Hi!
I'm Giovanni from Rome.
I accepted a place for an LLM in International Trade and Commercial Law at the University of Durham starting on september 2005.
Is there anyone else who is planning to go there?
We could exchange some informations.
Thanks
Bye

Hi Giovanni!

I'll go there. Did you already apply for a college?

ciao, r

Hi Reinhard,

Yes I already applied for the Ustinov College but they are not giving me informations for accomodation yet. They just said me that if I want a bedroom close to the Law Department it will be with a shared bathroom, otherwise if I want my personal bathroom the location will be far from the Department. It's a very bad beginning ;)
So I tried to apply for other Colleges but it seems that as a postgraduate student they will guarantee me an accomodation just in Ustinov College.
What about you and your accomodation or College?
What kind of course you applied for?
Ciao

Ciao Giovanni,
I applied for Ustinov as well but didn't receive a response yet. I didn't know that you can apply for a accommodation in a different college, or do you want to change yours?
I know about the different places, I think howlands farm ist about 2 km (?) away from university, which is not to convenient but not really a problem, but of course palatine would be better, missing the luxury of your own bathroom.
Are you sure they actually guarantee a place?
I'm in the same programme...
have to go no,
cu r

Hi Reinhard
Yes they told me that an accomodation is guaranteed for postgraduate student in Ustinov College.
I was going to change it when I heard about the distance and the bathroom, but in other Colleges they don't guarantee us an accomodation...so I decided to remain there.
I'm arriving at Durham 1 month before the starting date of the LLM for a pre-sessional english course, but in this case the language centre will provide me a different accomodation (this is guaranteed too if I understood well).
Bye

Hi Giovanni,

I won't do the english course, I think I'll arrive rather "just in time"...
So your accommodation preference is howlands farm or palatine?

cu

Hi Reinhard
I tought about searching for a private accomodation too but maybe it's too difficult so I'll choose Howlands farm for sure (if there will not be bad surprises about it when they will give me the details).
What about you?
I read the new ranking ot the Guardian....i never doubted about Durham (also because I don't like London as a city and my english is too bad for Oxford and Cambridge)....but....the 32° position is really sad!!!
What do you think about it? Do you know the ranking of the Time 2005?
And do you know anyone else who is going to Durham for an LLM? Or it's just me and you to go there?

Ciao

Hi Giovanni,
Well I don't know the (new) Guardian ranking, but since I think it is split up in different criterias you can look where they are not so good. In this board, the Guardian ranking is not considered as to be taken too seriously, we rather give our confidence to the times. And even then you shouldn't trust the rankings too much.
I don't know the Times ranking 2005, but I don't believe the quality of a programme will decrease a lot in a year.
In general Durham has an excellent reputation, so why shouldn't we wait and let us surprise :-)?
@accommodation: I'd think about a private accommodation when I don't get a room in the college, I think it's quite complicate to search a room so that's the easier solution.
My preference is Palatine, after some reflections I decided I can live with a shared bath room.
@who else will be going to durham: I'm not sure, there were some guys around who were thinking about it, and there may be some who will go there and never use this board...
when does your language course start?
do you know anyone who studied at durham?
cu

Hello, Reinhard and Geovaning
My name is Ole from Thailand. I receive the offer from Durham in international trade and commercial law but it is an conditional offer. I need to take pre-sessional English at Durham for 3 months and I will go there on 3 july 2005. I am membership of Ustinov college too. I am very happy to know one that study in the same University and department like you. If I got new information about accommodation during studying English, I will tell you on this board.

First of all welcome to you Ole and thank you for your offer to give us informations when you'll be there.
Back to Reinhard, I totally agree with you on the rankings, but still I was not that happy to see Durham so down. Anyway I'm in love with that place and I'm fully convinced with my decision...and you know the funny thing? Not only I don't know anyone who studied there, but also I don't know anyone here in Rome who knows about the existence of the city of Durham...and I never heard about it too and I just saw some pics till now. But I love it and I think the University is a good one.
May I know the reason why you prefer Palatine? Have you ever visit Durham?
My english course starts on August 31. I'll arrive on Aug 29.
Ciao

Welcome Ole, hi Giovanni!

Ole I hope you'll enjoy the summer in Durham and have good news to report...

@Durham: Well I know there are some guys who know Durham, it's just bad luck that no one in Rome knows about it... It's a good university whatever the ranking says.

Why I'd prefer Palatine? Hm I looked at the map and think it is so convenient to live close to university - something which I don't have at home. But Howlands Farm is just about 2km away, still closer than home university, so no problem with that distance. It had to pick one as my first choice and took Palatine. But I believe most of the social college life will take place at howlands. We'll see :-)
How about your accommodation Ole?
Do you guys already know which courses you'd like to take?

cu!

