University of Exeter reviews

My first thought when I saw the Exeter University campus was that it was very green and scenic..not all concrete and tightly packed like some university campuses. The campus is situated on the edge of the city within plenty of space which makes the whole place have a great atmosphere. I am a final year geographer at present so here are a few comments on the geography department:

The was the courses ar taught varies greatly between lecturers. But most are interesting and stimulating. I wasn't that impressed with the selection of courses available especially in this final year, they mostly revolve around palaeoenvironments and hydrology as this is what the staff specialise in (Physical) I do not do any human geography but can guess that the specialities of the staff strongly reflects the courses there as well.

To be fair I have enjoyed most courses. In your first year you have to take human and physical geography courses so interest is obviously variable there. Now I soon to finish I must say the department has been very good.

During my first year I stayed in Lopes Hall. This is one of the better halls but much to my dislike I was put in a shared room. If you don't want a shared room do not apply to Lopes as there are very few singles. The food was quite horrible at times and ok at others. They often warmed up leftovers from the night before the next day. I didn't really enjoy staying in halls, maybe because I am a very quiet person and did not adhere kindly to drunks banging on my door in the early hours of the morning. This is the same for all halls though..the best things really I guess is to be one of those drunks!.

For my second year I began living in a shared house..which was amazingly better than halls. There is a good selection of private student housing in Exeter, some are better than others, but in all cases properties are let in a flash and you have to get in quick.

We have remained in the same shared house for the final year, and have enjoyed living here, it's much like your first taste of freedom, having your own house away from home.

Exeter is a lovely city, small for those who come from bigger places but for a cornish lass like me its just ideal. The buses are fine and you get a discount with your student card. There are regular buses in and out of the campus into town and to Tesco!

I have only a few months to go to finish my degree. Overall I have enjoyed being at Exeter Uni, people are friendly and helpful. I am now going on to do a PGCE at the university in September. I love living in Exeter and wish to carry on doing so. Also if you are interested in teaching after your degree the university runs a yearly scheme called TROfU which pays you £800+ to go to a few lectures and go into a school for experience. I am doing this and its great. You can do it each year and then go onto a PGCE with the best experience.

I recommend Exeter Uni, the social life here is buzzing every night and if you're a quiet person its a great place to be too. To be honest Uni has been one of the best life experiences I have had and I have learnt not only from my degree but about life, living and being independant. If you can make it, don't waste the opportunity.

Exeter used to be a brilliant Computer Science course, one of the highest in the year. Something's changed in the last three years though, and I'm not sure what it is. I'm not the only one that thinks it either.

The course is mainly about project managment, with a little advanced AI. That's great, perhaps it's what a computer science course should be. Dont expect to learn anything about networking - for example. Dont expect to be encouraged to roll your own operating system. Dont expect anything from the course.

Now the university is great. You will learn lots. Get involved with xnet, and the other media. Join a couple of societies, and you'll learn those valuable life skills. The campus is beautiful, especially in spring, summer and autumn, the Ram serves real ale at £1.60/pint, and the people here arent all "sloanes", "hooray henrys" or "green wellies".

As for the course? Well, if you can stand it you'll have BSc computer science on your CV. It wont help you get a first job though. Make sure you do a placement inbetween the 2nd and 3rd year for the experience. If you want to explore the world, take a gap year, or make sure you do it in the first/second year.

The First year is easy, and the marks dont count anyway. Dont get too confident though, the second year hits you like a jugganaut. You *do* need to put over 20 hours a week into the course, and you do need to be organised. By the third year, if you slack, you fail. Noone will shout at you, you'll just graduate with an empty envolope to show for your £15k.

If you want a job in the computer industry, consider a year out in the area first. The degree wont help you until your 35 - unless you go into a large company's graduate training scheme. If the course is important, I'd suggest looking elsewhere. The department used to be a friendly, inviting place - it felt like a family. Now its just a long dreary coridor with nothing to offer.

