International Politics postgraduate degrees in North East England

Pros: - support; - feel; - people; - accommodation; - course. Cons: As a combined honours student the help is slightly subpar: personal tutor in one department, but not the other; peer mentor does neither of the subjects I am taking. Student's Union should be publicised more. As well as things like Student Media which should be reaching out to departments/other societies, and should have a more social aspect to it---socials---rather than just collecting a courier article at an SMA and leaving.

The location is great, surrounded by a multitude of stores for easy access to the majority of things required for student living. As well as that it is surrounded by student accommodation and is widely accessible to many, though some buildings are difficult to navigate/find without experience or guide. It is well-maintained for the majority of areas. The range of facilities as well is good for all manners of course studies.

Contact hours are minimal, to an extent that it is enough time spent learning and enough time spent to yourself for the course. This allows me to gain other experiences as I have more time throughout the day. It’s a great place to study during exam times as the library remains open 24/7, however the library does not remain open during the rest of the semester which is something I wish they did do as it’d help me get my work done, as someone who struggles to study in the safety of her own room.

Durham is a beautiful city and university with great social opportunities. The traditions are very strong at this school. It feels today like how Oxford and Cambridge were twenty years ago. Sometimes administration can be a challenge, many people have difficulty in knowing how to pay tuition and the university is slow to respond to emails. Also, there are far too many international students and just students in general. The university’s expansion plans are causing a drop in the school’s national and international rankings and causing the university to be in danger of losing its character.