Hi Geovaning, Reinhard
I 'm not worry about distance but I would like to have internet available in my room. I don't know whether Ustinov College will provide internet in all rooms or not.

Ole don't worry then, I'm almost sure they have internet spots in all rooms...

Sorry if I didn't answer before.

I'm sure I'll take "Selected issues of Intellectual Property Law".
I have not here the list of the courses so I can't tell u about the others. Anyway I don't like pubblic commerce law, just private.
What about your choices?
Correct me if I'm wrong: we have to obtain 180 credits; so if we pick up courses which count 30 credit, for istance, we have to attend 6 courses. I know in other University u just have to take 4. And there is a thesis too. It's an hard job!
Ciao

Hi everybody,
I was just reading your discussion about Durham, as i'm going to apply for an LLM program, and I read Durham is ranked 3rd on the TIMES 2005 special ranking. Honestly I don't really trust those rankings as i was a little bit astonished noticing that some programs and Univercities I thought to be excellent, were in a bad position in the rankings (Univ of Cental England in Birmingham to name one!). I think the choice of Durham is quite good definetely, my only doubt being the possibility of getting a part-time/weekend job there during the courses. Anyway cost of life there should be sensibly below the standards of other cities in England.
One more thing, I heard some of you shall attend english language classes. Is it because you applied without taking TOEFL exam? Do you know whether it's possible to apply and then to prove language skills on other ways?
bye for now
Vincenzo

Hi all!

25 year old female from Sweden here. I've also got an offer from Durham... but I might try to defer it to next year instead... haven't decided yet though.

What other offers did you get?
I have applied to Oxford, Cambridge, UCL, QMUL, KCL, Nottingham and Durham. So far I've got rejections from Oxbridge and offers from Durham and Nottingham. Durham is not number 1 on my list though.

//Sabina

Hi to everyone.

Referring to Vincenzo's question:
I applied on january without the english language proficiency proof and I got a conditional offer from Durham 1 week later then I sent them the result of the ielts test at the end of March. My result was 6.5 and condiering they are asking for a 7 they offered me the possibility tho choose between retaking the ielts test to reach 7 or take 1 month pre.sessional english course. And I choose the latter solution.

Referring to Sabina's question:
I just applied to Durham, not to other Univesities, for 4 reasons:
1st cause my english was so bad that, even if my curriculum is a good one, i thought i had no possibility to be admitted at Oxbridge;
2nd cause I don't like London as a city. I come from a very caotic city, Rome, and I want my LLm's year to be a relaxing one;
3rd cause Durham seems to be a very prestigious Univ immediatly after Oxbridge and London's ones;
4th cause applying just to 1 Univ now I have not to get mad to choose between 2 or more.

Ciao

Hi again,
I can understand Sabina's point, as Durham doesn't sound really fashionable, but as Giovanni said, it's one of the better rated Law schools in Britain.
As for me, I've been delaying my LLM for several years as i decided to complete other experiences before that. Now perehaps it's time to do it, but I guess for non english students, 25 is still a young age. I know of many italian lawyers who got LLM even after their 30s!
ciao
vincenzo

Hi everybody


@courses: I'll take 2 european law courses and see about the rest. Your calculation is ok but you forgot the dissertation:
Not more than 20,000 words(90)
Not more than 15,000 words(75)
Not more than 10,000 words(60) (see: http://www.dur.ac.uk/law/llm/)

@durham: of course there are other good universities and bigger cities, it just depends on your preferences. It might be difficult to get a job in Durham though.

@Sabina: I had offers from Nottingham, Manchester, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and some more, none of Oxbridge or a London university. What's your n1`?

well I guess that's it,
cu

Hi everybody
I have just recieved the hard copy from Durham, and of course I accept the offer.
I got Toefl score 560. I relize that my english skill is not good; therefore I don't apply Oxbridge. I apply Durham, Bristol, Warwick, Queen mary, East anglia, and Kent and I got offers from all of them. However, I decide to choose Durham because it is 3rd oldest in UK and 3 rd ranking although I need to take pre-sessional course 3 months. The one thing I 'm worry about Durham is that it is located at the north of England; therefore it is rather chilly and will obstuct my concentration because I come from the warm country, Thailand. Furthermore, english accent there is not like London. My friend tell me that it is very difficult to understand. Nevertheless, Durham is the first choice in my mind and surely you will see me there in july.

For course, I have not yet chosen any course. I think that I also have time to make a decition. However, thanks a lot for any information about course. It help broaden my knowledge and make me easier to seek further information.