What can you look forward to if you choose to study Electronic Engineering at the fab institution which is the University of York?
When I first came here, I was a naive fresher; nervous about the course, rife with anxieties, and generally unsure of what to expect. I questioned whether I’d made the right choice with my course, institution, accommodation etc.
Although the path I took to end up in Electronic Engineering here wasn’t the most conventional (I almost ended up at another university studying politics!), I am now halfway through my second year and these questions rarely plague me. I hope by outlining a few things you can look forward to when you get here we can address some of those anxieties you might be feeling before you even arrive.
Supportive Staff
One of my favourite things is how open, friendly, and willing to help the staff are.
From one lecturer famous for his tie collection and cracking jokes in his maths lectures, to another who has been known to send a rogue reply to your email within minutes of you pressing send at 1am. The staff go above and beyond to make your time at university both engaging and well-supported. This has certainly enhanced my university experience so far, especially considering the fact I thought from the age of 14 I would be studying Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE). Choosing to do Electronic Engineering definitely came out the blue, and I spent weeks of my very first term questioning my ability to do this degree.
Without the support I received from the staff, I don’t think I would have made it to second year. But knowing I could pop along to the module leader’s office or drop an email with a stupid question gave me the confidence to soldier through. So if you choose Electronic Engineering here at York, just know you’re in safe hands.
Stream Flexibility
Deciding which subject to do from the vast range available is hard enough, but then once you choose your subject, you have to choose which course too.
From straight Electronic Engineering to Music Technology (MusTech) to EE with Nanotechnology (Nano), our subject presents you with even more choices to make. But, fear not. A great thing about the staff here is they acknowledge you may find that the course you applied for is not the right one for you once you start, and they try their best to accommodate for this. For all streams (expect MusTech and Nano), the course is the same in year one and year two. So there’s plenty of time to apply for course transfer after you’ve worked out what you’re interested in.
There are opportunities to transfer on to the Integrated Masters after your first or second year if you’re doing well enough. You can also apply for the Year in Industry at any time, so don’t worry if you’re not sure!
Opportunities
Finally, for me, one of the best things about Electronic Engineering at York is the opportunities available to you.
From opportunities to represent your cohort as a Course Rep to working on research with members of staff, there’s plenty to throw yourself into. Both of these I have done myself. As a result, my support network has grown exponentially. Staff will begin to recognise you, you’ll get to know the ins and outs of your subject, and you’ll get to mingle with students in other years. Whilst most of the staff here are very friendly in the first place as mentioned earlier, you feel much more ingrained in the academic community when they remember your name too!
I know the choice seems daunting, but I hope by reading this some of your anxieties have disappeared. Although I have only discussed three things you can look forward to if you choose Electronic Engineering here at York, there are so many more, and choosing York would not be a mistake.
Leave a Reply