 |
COLLEGE INDEPENDENT 'ALTERNATIVE PROSPECTUS' GUIDE
! These pages are undergoing construction changes. !
The first part of the six parts of this article are not published in full. This and all six parts also contain minor publication errors.
It is hoped the construction changes be finished soon. For all our tommorrows.
**************
Please bookmark
Version first published: April 05. Updated: 30.12.05
Best viewed: Screen res. 1280x720
This is a 2005 version of an article which has been substantially published before 2005.
PLEASE ALSO SEE: ADDITIONAL NEWS coming soon at
~newone042r/index.html
----------------------------------
Educational institution named
"The University of Edinburgh"
(Edinburgh, UK).
Subject: MUSIC.
The College of Arts, Culture and Environment,
of the School of Humanities and Social Science (formerly of Faculty of Music).
Relevant other subjects: PHILOSOPHY.
The College of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences,
of the School of Humanities and Social Science (formerly of Faculty of Arts). W.W.W. page: http://www.hss.ed.ac.uk
Description of educational institution service:
Described as course of undergraduate university study, Degree, titled "Bachelor of Music Honours"; abbr. "BMus.(Hons.)"
Length: 4 Years.
Article considers:
1. The teaching and attitude of the educational institution (full "contract price remuneration" less student facilities).
2. Students and their attitudes.
3. The full resultant general character of STUDY hence with respect to 1, 2 and study opportunities hence (the real "set-up" with regard to teaching and study where all usual provisions associated with university study such as libraries, study space, practice rooms, unions, student societies etc. are in place as should be expected and so do not require comment).
Article follows on six normal access pages (part 1 on this webpage).
Edinburgh: Incredible, a Personal Response.
A review which I have read suggests one of the most evident symptoms of being at this place and studying, it may be virtually across the board: decay in students from arrival to departure, and there is some growing disbelief always present after some time. This is a long alternative guide article from which I hope is useful. I feel it is important.
[This review is by author Chris at the website: www.realuni.com
Please see, after this article, Page 7 for details and comment.]
The Music course is not to be held as publicised. There were students allowed places there with one out of three A-Levels, this Music achieved by persons whose hobby had been for years playing an instrument or singing, and whom were unsuited and others who had got qualifications but basically knew a seven note scale. This can not be specialised tertiary level music study, nor can it be hidden, there just to be the pretence for to be as this. However that is about all that there is.
Fortunately for both groups of unexpected students, especially the latter, the "course" amounted more or less only to some chronically contextually hilarious readings from entries of the standard dictionary of the discipline and cultural area, often with one or two "insightful", though in this context, pretty pointless personal sentences every lecture from the lecturer. These few sentences were never progressive or remotely advanced, rather usually general and always not far beyond introductory. This dictionary is the very first port of call for essays and any kind of interest from students at G.C.S.E. age in the U.K., and before, and its value never goes away. But it was the degree. The dictionary introduces every composer and topic, and most often nicely for persons without any or much background in music.
And, some school revision was in order at a much lower level as I recently yearn to recover my attitude and mind from school in this subject which is usually or often more than just an arts subject studied at university for those, one supposes normally, who would be at least in some genuine way interested.
Any of it amounts to nothing which requires nearly any experience of the subject at all, beyond some rudimentary instrumental acquaintance, very rudimentary sometimes, and this a very special subject for detailed, serious advanced study. At the time, a perceived publicised standard expected from students for entry seemed at the very least respectable.
Worse for those present wishing to be proper in some way, both types of actively reactionary students described were seen to secret a faux-French Liberational attitude: an ongoing build up of, separately, anti-establishment type impulses, which became attitude and action and rooted themselves in this real bizarre context as "if you let me in I�ll�" impulses, and, "if I can get away with this I�ll�" impulses and even, "if he can get away with this I�ll�" impulses. This was not lightly apparent. Anyone who wished was to get away scot-free with anything they wished at this place. A few students who were not to sympathise with the intended serious "humour" of the false reactionary types of students became targets themselves and were identified as villains and lumped usually in the same category as the staff were stated as held in by these harmful jokers who weren't joking. The false reactionaries only could hold this position! Of course these bent reactionaries never protested a word to staff, despite their complete and person shunning consumption with the tragicness of it all. Their target was to ape them in abusing remaining serious students.
