Organization through MicroEDU
I decided on this semester very spontaneously (beginning of June) and with the help of MicroEDU I managed to organize everything without any problems. My questions were answered very quickly and you were guided through the application process very easily. Nothing can go wrong there.
University
The Dublin Business School (DBS) is very small compared to the University of Münster and is located in the center of Dublin. The courses were kept very small, which enables good contact with the lecturers.There are several buildings that belong to the DBS and between which you have to switch depending on the course. Since these are all close together, you can walk to each building within a maximum of 10 minutes. There is a newly furnished common room with microwaves, bean bags, sofas, tables and a ping pong table, where there is always something going on and where it is easy to get in touch with Irish students. This is also possible with the excursions organized by Student Services to see something of the area and meet new people. The Student Services are very present, super nice and you can drop by if you have any problems or questions. In the buildings there are also the lecture rooms, which can also be used for group work if they are free. a library with breastfeeding workstations and other new study rooms. With the cafeteria still in the house, you have everything there that you could need in everyday life.
The location of the DBS should be mentioned very positively – since it is really in the middle of the city, not far from Temple Bar, you have time to do something during the breaks, to go out to eat at one of the many restaurants with student deals, Stroll through the city or just relax on St. Stephens Green. So you are right in the middle of life and get an incredible amount of Dublin! Visit educationvv.com to get information about San Diego State University student exchange program.
Course content
I took the Selling And Sales Management, Digital Marketing Concepts, Management and Human Resource Management courses. Overall, I can say that they are all very practicalare. For example, in the two management courses we had to conduct manager interviews, in the selling course there was a sales presentation and in the digital marketing course two websites were to be compared and contrasted based on previously discussed criteria and recommendations for action derived. These things were all done in group work and no exams were necessary. That was very pleasant, because you could divide your own workload very flexibly and had enough time to get to know the country and the people in addition to the university.
Study conditions
The DBS is very central and is therefore also in the middle of the city noise, but you didn’t notice much of it in the learning and lecture rooms, which was very pleasant. The rooms are all equipped with air conditioning (the Irish don’t seem to think much of ventilating by opening windows), in the lecture rooms there are projectors, screens, white boards and in some also sockets for students. The compulsory attendance was controlled by special electronic student cards and reading devices. Here, however, it was never quite clear to us how binding it really is.
Since the courses were kept very small (for example we were only 14 students in the Digital Marketing course), you could go to the lecturer for all questions and active participation in the lectures was encouraged.
The courses themselves were mixed with Irish and international students. Since the internationals usually only stay for one semester, but the regular students stay there for a year, you had to stay within the internationals for group work, which was a bit of a shame.
There are enough study places, PCs, printers, scanners and copiers are also available and can be used with the student card.
For the breaks in between there is the common room, the cafeteria and the numerous small restaurants around it.
Leisure
There is so much to do here! Dublin and Ireland in general have a lot to offer and make life there very worthwhile.
The DBS offers various sports clubs and societies that you can join and then have various meetings and sports offers. I took part in various sports classes, which were then also held right around the corner in a gym.
The city can be explored by bus and Luas, but also without any problems on foot. There are large shopping streets, in addition to the “normal shops” there are also many vintage shops, Phoenix Park and other parks invite you to go for a walk or jog, the Guinness Storehouse and the Jameson and Teeling Distillery offer guided tours, if you like Go to museums, the zoo is really nice, the harbor and the stadiums are a must-see and the best of all: Within half an hour you can travel from the city by bus and train to the sea or the mountains and you are surrounded by beautiful nature hereabouts. And of course the pubs with live music must also be explored around the clock.
Since the weather was much better than the cliché, we used it very often and found beautiful corners close by. Bray, Howth, Malahide and Dalkey are beautiful, typically Irish towns right on the sea with cliffs and all the trimmings, Dun Laoghaire is also highly recommended and you should definitely plan an afternoon for the Great South Wall and the Poolberg Lighthouse.
Travel
It is worth renting a car and exploring the country before the start of the semester as well as during Reading Week without lectures in November. In 5 days you can explore the west and south coast and in 4 days you can also see the most beautiful corners of Northern Ireland. But you can also find beautiful nature near Dublin. By bus and train you can get to the sea and cliffs quickly and cheaply, as well as to the mountains and impressive waterfalls.
Since the weather was much better than the cliché, we used it very often and found beautiful corners close by. Bray, Howth, Malahide and Dalkey are beautiful, typically Irish towns right on the sea with cliffs and all the trimmings, Dun Laoghaire is also highly recommended and you should definitely plan an afternoon for the Great South Wall and the Poolberg Lighthouse. There you walk on a jetty through the sea towards a lighthouse, in between the sea sloshes over the jetty and you have a great view of the harbor.
Celebrate
In addition to the pubs with live music, super-friendly people from all over the world and a large selection of beers, it is also worth taking a look at the clubs. Dicey’s and Howl at the Moon are highly recommended for a student budget.
Costs
It is unfortunately not cheap in Ireland, but with a few tips you can still get there with the money. Many students share a room and pay around 300 to 400 € per month for it, if you want to have your own room and still want to live more or less centrally, you can plan twice as much. When it comes to partying, it depends where you are going. In clubs like Diceys and Howl at the Moon there are special days when it is very cheap, but in Temple Bar you can plan a minimum of 6 euros for a pint.
Luckily, you can get groceries at Lidl and Aldi at low prices, as usual, and if you want to go out to eat, you can take advantage of student deals and early bird menus. In any case, it pays to always have the Student Card with you, because there are often student discounts when shopping.
Ireland and the Irish
The Irish actually correspond to a lot of clichés – they are incredibly friendly and helpful, have a wonderful accent and a wonderfully self-deprecating sense of humor. In the pubs you can get the best insider and travel tips and have a wonderful chat with them.
Ireland itself is a small country with only a few large cities, has an impressive nature to offer, which is gladly provided with various sagas and legends.
One tip at the end
The information is not available until very late, but it is worth waiting for: DBS is offering a one-week English and Culture program before the O week, which you should definitely take part in. There is some information about Ireland’s history, what makes the Irish tick, what to look for and so on. The biggest advantage is that you get to know people, have time to look for an apartment and no longer have to attend events in the actual O week, but can use this time for a first small trip!
► This semester was the best decision, I really got to know and love Dublin, Ireland and the Irish! My next trip there is already being planned.
