Surveying and Planning postgraduate degrees in Southern England

In my opinion, SOAS is a great place to study because of its global focus on the Middle East, its cultural and linguistic diversity, and its amazing library resources. As a student who studies Global Media, it is a tremendous opportunity, but it could be improved with more stronger career support, and beneficial financial assistance for students.

The lectures in my course are very helpful and always get back to you when you have questions. We have good weeks timetabling where we have online lessons and in person and we start at a nice time as well which gives people time to travel. Our lectures give us PowerPoints which we can also look at when at home for more revision. The university is big and is a couple bus stops from train stations which is helpful as well. There is lots of places to get food and they have a wide variety of things.

The best aspects of my university experience have been the sense of community and the opportunities for personal and academic growth. My course is taught by passionate lecturers who make the subject feel relevant and engaging, and I’ve appreciated how approachable most staff are when I need help. There are also plenty of extracurricular activities and societies, which made it easy to meet people with similar interests. The campus facilities—like the library, study spaces, and wellbeing services—have also been a big part of what makes it a great place to study. In terms of what could be improved, there are a few key areas. Communication between departments could sometimes be clearer, especially around deadlines and timetable changes. At busy times of the year, access to study spaces can become limited, and more quiet areas or longer opening hours would make a difference. It would also help if there were more practical, hands-on learning opportunities such as placements, workshops, or industry links, as these really enhance understanding and employability. Overall, the university offers a supportive and stimulating environment, but with better organisation and more resources during peak periods, the student experience could be even stronger.

The best aspects are that the teachers are helpful and experienced and so it helps with learning, however there could be more help with exam resources such as more practice questions for the exam to get the most support

I just loved the course and most importantly its flexibility with the online platform. As a working mother it was like the golden opportunity to develop my career at the right place with the right people and the perfect time. The result was just amazing, I graduated with the classification of Merit, and 2 years later established my own firm based in Beirut. I am now handling projects for high profile multinational firms operating in the region. I strongly recommend UCEM as one of the most flexible educational systems for personal and career development in the build environment.

One of the best things about University of the West of England is how focused it is on getting you ready for an actual job. A lot of courses include placements or practical projects, so it doesn’t feel like you’re just learning theory for the sake of it. The campus (especially Frenchay) is really nice as well — modern buildings, loads of study spaces, and decent facilities. It’s pretty easy to find somewhere to work or just chill between lectures. Also, being in Bristol is a big win. There’s always something going on, whether it’s nightlife, food, or events, and it’s a good city for part-time jobs too. However, it’s not perfect. Organisation can be a bit all over the place sometimes — like timetable changes last minute or slow feedback on assignments, which gets frustrating. It can also depend a lot on your course or lecturers. Some modules are really good, others not so much, so it feels a bit inconsistent. And yeah, Bristol is expensive. Rent and general living costs can add up pretty quickly, which is something to be aware of.