University of Birmingham
speciality: Psychology

Maybe I’m a little biased after spending the last 2 years here, but I genuinely think the University of Birmingham has one of the most beautiful campuses in the UK. It was one of the things that stood out to me when I first visited, and I still appreciate it every day.

Studying Psychology has been a great experience. The course covers a wide range of really interesting topics, so there’s always something new to learn, and I’ve always felt well supported throughout my degree; each course offers a support system, where you can get extra support on things you may not have understood, for example maybe there was a lecture you didn’t quite get, or an exam you feel unprepared for, office hours and extra group support is available when needed. The university also offers a lot of support beyond academics, whether that’s wellbeing, careers or general student life.

One thing I’ve really valued is how many opportunities there are outside of lectures. The Careers Network regularly shares internships, work experience, networking events and employer opportunities, which has encouraged me to explore different career paths alongside my studies, even when I’ve had no idea what i want to do.

The student community is also incredibly diverse, which means you get to meet people from all sorts of backgrounds and make friendships you probably wouldn’t have otherwise.

No university is perfect, and there will always be some modules you enjoy more than others. I’d also say you have to be proactive and make the most of what’s available because there are so many opportunities that it’s easy to miss them if you don’t look.

Overall, I’d definitely recommend the University of Birmingham. If you’re looking for a university with a beautiful campus, an interesting Psychology course, lots of support and plenty of opportunities to get involved beyond your degree, it’s a great choice.

I loved my time at Birmingham, but this was mostly because of the friends I had made there, not my course. I studied psychology and Birmingham was supposed to be one of the top universities in the country for it. It was not. We had overcrowded lectures with students having to sit on the stairs, we had no seminars as there were too many of us and too few of them, and some of the lecturers were very unprofessional. I once got a mark of 40 for forgetting to ‘accept all changes’ on a report which meant all my markups showed up for the lecturer. Instead of turning them off, he gave me a 40. This stopped me getting a first.

The facilities weren’t great either, although they have since moved into a newer building. There were never enough computers for all of us, as well as never being able to find a seat in the library during exams. Overall I was very disappointed with my experience and probably wouldn’t have chosen to do psychology there again after hearing about my friends’ experiences in other unis.

The university is great but the amount of contact hours, opportunities and support vary greatly based on the course you’re taking. Some departments are understaffed, which means you get less contact hours and bespoke support, you wait for weeks on end to get your assignments back and the feedback isn’t very detailed. With other courses, this isn’t the case.

It is an incredibly diverse space; the most impressive thing I’ve found, upon coming here, is how each and every culture is recognised and celebrated. As an individual of ethnic minority, I have never felt like I “stand out”. The societies different societies fare will also ignite and excite you, there is truly something for everyone. From Buddhist to East African societies, just to name a few. I would recommend this university to anyone who wanted to become exposed to many different groups and perspectives.