University: UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SANTA BARBARA
City: Santa Barbara
Country: United States
Continent: North America
Field of study: sports science
Study type: Summer Sessions
I took part in Summer Session A in the summer of 2009 and attended 2 courses. The courses were sports psychology and sports management. See mcat-test-centers for Thompson Rivers University.
I’m studying sports science myself and just wanted to see how this subject is taught and seen in the USA, since sports are much more important here than in Germany.
I had no problems with my choice of course and was able to attend all the courses that I had chosen. Since the entire subject matter had to fit in 6 weeks, I had 1.5 hours of lectures per course from Monday to Thursday, which still leaves plenty of room for free time and partying. The requirements are lower than in Germany and the type of lecture is totally different than in Germany, which I viewed as positive. Many current topics were discussed and explained practically, which did not lead to a boring theory event. All students were involved in the lessons and were able to discuss their ideas in small groups.
I can’t get credit for the courses myself, but that’s why I attended this summer session. I wanted to gather experiences and ideas that I could never learn in Germany.
In addition to teaching, the university has many other things to offer.
The sports facilities alone, which the students can use for free, are a dream:
tennis courts, squash courts, racquetball courts, indoor/outdoor basketball courts, outdoor pool with springboard, beach volleyball court, gym….
The university is also right on the beach, and by right I mean also directly! You can hear the noise and smell the smell of the sea everywhere.
Unfortunately, the parking costs at the university are very expensive. If possible, you should come to the university by bus, which you can use for free with your student card, or by bike. In general, the university is very bike-friendly. There are bike and skateboard trails everywhere.
In addition to the university, Santa Barbara and the surrounding area also have a lot to offer. Of course the nice weather, the beach and Los Angeles, which is a 1.5 hour drive away. you can go surfing You can get used surfboards cheaply via craiglist and don’t always have to rent one for a lot of money, play a little golf on cheap golf courses ($11 a round, a dream!). And of course party, party, party!!
Thursdays are always buzzing downtown and you can dance the night away at many of the clubs or on Isla Vista which has 24-7 parties.
I was in Santa Barbara with my girlfriend, she was doing an internship in downtown Santa Barbara at the same time. So we looked for an apartment between the university and downtown.
We found the apartment in advance in Germany. The best thing to do is to go to (www.craiglist.com), there you will find enough apartments. However, the prices are very high. We paid $1,000 for a one-bedroom apartment with a kitchen and internet.
Otherwise, the maintenance costs are quite high compared to other places in the USA. Whether it’s fruit, vegetables, toilet paper or petrol. It definitely tears a big hole in your wallet.
The books required for the lectures are also very expensive. You either buy them used or go to the library. There are enough copies to borrow.
Since American students don’t use this service very much, there is enough left for you and you can save some money.
If you want to choose a university that on the one hand offers very good and interesting courses and on the other hand offers a lot of fun, you have come to the right place with the UCSB.
However, always keep in mind that it costs a lot of money. The 6 weeks cost me about 6000 dollars. I would like to say thank you for the good dollar exchange rate!!
But if you want to gain experience abroad, improve your English and have a lot of fun, UCSB is the best address.
Personally, I have no regrets for a second or a dollar spent in choosing UCSB. I learned a lot, which not only helps me in my university life, but also personally. The exchange with the lecturers, who always had an open ear for me, and my fellow students gave me a different perspective on the subject.
Enjoy the time in Santa Barbara, because time goes by far too quickly and you are back on your campus where it doesn’t smell of the sea and you have one surf spot after the other in front of the door!;-)