Student Report
Name of the University: Aston University
Exchange semester: Fall 2014
I. PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Before leaving Norway
I got an email from the university in the end of March were they informed me about the
nomination, and that I now was able to apply online. The deadline for the application was in
the end of June, but I will strongly recommend you to apply as soon as possible because you
can not apply for on campus accommodation before the online applicaton is done. I received a
email with a confirmation from the university in the beginning of June.
Applying for a visa (if applicable)
As an exchange student from Norway, you will not need to apply for any visa.
Travel
I did not find a directly flight from Oslo to Birmingham, so I had to take a plane to Frankfurt
and then to Birmingham. I took a taxi from the airport because I had a lot a carry. Later I
found out that Flybe.com have directly flights from Oslo to Birmingham. Another alternative,
if you do not have too much luggage, is to take a flight to London and then the train to
Birmingham New Street Station. The train will take around 1 ½ to 2 hours.
Housing
I applied for on campus accommodation in the beginning of June. I was told that all exchange
students for sure will get a room on campus, so I was just waited for the confirmation. In the
end of August, I got an email were they said that it was no rooms available, and the university
said that they have a very limitied number of rooms for 1 Term students. Therefore, I started
to search for other students accommodation off campus like The Heights, Penworks,
Masshouse, but no rooms available for 1 Term students. When I arrived Birmingham the 17th
of September, I had to book an hotel for 1 week while I was searching for accommodation.
The university was really helpful and send me a list with short-term accommodations. I also
had a e-mentor who tried to help me find a place to live. In the end I found a house share in
Hunter Road, Hockely. I lived there with 5 other exchange students, and I really enjoyed it.
The house is in a good standard compare to other students apartments in Birmingham, and it
is only 10 minutes by bus from the City Center. With walking and bus travelling together it
will be approxematly 20 minutes to Aston University.
Costs
Rent
NOK 4 400
Books
NOK 1500
Food
NOK 3 200
Transport
NOK 1 600
Other
NOK
I bougth a bus pass from National Express West Midlands that I could use for the whole
semester, from September to December.
Other costs depends on how much you want to travel around in the UK, if you want to join
any societies and how much you are planning to go out. The university arranges a lot of
different events, and usually you have to pay something between 50-80 kr each.
Culture and language
In he beginning I found it a bit hard to understand some of the British people because they
was talking a bit fast. But after a few weeks, I got used to it and it was not any difficulities
anymore.
In one of the first weeks, the school offered us to go on different trips around in England. I did
not go to any of them because I still had to find a apartment first, but I talk to some friends
who went to some of those trips and they really liked it. Later in the semester I went to
different placec in the UK. One of the trips was arranged by the ERASMUS society, and we
went to Edinburgh in Scotland. I really enjoyed it and I will recommend you to join at least
one of the trips they arrange. I also went to Liverpool, Manchester, London and Nottingham,
just to explore other parts of the country.
Also, Birmingham is a very multicultural city with people from loads of different countries.
So you will not feel that you are the only one coming from a different country. This will give
you a chance to learn about several cultures while you are on exchance.
II. ABOUT THE SCHOOL
The school is really close to the city center, about 5-10 minutes walking distance. The campus
is really big, but I had all my lectures and seminars in the same building called Main Building.
The Library is another building where you can do group working or find a silence place if you
want to study by your own. They also have a student uniuon were you can find the book shop.
It is possible to borrow most of the books in the library, but I chose to buy some of them
because the professor recommended us to. If the library do not have the book, they will
probably have it in an ebook.
I had a lecture in each course every week, and some of the courses also had seminars or
turorials either every week or every second week. You could choose if you wanted to attend
the lectures, but all the seminars and tutorials was mandatory.
Course registration
I had to email the school my learning agreement with all the courses. I had 12 different
courses on my list just in case if some of them happen to be canselled or not be able to take.
The university picked the 6 available courses from the top, and I could just let them know if I
wanted to change to another course. If you want to add/drop courses you have to do it in the
first week of lectures.
