Social, Family and Community Work Postgraduate in Sheffield

Overall score

Study experience

The School of East Asian Studies at Sheffield is a great place to start or to further studies in Japanese language and society. Interesting tutors and coursework made the course very enjoyable. The pace was pretty intense, particularly in language studies and there is a lot of coursework, so be prepared for studying at weekends. I would definitely recommend the course to anyone wanting to further their Japanese studies, particularly those just back from the JET Programme (as I was).

Facilities

The classes are on the 6th floor of the 12 storey Arts Tower, so prepare for a lot of climbing up the stairs as the lifts are too busy to accommodate everyone at the same time. Classrooms themselves are basic, but uni facilities in general are good, particularly the fantastic student union.

Postgraduate life

There is lot to do at Sheffield...music and clubs to suit every taste, every night of the week. My favourite was the Tuesday Night Club at the union - not good for 9am starts on Wed morning, but the music was dam good.

This review is the subjective opinion of a postgraduatesearch.com reviewer and not of postgraduatesearch.com.

Overall score

Study experience

My course was funded by the LEA so I didn't have to pay anything. I even got paid a grant to do the course. Yes, it is hard work but I've had the best tutor ever in the MFL PGCE department. He is very inspiring, approachable and he will tell you everything you need to know before becoming a languages teacher. I would recommend this course and university to anyone considering it.

Facilities

The facilities are excellent. You have to purchase some books as expected in other courses too but you will be provided with a lot of materials too either at uni and when on work placement. There are a number of IT suites all across the campus. Some are set in gorgeous traditional buildings, others in more modern ones. The library has an impressive collection of educational books. You are never far from the town centre or Ecclesall road which is a lively student area.

Postgraduate life

Being a student at Hallam University is all about working hard and playing hard. You can enjoy the learning experience in the daytime and the nightlife too. I find the atmosphere much more friendly and less stuck-up than at Sheffield University where I also studied on a different course previously. I would definitely recommend Hallam uni over Sheffield uni.

This review is the subjective opinion of a postgraduatesearch.com reviewer and not of postgraduatesearch.com.

Overall score

Study experience

The course aims to take already skilled writers from amateur level to professional, and the ever increasing list of award-winning graduates gives an indication of how successful the course is! The work is never easy and the course moves at a speedy pace, but this teaches more about deadlines and the writing industry than an easier course ever could. The tutors are all professional, talented and incredibly helpful - and are all themselves practising writers. The curriculum is clearly laid out at the start of the course but there is always plenty of help on hand for those who need to clarify any aspect of it.

Facilities

For a course of this type, the library and IT facilities are probably the most important resources and there are no problems with these at all. The university is currently having a reshuffle of its campuses so things are set to improve in this department.

Postgraduate life

The difficulty of getting on to the course means that, once they have made it, students are excited to be there and willing to work hard. The university prides itself on fostering a atmosphere of peer support, and encourages students to support one another and offer advice and criticism on each other's work.

This review is the subjective opinion of a postgraduatesearch.com reviewer and not of postgraduatesearch.com.