NYU v. University of Melbourne

At this point, I'm about a third of the way through my program here at University of Melbourne and I'd like to take the time to explain in more detail my experience in regard to classes/school and how it compares to NYU. Also, on a side note, University of Melbourne has been ranked the #1 university in Australia this year! 

Course Load - Credits

NYU

At NYU, the average course load is about 16 credits per semester. I've generally taken 18 when possible, might as well since you're paying for the extra two credits anyway. This means you can be taking anywhere from 4 subjects to 6 subjects a semester. I've usually taken 5 or 6 each semester.

Uni Melb

The credits here are quite a bit different from back home, I believe each subject is worth about 12 credits - but like NYU, the average is 4 subjects per semester. As is the case back home, some people choose to take more than 4. Since each subject here translates to 4 credits back home, we are not allowed to take more than 4 (but who would want to take more than four classes when they're abroad anyway?!?!).

Class Frequency

**This is from my personal experience and is not indicative of all other subjects or anything - I'm taking Derivative Securities, Management of Financial Institutions, Managing Conflict in the Global Workplace and Change & Conflict in Australian Society.**

NYU

Digging deep from the past 3 years at NYU, my experience with classes is as follows:
1) For a 6 credit course, we met three days a week for an hour and fifteen minutes
2) For a 3-4 credit undergrad course, we met twice a week for an hour and fifteen minutes
3) For my 4 credit calc classes, we met an hour and fifty minutes twice a week (SO PAINFUL)
4) For my 3 credit grad classes, we met once a week for three hours
5) For my 4 credit courses at NYU London, we met for three hours twice a week
6) For my 4 credit Microeconomics class, 4 credit Cultures & Context class and 4 credit Natural Science class we met twice a week in addition to an hour and fifteen minute recitation

I think that about covers it, but for the vast majority of my classes, I would have class twice a week for an hour and fifteen minutes

Uni Melb

I'm pretty sure I just got lucky with how things worked out with my classes here, but for each class we meet once a week for a two hour lecture. In addition to the lecture, every class meets for a tutorial (essentially a recitation) for an hour once each week. 

I was looking at taking a computer science class, but I believe that subject had three one hour lectures per week in addition to the recitation. I think the frequency of class varies for more intense subjects. 

Class Size

NYU

I don't know if I've just gotten lucky or what, but I have only had two relatively large lectures at NYU, and that was for two core degree requirement classes.  No other classes have been in a "lecture hall" so to speak. On average at NYU, I'd like to say my lectures have been between 15 - 50 people the majority of the time, but then again, I'm studying actuarial science so...

Because of these smaller lecture sizes at the Stern School of Business, it makes it easy to be able to ask questions in the lectures and have discussions within the lecture. 

Uni Melb

My two finance lectures here are HUGE, probably a couple hundred people in each. My other two lectures probably have between 50 - 100 people. Since there are so many people in the lectures, it makes sense that tutorials are part of the program here. Tutes are broken down to smaller groups of about 15 - 25 people giving us the ability to discuss questions from lecture and learn from others. I personally enjoy the tutorials because they are more engaging for me and I'm able to learn the material better when hearing others speak about it. 

Semester Breakdown

NYU

If I stayed at NYU this semester, I would be starting school in September, finishing classes in mid-december and finishing exams just in time for Christmas. Basically 14 weeks of teaching, 2 "reading" days and a week for finals. 

Uni Melb

Here, we started school at the end of July and will be done with classes at the end of October. The exam period is throughout the month of November. This equates to 12 weeks of teaching, 10 "reading" days and three weeks for finals. Who has the better system? I guess it's all about preference!

Assignments

**Again, I can only speak for the classes I'm taking, my friends here have had more work that I have.**

NYU

At NYU, on average I probably had at least 5 assignments throughout the length of each course in addition to a midterm and final. Obviously, it varies from course to course, but it was really rare to have a course where my ONLY grades would come from a midterm and final. 

Uni Melb

For my two finance courses, I just have a midterm and final for each, in addition to one small assignment for my Management of Financial Institutions class. For one of my other classes, I have an essay due the last day of class and then a final. For the last class, I have an essay due next month and one due the first day of exams. While it's nice to have so much free time and not worry about assignments or anything, it's easy to put everything on the back burner and wait until last minute to do things (from what I've been told, of course). 

Campus

NYU

What campus? Alright, I'm probably too harsh on NYU in this respect. We do have a couple of city blocks with just NYU buildings, but to me, it's not a campus. We have Washington Square park, but we have to share that with the rest of NYC. So it doesn't count!

Uni Melb

University of Melbourne's campus is beautiful. Complete with gardens, outdoor cafes, plenty of benches, green grass, trees... the list goes on. It's relaxing. It's nice having to weave through footpaths between buildings to get from class to class. It's definitely a nice break from not having a campus! 

Clubs

NYU

During my time at NYU, I've really been involved in only a handful of clubs - Undergraduate Stern Women in Business, Stern Inter-Club Council, Intramural Soccer and Actuarial Society. It was relatively easy finding out about these clubs and I was able to join and participate at no cost. There are also TONS of other clubs at NYU, however, it's rather difficult finding them if you don't either go to the club fairs or look online. 

Uni Melb

Almost all of the clubs here charge a membership fee. As an exchange student only here for a semester, these fees make it less attractive for me to join. Regardless, I've chalked up membership fees for both Melbourne University Student Exchange and the Financial Management Association of Australia. Just walking through the main courtyard, usually a club is having a barbecue of some sort and it's easy to visibly find the clubs on campus.

Housing

NYU

I may be wrong, but I am pretty sure everyone at NYU is guaranteed some type of housing if they apply and meet deadlines. I find dorms to be rather expensive and have lived off campus with better housing deals. 

Uni Melb

Dorms here are known as colleges. Since the majority of students at University of Melbourne commute, there are few spaces in the colleges and it's very difficult to get on-campus housing. It is also INCREDIBLY expensive - I believe it was about AUD$12,000 for just one semester! No thanks!! There are tons of other options here though, like RMIT Village (College community filled with both RMIT and Uni Melb students) and UniLodges which are a bit cheaper. Homestays and hostel living are also options, though I have found it to be more fun living in a community with a bunch of other students!

Conclusion

While there are quite a few differences between NYU and University of Melbourne, it really hasn't been all that difficult to adjust to so far. I have no complaints and I believe I definitely made the right choice to come here. I have learned so much about Australia already, just from my classes and being in class with local students! It's exactly what I wanted! I hope this could be a help to those considering possibly studying abroad in Australia or University of Melbourne from America!