Academic calendar
Arrival date:
18th of September
First day of the semester:
22th of September
Last day of classes:
19th of December
Examination period:
12th to 24th of January
Any special events/holidays:
Christmas holiday
Other:
First day of classes: 6th
of Octomber
Arrival
You will get a lot of information the first week, and you can find your timetable on MAP (The
student page they use) with all the different events. They will show you have to use the
different facileties in the Library, they will tell you a bit about the British culture and how to
behave in different situations, and about general sefty in Birmingham. They will also offer
you a tuor around the campus and also around Birmingham, either by bus or walk.
They also arrange international welcome week and fresher week, it is the two weeks before
the lectures starts. I really recommend you to join as many events as you can because it is a
great opportunity to meet new people and make friends.
The International Office
The International Office sent me all the information I needed, and I could just email them or
go to the office if I had any queries. They are very bussy the first weeks of the semester, so it
was better to go to the office rather then email them within these weeks.
Promoting BI and Norway
I did not do any form of promoting while I was on exchange.
Social activities
Native and exchange students was mixed all the time. In lectures, in welcome and freshers
week and in the different societies you can join. They will offer you a lot of different
societies, and I will highly recommend you to join at least one. I joined the cheerleader
society, and I made loads of new friends. It is social when you are at practices, but we also
had a social meeting every Wednesday with all the other sports socitesties as well. Also, you
could choose to join as a social member only, so you did not have to join the practices but
only the social stuff. They also have an society for Erasmus exchange students.
III. ACADEMICS
In the classroom
Most of the lectures was with a power point presentation and the professor talking, very
theoretical. Some of the professers wanted to have discussons in class as well, depending on
the size of the class (It is not easy to have a discuasson in a big class). We had to prepare
some questions for the seminars that the professor wanted to discuess with us. The turorials
was for students to ask questions if there was something they did not understand from the
lectures.
The professors always wanted us to read journely aricles in addition to the required reading.
And some of the professors did not want to tell us what to read because they wanted us to be
selective and read what we found most relevant.
I found the level at Aston University a bit lower then BI. For instance the material in one of
my courses that I had with final year students, was quit similar to the material in one of the
courses I had in my second year at BI.
Exams
The exam was based on both the course materials and the lectures. Also, some of the seminars
had case studies that was included in the exam.
Four of my courses had a final exam. Two of them was multiple choice, one of them was both
multiple choice and essay questions, and one of them was only essay questions. Also, I had
one course with one big 100% assignment, and another one with two big 50/50 %
assignmmnets as course evaluation.
Library and technology
I reveived a student card that I had to use every time I entered the library. I also used the same
card when I wanted to print out or scan something, or borrow/return books. There was some
money one the card when I got it, and if you wanted to add more money on it you could do it
online on one of the computers in the library.
Description of courses
Course code & name
Master/
Exam form
Prerequisites
Bachelor
BS2232, Business
Bachelor
Policy
Approved
Comments
as
1 ½ hours
None
Elective
multiple choice
A lot of
readings
exam
BH3393, Global
Bachelor
Working
2 hours written
None
Elective
Really
exam, essay
interesting,
questions
similar to
Business
Communic
ation in
English
BF2244, Strategic
Bachelor
Finance
BS1102, Economic
2 hours multiple
None
Elective
None
Elective
choice exam
Bachelor
2 hours written
It is about
Environment of
exam, part 1 is
microecono
Business
multiple choice
mic and
and part 2 is
macroecon
essays
omics
BM2258, Consumer
Bachelor
Behaviour
Coursework,
None
Elective
None
Elective
two assignments
50 % each
BH3328 Phsycology
and Work
Bachelor
Courswork, one
Similar to
100%
Organizatio
assignment
nal
Behaviour
and
Manageme
nt
To sum up, this exchance period has been one of the best times in my life. I made friends
from all around the world, I got more familiar with the British culture and the language. This
period has been a really good experience and I will strongly recommend everyone to go on
exchange if you have the chance. There is only one bad thing, it will last for a too short
period.