Student Report
Name of the University: Michigan State University
Exchange semester: Spring, 2013
I. PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Before leaving Norway
I received information from the exchange university in October. The application process was
okay.
Applying for a visa (if applicable)
-
I applied for my visa by following the guidelines the American embassy homepage.
The price was around NOK 2000
Travel
- How did you travel to your destination? Any problems?
I travelled by plane, first to Detroit and then to Lansing. I had to leave January 1.
Because of the date the ticket was very expensive, but except from that the travel was
okay.
Housing
- Was housing provided by the university, or did you have to find your own housing?
Housing was provided by the University, I will recommend this, not because it´s nice
but because it makes it easier to get to know people as an exchange student. The
standard is very different from what we are used to in Norway, and may come as a
shock.
-
What support did you receive from the school in locating housing?
The international office helps you with housing.
Costs
- Approximately how much per month did you spend on rent, books, food,
transportation, and other personal expenses?
Rent
Books
Food
Transport
Other
20 000 NOK
7000 NOK
20 000 NOK
30 000 NOK
Culture and language
- Did you have any language problems with the faculty or other students?
No, all communication was in English
-
How were the possibilities to experience the country and the culture?
When you are in the US it´s easy to travel around and see the places you want to see. The
international office also does fieldtrips.
Cultural and social effects from the exchange experience
- How do you think the exchange experience will affect you from a cultural and social
point of view?
I learned a lot about other cultures, because they have exchange students from all
countries in the program. I also learned about the American culture.
-
How do you think the exchange experience influences your future career possibilities?
Yes, I think it´s good to have experience from study abroad when you apply for jobs.
II. ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Please describe:
The school and its surroundings (give a short summary)
It is a very huge and beautiful university. It is located in East Lansing, and basically the entire
town is a campus. It is a lot of activities on campus and in the town to do, a lot of restaurants,
bars, coffee shops and shopping opportunities both on and off campus. It might be huge, but it
is easy to get to know your surroundings and a lot of transport opportunities.
-
Approx. number of students (graduate and undergraduate) and number of exchange
students
Approximately 48 000 students. 36 000 undergraduates. 12% of the students are
international.
-
Study structure
The study structure is very different from the one we are used to at BI. The workload
is more constant, so you always have some work to do, but the final exams don’t count
as much as they do at home.
Course registration
- Were you able to register for courses before arrival?
Yes, and I will recommend to do that because some courses fill up very fast
-
When and how long was the period for adding/dropping courses?
One week after the semester started to add a course and 3 weeks after to drop a course.
Academic calendar
Arrival date:
First day of the semester:
Last day of classes:
Examination period:
Any special events/holidays:
Other:
01/01-13
07/01-13
29/04-13
27/04-03/05
Spring break
Arrival
- Was the administration and faculty well-prepared for your arrival?
Yes, they had a really good orientation week and we got provided with all the
information needed
-
Did the school’s students participate in the reception of the exchange students?
NO just the ones that was in the mentor program
-
Describe the introduction week?
Information about the school, courses, housing etc. “Get to know each other games”
The International Office
- Is there an international office?
Yes, it´s located at the international centre.
-
As an exchange student, did you receive sufficient and relevant information? In
English?
Yes, all the information was in English
Promoting BI and Norway
- What kind of activities were you involved in to promote exchange to Norway at your
exchange university?
I was at a study abroad fair
Social activities
- How was your relationship with native students?
It was good. All the students in my classes and in my dorm were very friendly and
they are very used to students from other cultures
-
How was the relationship among the exchange students?
Very good. Almost everyone lived in the same dorms and we had a facebook group to
exchange information and plan events
-
Is there a student organization, and if so, are the exchange students a part of it?
There is a lot of groups you can join if you want to. There is one for everything from
sport to food.
-
Are there any special activities and gatherings for exchange students?
Yes, there is a lot of events and fieldtrips
III. ACADEMICS
In the classroom
- Describe the teaching style.
Smaller classes, more work during the whole semester
-
Language of instruction? Any problems?
No, all in English
-
How would you evaluate the level of study in relationship to the level at BI?
About the same, depends on the courses.
-
Is the teaching primarily practical or theoretical?
Both
-
Did professors use cases, group work or lectures (or a combination)?
Yes, they used both, but also multiple choice tests
-
How is the workload compared to that at BI?
The workload is about the same, but you split it up instead of having just one big exam
-
Describe the relationship between professors and students.
More formal than home, but the professors are also more engaged in their students
-
Describe the relationship between the students in the classroom.
Engaged students, open discussions are common
Course materials
- Describe the course materials used (books/literature, online articles, Powerpoint, etc).
A combination of books, online articles and powerpoints from class
-
In which language were the course materials?
English
-
How do you estimate the level of the course materials in comparison to BI?
Same
-
Were materials used for detailed knowledge or a broad overview of a subject?
Depends on the course
Exams
- Was the exam based on the course materials or on the lectures?
Mostly the lectures, so it´s important to attend classes.
-
How was the course evaluated (include all that apply)?
o Final exam (include form: written, oral, home assignment, presentation, etc.)
o Mid-term exam
o In-class quizzes throughout semester
o Small assignments and/or papers
o Presentations
o Group work
o Class attendance
o Class participation/debates
Library and technology
- Do students have easy access to the library and its resources?
Yes, the facilities are very good
-
Were computers provided around campus/in the library?
Yes, in the library and in the dorms
-
How is technology used in teaching or to distribute information?
They use a program called angel, it´s very much like its learning
Description of courses
Course code & name
Comparative political
economy
International
Marketing
management
Management
Supply chain
management
International economy
Master/
Bachelor
Bachelor
Exam form
Prerequisites
Written exam
None
Approved
as
Elective
Bachelor
Written exam
and group
project
Multiple choice
quizzes
Multiple choice
quizzes
Multiple choice
quizzes
Marketing
Elective
Org
Elective
Statistics
Required
Microeconomi
cs and
macroeconomi
cs
Elective
Bachelor
Bachelor
Bachelor
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