Politics and Contemporary History MA

University of Nottingham

The facilities and campus are welcoming and have lots of variety - there are great places to study, socialise, eat and explore. It is overall a nice environment. The libraries could be slightly improved by having more quiet study spaces, especially during exam season. This would make me less stressed when going to the library during busy periods. The best aspects would be the campus and facilities, and the huge range of societies that you can join. I have met like-minded people through different societies and been able to socialise and learn at the same time whilst doing meaningful things outside of my studies. I think that some societies could be improved by being more accessible - perhaps more funding should be readily available from the university to help people pay for sports memberships etc. Overall it has been a valuable experience with certain aspects that could be slightly improved - by listening to the specific needs of students.

Nottingham is a great place to study because of its facilities and the campus. Everything is very modern and up to date. The campus is well maintained and has lots of green space and different places to hang out and go for coffee and lunch. It is a very social university with a big focus on sports and societies. I really enjoyed living in catered accommodation on campus in my first year - I met some of my closest friends there and I still live with them. Living on campus in first year allows you to immerse yourself in the university experience. There are also non-catered accommodation options off-campus if this is what you would prefer. One of the worst aspects of the university experience was how we were cared for during the COVID pandemic. I feel like as students living on campus, we were not very well looked after. We were expected to stay within our rooms if we had to isolate with no chance to exercise and communication was often very limited and poor. Sometimes we were not fed or fed the wrong food (i.e. a vegetarian was given meat). I also feel like financial support throughout the COVID pandemic from the university has been poor - I heard of other universities supporting students with loans or grants but this did not happen at the university. Loans were always means-tested or application-based. The university has also not done a lot to mitigate the impact of strikes on students. I feel like we have pulled the short straw in this situation and that the university could do more to support students and staff alike. Otherwise, I have had a brilliant time at Nottingham and would recommend it to anyone thinking of coming here.

Nottingham is built around the needs of students. I mean this quite literally. There are two campuses, each equipped with fantastic libraries and sport facilities. There is something to do every night in town if that is something you are into or you can enjoy plenty of calm walks in several beautiful locations, such as Wollaton Park. There are also plenty of extracurricular opportunities that can help advance your career or get involved with the local community.

I love the campus feel and the greenery, and the nightlife is amazing. As a history students the online resources and library resources are really good for essay writing, and as an exam hater the fact there are no exams within my degree is another thing I love. The student union however, in my opinion could be doing more it is there, but it doesn't really seem to have much about it events wise in my opinion.

All of my lecturers have been wonderful and really supportive, and there's a great atmosphere on campus which makes it a great place to study! The best way it could be improved was if the university ended the strikes and ensured their staff were being paid fairly.