University of Leeds
speciality: Sociology

I’m extremely pleased with my time at the University of Leeds. The academic program I chose was engaging, diverse, and well-structured, while the university’s pastoral support was exceptional. The facilities are well-maintained, with modern and spacious libraries that have undergone recent renovations. I was consistently impressed by the prompt and helpful responses I received to my queries, whether they were related to my course, assessments, or administrative matters.

Overall, I really love the University of Leeds. I think a huge appeal to the university is the campus. It’s beautiful, with both modern and older buildings, and it’s based very close to the city centre. The city is a really fun place to live as a student. There are so many universities in Leeds, so the town centre and the student areas really make you feel as though you are part of a greater community.

Regarding the university itself, I am aware that the quality of teaching and experience really varies between courses and faculty. A lot of teaching has been affected recently by the ongoing strikes, leaving many students feeling hard done as a result of this. Studying Liberal Arts and Spanish (as my international language, or my ‘major’ subject) has been a unique experience, as I am often choosing modules which belong to different faculties and schools. The flexibility of Liberal Arts has allowed me to really personalise my degree according to my interests, and I have really enjoyed the variety of modules I have had access to on the Liberal Arts side of my course.

Conversely, it has been evident throughout my university experience that studying a language does not function so well within a Liberal Arts structure. I have actually found the language side of my course to be quite disappointing on occasion: the module catalogue seems to be depleting every year, and I feel as though the modules that are available to us can be a little uninspiring, and often they are not taught in Spanish. I think that the Spanish degree structure could do with a lot of change. After the first year, our weekly speaking classes were reduced from two hours to one hour, and I feel that the course relies too much on the year abroad to increase our Spanish fluency.

I also think that the University of Leeds could improve student access to mobility/Erasmus schemes. Coming to the end of my year abroad, I have met many students from other universities in the UK, many of whom were able to divide their year abroad into six months of study and six months of work experience, or even two study placements in different locations. At Leeds, we are meant to choose either a work or a study placement, with the idea that we will stay there for the whole year. Additionally, I am aware that people who apply for work placements have some really strict deadlines to meet when confirming their year abroad plans with the study abroad office. A friend of mine hadn’t even heard back from employers before she had to decide what she wanted to do to study abroad; there just doesn’t seem to be much flexibility.

In terms of career prospects, I do feel a little lost right now. Liberal Arts do not seem to have a particular career-focused aspect to the degree, whereas I know other degrees (economics, business, sustainability etc.) all have modules dedicated to employability. I have enjoyed being able to explore different pursuits, however, I do feel as though I would like to learn more about how the interdisciplinary element of my course will function and benefit me in the professional world.

Leeds is a great city in which to be a student. There is plenty to do: nightclubs, shopping, culture, nature, major cities nearby. Transport links are also good – the station is centrally located (nationally) and long distance buses run regularly from the bus station.

At the University of Leeds, the facilities are brilliant. There are three libraries (one which is newly built), a wide variety of eateries, a modern gym and more. The location of the university, halfway between the city centre and the student area, is handy. However, what let Leeds down for me was the accommodation. The main student housing area of Hyde Park is quite unsafe at times and many of the houses are run down and owned by landlords who don’t have much care for the students living in them. If I moved back I would be inclined to stay in a flat/high-rise situation, move into the city centre or move further out to the nicer houses in Headingley.

In terms of degree content, the value for money is at times concerning. My course had very few contact hours and some of the lecture/seminar content was sub par and, sometimes, students had to be overly responsible for their own learning. However, the majority of the teaching staff are very friendly, passionate and eager to help. The Social Sciences building is always clean, organised and well-equipped with a student work area, student kitchen and computer lab.

Overall, Leeds is perfect for someone wanting a typical student experience in a major city that is has great nightlife and shopping. Culturally speaking, perhaps there isn’t as much to do in Leeds as in Manchester or Sheffield but with the amount of societies and activities in the union you are sure to find hobbies to fill your time with.