About the University of Aberdeen

Posted by Kalie on September 2, 2009

The University of Aberdeen (aka, “the Uni”) was founded in 1495 by William Elphinstone, Bishop of Aberdeen and Chancellor of Scotland.  The Uni is Scotland’s third oldest, and the UK’s fifth oldest university.  Over 13,900 students, representing 120 nationalities, attend the Uni.  It is split up into three colleges and campuses: College of Life Sciences & Medicine, College of Physical Sciences, and College of Arts and Social Sciences.  Check out Aberdeen’s university website at http://www.abdn.ac.uk/.

I will be living at the Hillhead Halls of Residence, which is an area comprised of 10 residence halls.  It is a 15-minute walk to campus from where I live.  I am staying in Burnett House, a self-catering flat, with five other girls.  We each have our own bedroom and will share the living room and kitchen.  I’ll be doing my own cooking, so I don’t plan on learning how to prepare haggis or blood pudding!

I can’t sign up for classes until I arrive in Aberdeen, but I hope to take the following courses:

• THE HISTORY OF WESTERN PHILOSOPHY I: ANCIENT AND MEDIEVAL – The course will identify major themes and topics in the development of Western Philosophy from the philosophy of ancient Greece to the medieval period. Detailed attention will be given to selected themes and topics in metaphysics, epistemology and ethics and their treatment in the relevant centuries. Amongst the authors to be considered will be Plato, Aristotle, Augustine and Aquinas. The selection will always be designed to illustrate the philosophical background of major philosophers to compare earlier with later treatments of particular philosophical questions, and to bring out the influence of earlier discussions on later, including current, philosophical investigation. Primary sources, in translations, will be used as well as secondary material.

• FROM LEARNING TO TEACHING – From a focus on the concept of learning in year one of their studies, students will now deepen their knowledge and understanding of this through an investigation of the concept of teaching and its relationship to learning. This course will broaden student knowledge of educational systems, professional responsibilities and their implcations for teaching and learning in the 21st century. Professional skills of communication, self and peer evaluation, critical enquiry and reflection will be further developed within a range of learning contexts. Using collaborative enquiry and drawing on new learning, students will be encouraged to challenge personally held assumptions, beliefs and values about effective learning and teaching.

• GAELIC FOR BEGINNERS 1A - This is an intensive language course for students who have little or no previous knowledge of Gaelic. It concentrates on the acquisition of basic grammar and vocabulary, and on the development of reading, writing, speaking and listening skills.

The first two courses will count toward my major, and the Gaelic course is just for fun (you should probably ask me how fun it is later).

I also hope to get involved in some student organizations while I’m there.  I would like to join the Celtic Society and the Scottish Dance Society.  Both societies hold “Ceilidhs,” or dances, where people dance the traditional Scottish ceilidh dance.  I’m really excited for this because it’s pronounced like Kalie.  I wonder how many Kalie’s will be dancing the ceilidh at a Ceilidh?  I’m also considering joining the Beer Pong Society with the following description: “It’s got websites dedicated to it, it has its own league, is played religiously across frat houses and college dorms in the US, and now it’s coming to the UK. Be part of the FIRST official UK Beer Pong Society! Come and try the game that is set to sweep the nation.”  … Just kidding!

To learn more about Aberdeen, the 3rd largest city in Aberdeen, check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aberdeen.

Cheers!

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