Things I Appreciate About My Course
Picking a university to study at has never been easy, and with so many course modules and subject rankings to factor in, it might feel overwhelming to make your decision. As I inch closer to graduation, I decided to recount my favourite parts from three years of studying Planning and Real Estate here at Manchester, because these were what made the course stand out for me and hopefully, you’ll be looking forward to experiencing it for yourself!

Field Trips
If there’s one thing I can never stop talking about to my friends and family back home, it’s the field trips that this course offers! In Chinese, there’s a saying that goes, “Better to travel ten thousand miles than read ten thousand books.” This rings especially true if you’re planning to study Planning or any Geography-related course, because getting out there and seeing the world beyond the confines of a stuffy lecture theatre gives you so much more perspective and appreciation for the wonders of the built and natural environment.

In just three years, our field trips have taken me from strolling through the dense urban core of Manchester to the historic quarters of Chester, and even to the far-away valleys of Vila Nova de Foz Côa, Portugal! Each field trip has allowed me to apply and build upon theoretical knowledge learned through lectures, readings and seminars while absorbing different local contexts and cultures. I also got the opportunity to speak not just with my usual professors, but expert speakers and community members who generously offered their time to accommodate and educate us, which has always been infinitely more interesting than reading through dozens of academic papers.

It’s not all work too – you’ll often get free time to roam and explore by yourself on these field trips, and there’s plenty of opportunity to chat up your coursemates during lunchtime. And the best part? Travel expenses are usually covered by the University. Basically, it’s a great excuse to get off campus, stretch your legs and take your eyes off the screen.

Course Content
While this one’s not as exciting, it’s still a nice aspect of the course I appreciate. Most of my learning has been theoretical in nature (as to be expected at Undergraduate level), but a lot of course modules will include projects or assignments that take inspiration from, or even straight-up use real-world case studies! This might look like assuming the role of a Planning Officer and making planning decisions on active, real-world planning applications or even giving valuations for offices (which you will obviously get site visits to) currently under lease.

This feature not only provided me a channel to test my theoretical understanding, but it also offered a taste of the many potential career paths I could choose. In fact, a lot of course modules would hinge on your observations during field trips and inserting you into realistic scenarios to test your understanding, which has only served to enrich the course content.

Takeaways
So, if you ever find yourself mulling over which university to pick, Manchester is the place to be! Not only for the reasons I mentioned above, but because the city itself is such an exciting and up-and-coming place to live, work and study! Do pack a pair of comfy shoes though, because you’ll be walking. A lot.

Written by Kieran Leung.

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