On relfection - I should have done ecnomics.

BTW, if you are techincially inclined, get involved with all the media in freshers week. Go up to the XTV door and bang on it until someone lets you in. Become an Xpression FM DJ before your first lecture, and publish an article in the Week 1 exepose.

And try to catch up with the high-posters on xnet, without resorting to Random Silliness!

I have just finished doing a Combined Honours course in History and Ancient History at Exeter. What this means is that I do half of each course - that is 60 credits in each (and thereby do not get to take any modules outside of the two schools).

I have really enjoyed the course, despite a few frustrations along the way. The only real gripe I have had is the compulsory History modules - History Foundation in the first year (which is really basic history), and the Project in the second year, which you have to take if you are looking to do a dissertation.

The course itself is good fun, with a large number of different modules to take in the History dept. Slightly less choice in the first and second year Ancient History (you have to do two out of three modules, although some people I know took a language, but you do have to talk to the dept. about doing that), but the choice in the final year more than makes up for it!

A big hint, academically, would be to get a good number of the books on the reading list, particularly for the Ancient History dept. It is a little expensive (going second hand is always good), but it saves a lot of frustration when it comes to reading them in the Library!

Outside of academic work, Exeter is a great place to be. The societies are wonderful - whatever your interests you can find something to do, and everything you get involved with helps widen your circle of friends, and increases your enjoyment of the university (and incidentally often helps out with your CV!). The city itself is reasonably small, with a country town feel, but large enough to have a decent amount of shops, pubs, clubs etc.

University of exeter is brill, very nice campus very green which makes a change from inner city campuses, plus it is all in one place ie all departments are on the same campus unless you decide to do sports science which is on a separate campus. Campus is close to the city centre which has a good selection of shops, most of the high street shops you would expect and some quant shops if you disappear down the side street and towards the quay.( by the river)
I stayed in halls this year and I think that it helped me fit into university very well. All friend were made within the first couple of weeks and are the people who were on my floor. But the halls at our university vary immensly and the condition within them also varies and sometimes the value which has increased this year is not worth the price. Food started off alright but started to deteriate towards the end of the academic year and we started to find that our lives especially ay weekends revolved around food, but on the upside we had a good hall spirit we had formals which involved formal dinners where we all had to dress up and we also had 2 balls and various social events.
I shared which was ok, but I think I would have had the choice to have my own room, got on well with my room mate and am living with her next year but sometimes you just need your own space. Rent was £83 a week but has since gone up. All first years are guarenteed a place in university owned accomodation.
My course, biological sciences is a good course which I enjoy, it covers a broad aspect of biology, from ecology, plants and animals to the chemical aspects of biochemistry, cell biology and genetics. In the 2nd year you get to choice which modules you want to do so that you can narrow down your degree. First year being about broadening your knowledge of bio. But there are a lot of lectures, more than most and lots of practical probably 6 hours a week but not everyweek. Most of the work is covered in lectures, and there is reading, but we have multiple choice course assement tests worth 50% which cover in quite a lot of detail the lecture, but it does mean that not so much lies on the written exam , which is something that I like about this course.
There is loads to do during the week mon- fri but less over the weekend, pubs are good, some cheaper than others. Clubs also good and they have students nights during the week when it best to go into town- prices good for drinks.not too much to get in.

Hey all,

This site was really helpful to me when I was applying for Uni, so thought I'd do a good deed for the day+give something back etc.
In short, Exeter is paradise on earth! Think I'm exagerrating? No, I'm deadly serious, there is nothing this place dosen't have if you look hard enough, and remember..the best things come in small packages!

OK, I'm a london girl and a very very sociable person, I like to have fun, go clubbing, go to gigs etc. So obviously your thinkin little Exeter is not the obvious choice for a night owl such as myself? Wrong again! Exeter has it's fair share of clubs (VVV cheap and great fun cos u know everyone there!) and simply hundreds of pubs and bars to choose from..I've been out almost every night since September and not seen them all! By far the best thing about Exeter is the social scene and the fact that because the city is smallish, you always see people you know. It's fantastic, the size is most definatly an advantage, Exeter has real community spirit.

