Going to London I thought my life was going to be a breeze. I had heard classes were super easy and all the classes I signed up for were for my major and minor. I thought to myself I was going to get an easy 4.0 while this might be true for some cases, it’s time to put the abroad rumors to rest.
I cannot speak for other SU abroad programs because each one works differently. For example, I have a friend studying in Madrid and she is taking classes at a separate university although she is doing it through SU. Here in London, we are lucky because we have our own university, Faraday House and other schools come to us. So, please remember that this is only based on SU London classes.
I think the work load you get abroad honestly depends on how many classes you take. I am taking 12 credits because there were only four classes who offered courses I needed. I think figuring out how many credits your taking is the first step to deciding if you’re going to have a heavy work load. If you’re taking 18 you are obviously going to have more work to do. Second thing to keep in mind is that you are coming out of summer or break mode. You’re not used to doing work, so at first, classes might be a little overwhelming. At least for my classes in London we didn’t have a syllabus week, we dove right into classes. Next, it depends on the level of classes you’re taking. All of the courses I am currently taking are 400+ level classes so they are going to be a bit more challenging. Then, you have to factor in all the traveling and sight seeing you want to do. Weeks are going to go by so quickly but days will feel long because you are going to be doing so much.
So the truth comes out: classes at first may be hard but, once you get use to your schedule, you will be fine. I do believe classes are easier and that I don’t really have homework, just papers. The abroad program tries to scare you into thinking at you will be working hard and that university comes first but really, I don’t believe it. The professors are willing to go over any and all work, there is barely any homework and I’ve only taken one test since I’ve been here. This is just from my personal experience, I’m sure someone taking a math course or something they find challenging will tell you otherwise.
But of course, this isn’t to say you should treat your time abroad as a joke. As long as you put in the effort and get your homework done you’ll be fine. If you have a concern, just talk to your professor and I’m sure they’ll be understanding. SU Abroad knows you’ll be traveling and doing other things which is why I believe they are understanding. And of course, pick courses you find fun! I’m taking two ETS and two PSY courses and they are so interesting! The ETS courses are even about London so I am learning even more than I expected!