Denise Chandler

Host University: Montana State University
Year of Study Abroad: 2010-11

Where did you live? Would you recommend it?

I lived in student dorms (Johnstone Center to be precise). I would DEFINITELY recommend living in student dorms if you are an exchange student because it throws you into an environment surrounded by other students, mainly new ones and internationals who are in similar positions. They are well organised when it comes to social events and encouraging everyone to meet each other and take part in fun activities. So there is always opportunities to socialise and meet new people everyday, as its like living and dining together in one big building.

Which department(s) did you study in?

Sociology and Anthropology

How does the workload/classes/teaching styles vary to Sheffield?

In my opinion they varied a lot but in a very tolerable sense. Firstly their bachelors degrees are normally four years instead of 3years and classes are coded in terms of their specificity (100,200,300,400).

The 100 level courses (modules) are normally big lectures and so students normally take them in their first year, because for the first couple of years there seemed to be a bit more freedom to be unsure about what your 'major' is, so students can experiment with some courses a bit. But as their degree goes on (say past the 200 level, they are harder, as they are more specific and require that you have completed certain previous courses in order to take them. It is mainly the 100 level courses that are big lectures open to a variety of students all with different majors, but the other levels have smaller classes (of about 20 people) and are very discussion based. Which I found very helpful with inviting various view points from all the students in the class. They felt very American as many classrooms had individual chair/desks for everyone.

The exams are written by the teacher of your class and administered throughout the semester, so there isn't a build up of all the exams at the end (which also means you are likely to finish early).

In terms of the workload, I found that there was a heavier amount of reading required and each class had a reading list for the semester, which you will need to be prepared to buy as in most cases, each book is used for a couple of weeks and there are limited amounts of these books at the library. So it can get expensive. Yet there may be bursaries that can help with these expenses.

Also, your teacher, mainly in 200/300/400 level classes may give you homework like a small essay to write as well as the required reading for the next class.

What did you do for fun at the weekends and during the holidays?

I was 23 when I went so I was able to go to bars and over 21 events. However as there are numerous activities to get involved with regardless of age, I also went hiking, skiing and university-organised events such as sporting events and concerts.

The dorms also hold lots of activities, trips and advertise many events and clubs that can keep you busy outside classes.

For the holidays I got involved in a conservation volunteer project that the university organised called 'Breaksaway' and went down to New Mexico for the whole spring break.

For Christmas and Thanksgiving I stayed with my friend and her family in a small town called Red Lodge and enjoyed the typical festivities.

Did you join any societies or clubs?

I tried to join a sorority, but I was told international students cannot, as it is more of a long term commitment over the course of the degree. However, I was allowed to join for just the year. There is an vast array of clubs and societies advertised around campus and they have an introductory week mainly for freshers at the beginning of the year, before classes (called Catapalooza) where they advertise and display all clubs and societies.

Describe the University/City/things to do

The town of Bozeman is not massive but they have everything you need and it is really quaint.

There are shops, bars, museums, libraries, restaurants etc. The main high street is about a 15 minute walk from campus but there is a free bus (the yellow bus) that goes around the town and stops on campus. This bus will take you further off campus to Wal-Mart, other superstores, the cinema and retail parks as well, so this is very handy.

The campus is all enclosed so everything for the university is all together and it takes about 10 minutes to walk from one end to the other. Plus if you are a full time student (doing 12 credits/approx 4 classes) then the campus gym is free, and this gym is top quality and looks very modern. Also this is a very handy feature for when the snow hits.

The snow normally comes around October and lasts untl April/May, but when I was there, it came later (in November) but still lasted until roughly the same time. Be prepared for this as the temperatures reach -30 degrees!!!

Montana is a very popular destination for skiing in the world, with at least 3 big ski resorts (Big Sky, Bridger Bowl and Moonlight, plus some others) and they are all easy to get to, either by bus, on trips which the university organises, or just by going with a friend who has a car.

The university is always advertising concerts and events at its main arena on campus, which are exciting to go to. They also offer trips to do sporting activities or just simply to go to the amazing national parks in Montana.

Also with so much money being pumped into sports in American universities, there are always team sporting events to go watch, like American football or basketball. They are normally free for students and really lively as universities are very patriotic to their university teams.

Simply speaking, as Montana has 3 cows to every person, it's highly outdoorsy so you are never short of a chance to go hiking, fishing, horse-riding or snow-shoeing - there are even classes you can take at the university for these activities!!!

Could you give any travel or immigration tips?

Make sure you are on top of things. I met a British student that had a problem with his visa and ended up starting a couple of weeks after classes had started because the issue had to be sorted before he could fly out.

Look at lots of different student travel insurance/study abroad insurance offers and make sure everything you need will be covered for the best deal, as there will be lots of different expenses to think about and you will want the best deal on the important stuff.

Could you give any advice or tips to a student preparing to go or tell them anything you wished you knew in advance?

Have an open mind with you at all times. You will meet people from all different walks of life and will learn so much about different cultures and experience. I now have so many friends all around the world, which makes traveling to new places all the more exciting.

Also, maybe join a facebook group such as 'International Students at Montana State University' and this will introduce you to people that have studied, or are studying at the university. I didn't think to do this at the time and ended up randomly bumping into a group of them all who organised to meet in the lobby of my dorm, and they ended up all becoming a massive part of my life out there.

It is important to meet Americans and live within the American culture, but having other internationals there makes for great support, as you are all in the same boat.

Would you say it is cheaper or more expensive to live than Sheffield?

I think the accommodation itself worked out cheaper, but it matches up because of flight prices, visa and just the travel expenses. But Montana itself is a really cheap place to live, and if you get a job on campus then you will be able to support your living expenses easily.

Any other information or comments

Its a great place to study and a fun place to live! But be prepared for extreme weather.