Birmingham University

I am currently a third year at the University of Birmingham. The time spent at University so far has been fantastic, and i will break down and review the different aspects of University life at Birmingham.

EDUCATION
In terms of the education i have received Birmingham has been very good. I am a student of the European Research Institute and many of the lecturers are regarded as leaders in the field of European and Russia research. There are many examples of lecturers and researchers from other academic schools who have been revered in their fields and this is a real bonus when doing a degree. The support of the Libraries across the campuses is very good as well. There are usually copies of key texts available, and the only time when there are not is during 'peak' times such as those around essay submission dates. A degree from the University of Birmingham is popular amongst employers due to the traditional high grade of education offered.

THE CITY
Birmingham has often had mixed reviews but from a student point of view it is a very good city to live in. There is fantastic shopping in the city center and many parks and leisure activities around the main campus. The nightlife is fantastic with the famous Broad Street offering many clubs and pubs. There are also many bars in the Student area of Selly Oak.

HOUSING
Second years onwards are likely to take up private residence in Edgbaston, Harborne or Selly Oak, with Selly Oak tending to be favoured due to proximity to the main campus. First year University accomodation is of a very high standard, however this comes at an expensive price.

STUDENT SUPPORT
The University has a firm grasp on the idea of what a student is. There is leniancy towards first years in terms of work as the University is well aware that a first year University student has much more than just a degree on their mind. There are also fantastic support networks for those students who are finding it hard to settle away from home and helps them get through the potentially difficult time.

ABOUT THE UNI
The university is a member of the Russell Group of research universities and a founding member of Universitas 21. It currently has over 18,000 undergraduate and 11,000 postgraduate students, making it larger than the other two universities in the city; Aston University and Birmingham City University. In 2006-07, it was the fourth most popular English university by number of applications. In the same year the annual income of the university was £389m, with an expenditure of £372m.

The University of Birmingham is a very impressive University steeped in tradition. The term 'red-brick university' even derives from the red bricks of the Aston Webb building at the University of Birmingham. The University and the area of Birmingham are lovely places to be and have a feeling of history about them. You could have the chance to be part of this history and part of the traditions that make the University of Birmingham the establishment it is.