This is especially true if your in a big, sociable hall such as Duryard or Birks. I'm in Duryard and although the 'decor' put me off a little to start with, now I wouldn't swap it for anything. I have made amazing friends, am surrounded by people whenever I need a chat, and enjoy by FAR the most active social life of any hall on campus. My advice here is, don't let the lack of decor in the big sixties monstrosities (Duryard and Birks!) put you off when applying for accomodation. I have friends in smaller halls such as Hope and Mardon who hate it because the hall social life is non-existent, whereas in Duryard the 620-something population provides a really sociable atmosphere at socials, BBQ's and formals etc. However, if you are a quiet person and don't like constant activity on y0r doorstep, a small hall or self-catering might be the way to go. Personally I like getting woken up by my drunken friends at all hours!! By the way, the Safer Sex Ball is a LEGEND! If there is one thing you can't miss all year, this is it. Gig's wise, if you're into alternative music the Cavern and Three Fat Fish in town are great and have a good line-up, but I've also been to Campus Band nights at Clydesdale and even..shock horror, gigs at The Lemmy! (Spunge and NHOI were good!)

OK, enough about the legendary social scene of the south west! My course, English, is really good. The tutors and lecturers are really inspiring, and most of them (I have fallen asleep, but only twice!) really do know what they're talking about. However it is a really difficult course to get on to, I had to get 3 A's at A level, prob bcos my personal statement was crap! So advice is, get loads of help in writing a kick-ass personal statement, because it really does count for a lot. The choice is in the second year for Eng by the way, so you better check out the mandatory 1st yr modules before you choose Exeter. I've really enjoyed them tho, esp Culture and Criticism.

The uni istelf. What can I say..dosen't the fact that students across the country voted it as having the prettiest/greenest/sunniest campus in the country, say something?!! The campus truly is to die for, and the weather in the south west is really good, quite mild even when it was snowing at home, haha! That is why having three great beaches less than 20mins away is so cool. I've been twice this term, and it is so much fun. I'd recommend Dawlish, it's got a huge pub right on the beachfront! Loads of places to eat and drink on campus too, love the Ram after a 9 oclock on monday morning, serious hangover cure! One of the best things about campus has to be the Pizza delivery service tho, classic. The shopping in town is great by the way, it's got everything you need (trust me, I have a serious shopping compulsion, esp for shoes and bags..ahh) house of fraser, faith, your average high street eg. topshop, miss selfridge, hennes etc and loads of little surfy/urban/boho shops in Gandy Street.

OK think i've said enough now. Phew. One thing to end on, if you get into Duryard, you are a VERY privilidged person...hopefully with an iron constitution!

I did my MSc in International Management in the Business School (SOBE) in the Exeter Uni. It only took me a week to realise that the school and teh programme was a joke. Classes of 120 people, 85% of them, asians with no idea of english. Teachers with good reputations but with no idea of how to structure a lecure of how to make it interesting. They were taking 2-3 months to mark the assesments, arraging meeting with the teachers was just a dream (they were always so busy...)speaking with the programme administrator was a nightmare (she was rude, unpolite and with no will of helping)and the programmes of the modules were in constant change. The supervisors for our dissertations were assigned after the easter break, before that we had no support at all, the were so lazy that they told us not to do primary research because if so, they needed to explain research methods and of course, that was too much for them. Basicly I spent 6.600 pounds and i didnt learn anything, i passed with merits all my exams despite i didnt read any of the "compulsary readings" and i only went to a 25% of my lectures.
But even things were as i am telling them, they were so arrogant that they always tought that the school was teh best in England...
Despite this the town is nice and the weather not to bad!!
As my personal experience its not worth to spend your money and time in taking my MSc.