.

If you have any more questions, feel free to ask!

Best regards,
Natacha
Original post by Yogeswaran S
Hello...Natacha, I have applied for M.Sc.,Medical Microbiology in University of hertfordshire. I have one doubt on admission process. I have submitted 6 semester marksheets and I scored 8 CGPA in it. But, University is asking consolidated marksheet. Now only I have applied for consolidated marksheet. I will get it on next month only. Can you clear me ? 6 semester marksheet is enough ? Or consolidated marksheet is compulsory? If compulsory, how much time they will give to sumbit?
Hello @Yogeswaran S,

Thank you for reaching out. For the M.Sc. in Medical Microbiology at UH, it is likely that the consolidated marksheet is compulsory. The consolidated marksheet provides a comprehensive summary of your academic performance and is often required for final admissions decisions.

Since you will only receive your consolidated marksheet next month, I recommend informing the admissions office of your situation. They might grant you an extension for submitting the required document. Generally, universities are understanding about such delays if you communicate with them proactively.

Please contact the admissions office as soon as possible to explain your situation and ask for guidance on how to proceed. They will provide you with the specific timeline and any additional steps you need to take.

Best of luck with your application!

Best regards,
Natacha
Reply 8
Hi Natacha,

Thanks for sharing about your experience! Could you share more about your timetable, especially during the first year? Are there lectures every day and did you feel that the workload was heavy?

Thank you!
Original post by jinnylamp
Hi Natacha,
Thanks for sharing about your experience! Could you share more about your timetable, especially during the first year? Are there lectures every day and did you feel that the workload was heavy?
Thank you!

Hi @jinnylamp,

The timetable is different each semester, and does change slightly on the week-by-week basis, depending on whether you have simulations, practical labs... Most weeks you will be at uni between 3-4 days per week. The earliest you will start is 9 am and the latest you will finish is
at 5 pm. You will have a mix of full days and half days.

I found the course work quite manageable, as long as you start it early and don't leave it until last minute to complete it.

Best regards,
Natacha Avelar

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