I've double checked...dissertations in my department and course are "blind-double marked". Therefore, supervisor does not mark the dissertation at MY university.

Nothing at the university....academic writing center is closed for the summer. I was told that a board reads our dissertations, not supervisors. Undergraduate supervisors read undergraduate dissertations. If what you are saying is true, I'm screwed!!!! I am going to double check everything. All I know is, to get anything done, you have to pull teeth. Supervisor never checks up on me, how would she read my dissertation...seems awkward. I'll keep looking for outside help...I've been doing everything on my own with no guidance since the beginning. I educated myself! And paid money for it too!

Hello,

I am a MSc student in development studies....I am looking for an "outside" supervisor because of problems with my own and I cannot switch (according to my director of studies). Since my degree is interdisciplinary, I am open to any background...please let me know if anyone is interested....

Im eager, self-motivated, resourceful, and intelligent....

Hello "bewildered". Thanks for your response. My questions are basic ones. The question that I asked that got my really wondering about this school was which residence was for postgraduates. The residences for undergraduates and postgraduates listed online were the same. Until now, I still don't have an answer. Seems like they are beating around the bush or being difficult about such a simple question.
As you stated, I have heard about students having to be more independent in UK with education. I hope hat doesn't take away from actually "teaching" though. The people I have been in contact with are British. As you said, I find it quite surprising that with most UK schools having a much as 30% international students and getting a large part of funding from them, UEA would act this way. As an institution, they have more experiences with international students and should be well versed in dealing with people of various nationalities.
I will be a mature student. I have lived, traveled, studied overseas since I was 8. In my line of work, I deal with people of different nationalities. I am a 1st generation in my country. So, I am not new to this. But, for $25K I would expect more from a university. In the end, its all about the money.

[quote]Quote From olivia:

First of all, congrats on the acceptances! Well done!
Secondly, are you dealing with the administration of your university or the people who will be supervising your PhD? If it is the administration, don't let that colour your ideas of what the PhD in the department will be like--two different branches, and if admin drives you mad, doubtless it drives everyone mad.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=momD3XyV2a8

Sometimes there is more truth in this video than anyone might care to admit....I had a surreal experience being sent around to get the blue formed signed, only to be told that the orange form had replaced the blue form, and given a white form to get the orange form, and then the people who should have had the orange form did not know that the blue form was obsolete....etc....!

Universities everywhere--the US and the UK for sure--can have maddening complex and unresponsive bureacracy. But then that is the very definition of bureacracy.

I am an American who came to the UK to do my PhD, and can say, no, the British are not rude, and no they do not act superior.

But there are vast differences in how ( ok big generalisation, of course there are exceptions) Americans and British culture communicates. In some respects what is "normal" behaviour to Americans can come across as rude, direct and brash to British. There is a need to learn to bridge the communication gaps. I find that British people are far more indirect than Americans--so a meaning that might be perfectly clear to them can be mysteriously unclear or even missed to an American.

There is a large premium placed on formalities in communication-- I say a lot of please and thank yous--one time I counted to myself as I was buying a coffee, and a very normal exchange had about four or five thank yous in it. Formal politeness is far more a part of every day conversations than I have experienced in America.

I am not sure whether you have been dealing in writing or by phone, but you might find a short phone call will get you further than emails, if you know someone that you might be able to reach by phone.

And again, depending on who you are trying to reach, they might not be around. This is generally exam time in most universities, and whilst that is going on many academics might either be away or busy trying to mark exams.

And then sometimes it helps to know just how to phrase what you need---I know you might feel you do not need to finesse communication, but it can work wonders for getting what you need, if you just know the "British" form of asking... A British friend told me a few key phrases. "I am very dissapointed" seems to work wonders...as saying that to someone delivers a very different message than it would in America--it is a big no no ( again a generalisation) in Britain to dissapoint, and this is a culturally charged statement that seems to move people to action. Another statement that works is "I do not understand why you are not trying to help me."

Responding as sometimes happens in American culture, by being more direct, or more demanding, only brings the shutters down here. It does not work.

A delightfully accurate and helpful book to understand English culture is a book called "Watching the English". I read it and after that understood how to respond for instance, when someone was having a moan about the weather...

The UK is a delightful place, with many friendly and helpful people...at the same time its a very complex culture with many unwritten rules that can be hard to navigate at first. Try a softly softly approach, and see if that might not change the response you are getting....

You will love your experience in the UK--its a marvelous place. Its just a matter sometimes of standing back and figuring out how to navigate in a different culture ( and do not under estimate how different it is). In my own experience, it can take people awhile to "let you in" so that you stop being an "outsider", but once[/

======= Date Modified 15 May 2011 15:53:17 =======
I am an American looking to study in the UK. I was accepted to University of East Anglia, University of Bath, and Newcastle. I narrowed it down between University of East Anglia and University of Bath. I would like to go to UEA since their International Development Department is in the top 3. But I have been turned off by them as of late. When I ask questions, its like pulling teeth and the questions never really get answered. Its like I am speaking a different language (one they don't understand). However, as an international student who is going to be paying cash ($25K to be exact) I should be entitled to ask questions and have them answered. If this is the way they are treating me now, how will they treat me when I am there?

Someone help!

======= Date Modified 15 May 2011 15:50:48 =======
I am an American looking to study in the UK. I was accepted to University of East Anglia, University of Bath, and Newcastle. I narrowed it down between University of East Anglia and University of Bath. I would like to go to UEA since their International Development Department is in the top 3. But I have been turned off by them as of late. When I ask questions, its like pulling teeth and the questions never really get answered. Its like I am speaking a different language (one they don't understand). However, as an international student who is going to be paying cash ($25K to be exact) I should be entitled to ask questions and have them answered. If this is the way they are treating me now, how will they treat me when I am there?

Someone help!

Hello,

I am an American looking to do my MA in the UK. I share the same concern as you.

I was accepted to UEA, University of Bath, and Newcastle. I narrowed it down between University of East Anglia and University of Bath. I would like to go to UEA since their International Development Department is in the top 3. But I have been turned off by them as of late. When I ask questions, its like pulling teeth and the questions never really get answered. Its like I am speaking a different language (one they don't understand). I have heard that the British are rude and have a superior attitude. However, as an international student who is going to be paying cash ($25K to be exact) I should be entitled to ask questions and have them answered. If this is the way they are treating me now, how will they treat me when I am there?

Moral of the story: Go where you feel comfortable. Rankings/reputations are good but go where you feel you can be the most successful. The objective is to finish your degree in the end.

Good luck.