Student Exchange Report
Kingston University, London
Fall 2015
Name of University: Kingston University, London / Kingston Business School
Exchange semester: Fall 2015
I. PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Before leaving Norway
The incoming Exchange coordinators at Kingston provided me with pre-arrival
information in May, once the application process was completed. The information
contained details about all the key information regarding the semester, module selection
and housing arrangements.
Applying for a visa
Norwegian citizens are not required to apply for a visa to study in the United Kingdom.
Travel
I travelled with Norwegian from OSL to London Gatwick. From Gatwick there are a wide
variety of transportation options into central London.
Housing
The university did provide housing, in private accommodation. I was living together
with a landlord and another Erasmus student. This was a nice opportunity to get some
personal experience of UK life. Please make yourself aware of where the accommodation
service is housing you. In my case my housing was too far away from Kingston
University and Kingston town centre.
Costs
Rent
Books
Food
5500 NOK
per month
3.000 NOK*
4.000 NOK
per month
Transport
1200 NOK**
per month
Other
3000
NOK***
* Books were also available to lend from the Kingston library free-of-charge.
** Given that I lived far away from the campus, my travel costs were higher than
expected.
I strongly advice you to acquire an Oyster card for the London transport network.
*** I acquired a top-up pay as go card from Giffgaff for my phone during my stay
in London. The monthly charge was around £15, which will provide you with
suitable amounts of data.
Culture and language
All communication, both at the university and within the group of exchange students,
was in English. Be aware that some culture differences may be bigger than you expect,
even in the UK.
II. ABOUT THE SCHOOL
Kingston University is a large institution, with three main campuses. As a business student
you belong to the Kingston Hill campus, close to beautiful Richmond Park.
To the people that is not familiar with London: Kingston is a part of greater London and is on
the border with Surrey. This is not London centre, but with a train it takes around 45 minutes
to London Waterloo station, which is close to London Southbank with lots of bars and
restaurants, as well as a theatre, cinema and art gallery.
Course registration
Registration for courses happens during the second week of the semester. Be aware that
changes to modules may happen, and some courses may even be cancelled.
Academic calendar
Arrival date:
First day of the semester:
Last day of classes:
Examination period:
14.09.2015
26.09.2015
17.12.2015
10.10.2015 – 17.01.2016
Arrival
The Student Union and the Exchange office at Kingston arranged a variety of activities
during the first weeks of the semester. I do recommend attending as many of these as
you can.
The International Office
We had a separate introduction session just for exchange students during the first week
of the semester.
Social activities
I did my coursework with exchange students and UK students and I found coursework
to be a good way to interact with the other students.
There were a variety of events hosted by both the Student Union and my exchange
“buddies”. Many of these events were exclusive to exchange students as well.
III. ACADEMICS
In the classroom
The teaching style is more active than at BI, and the professors expect a two-way
communication. Content is presented in a much academic way, and the slides are only
supporting, so you need to be well prepared.
Course materials
The module handbook gives you an overview of the content of the different modules.
At level 6 (final year level at bachelor), the focus is much more on academic articles than
textbooks, and most of my modules were like this.
Exams
The modules are different from Norway, as often one module will last for two semesters,
and one module is worth 15ECTS. Modules are tested through the year. Modules are
tested in numerous ways, from exams to essay assessments etc. You might get the
feeling that as an exchange student you do not fit in to the module structure or the
content and how the module is built. You will as an Erasmus student get extra
coursework in addition to the module handbook information.
Library and technology
The facilities are modern and as effective as the ones at BI. There is both a library and
silent area at the campus.
Description of courses
Course code & name
BS 6100 Strategic
Management
Master/
Bachelor
Bachelor
BM 6613 Advertising
Strategy and planning
Bachelor
BM 6621
Contemporary
marketing
Bachelor
BH 6006
Organisational
learning and
development
Bachelor
Exam form
Group
assignment (30
%), individual
assessment (60
%) Online test
(10%)
Assessment
(100 %)
Presentation (10
%), group
assessment (90
%)
Assessment
(100 %)
Approved
as
Strategy
Comments – module content
Marketing
Look at adv. planning through the eye of
the advertising agency. With focus on
IMC (integrated marketing
communication)
Reading the most recent research
from the marketing world,
consultancy based approach.
Marketing/
Elective
Elective
Strategy and development of
diversification opportunities.
Look at the strategy with corporate
board approach.
Understanding learning theories and
processes in the organisation. The
organisational and theoretical contexts
for coaching and mentoring.
Final note
Exchange is a great opportunity to expand your horizons and learn a great deal not only about
your chosen subjects, but also about living in another country. Although I have enjoyed my
semester at Kingston University, it is helpful to note that Kingston does not have a central
London location and if you are looking to enjoy life in central London then Kingston might
not be the best choice for you.