A definition example from Cambridge online dictionary: "Reactionaries are preventing reform". This is important, moreseo as it is not unknown by certain types. Some silent non-conformist reactionaries, who did not induce the blink of an eyelid were not true reactionaries, but rather in such a situation only amounted to further antagonists under the antagonist company who are set against any protagonists. Where the conforming antagonist realises that the standards are ridiculously low or are only a pretence, he loses any fear in his adoption of further antagonism. Such was set as the bating of the protagonist and from here, everything he may have esteemed in his advantage is used in a negative and untrue fashion to establish a false and brutal putative reality, this following that all that is esteemed in the antagonist's advantage is corruptly also portrayed in a similarly false reality to allow establishment of the former.
One only should expect good things from a tertiary music school or university department which calls for students who have reached a reasonably developed standard of piano playing as their second or third study instrument: at my entry year Grade Seven of Assoc. Board / Trinity College / Guildhall School examinations though this has been changed. This was higher than music conservatories� entrance standards concerning second study instruments and keyboard facility.
It was publicised as being mandatory for prospective students to acquire some A-Level or Highers or similarly esteemed exam passes and also for all prospective students first to: 1. attend an individual interview and 2. audition individually on two instruments and 3. undergo individual one-to-one musical aptitude testing of a level which seemed appropriate to this past student pre-entry, these in Edinburgh, and 4. to have sent at some stage essays, musical style examples of musical harmony and counterpoint, and personal creative musical compositions, as well as 5. providing evidence of achievement a verifiable, satisfactory level of instrumental performance. And the normal entry process requirements of U.C.A.S.
It turned out that nearly all, even to all of this, of this was a sham, and a kind of public, theatrical lie.
Whatever the hype, Edinburgh is not a nice place to study, meaning the institution in my experience but so also then the much loved city with its inviting cafes and bars, well regarded restaurants and so on and with stunning scenery and great leisure opportunities nearby. Nor indeed is it, really, a place to study seriously for many undergraduates, especially in the liberal arts.
The attitude of the staff was such at the beginning of four years that the height of identification from the student there was felt uncaringness and this was seen also in the presence of at least one student, which could not have been taken seriously by most students I noticed and experienced. Or indeed, I concluded by anyone who could ever be serious in such a situation. This is especially so considering the apparent seriousness of entry. I remember that this became a kind of unconscious extreme embarassment to me, aware vaguely I had misread a situation. This student was also preventative beyond belief. It seemed to be his purpose and also his only possible purpose and nearly a totally achieved thing, seemingly naturally though also then, alternately, very concertedly, in this small year group. This is galling considering that the only possible decipherable "proper" nature of such a place as this place which could be intended without teaching: as for the student or "for you" (to do). I noted that of the student body in the "qualified though beyond a joke" category (indeed they were to make out the same themselves, that others were beyond a joke, against any who would attempt being serious there and would not fall at their cross) were helped along. This help was came from the other bent reactionary group, the faculty�s quota of A-Level or Highers fail students. I suppose this shouldn�t be surprising at all. Of course both of these groups of students were themselves just out in complete spuriousness for that which is spurious: some nice grade, they not to care that none are available actually and indeed they made the very most of this latter fact. This attitude is further disturbing in this environment and then again given some students� social concerns anyhow.
All of this I recall meant some students, musicians and expected academics, then most, then all, more or less, deciding they were not to take such a place as this seriously for the duration of their stay, should they be there. There was a kind of serial madness present among the students, though I may have been somewhat identical. Jokes were frequently or continuously made about the situation some shortish period from starting and a further funny joke was the inability to "get out". This was considered but only ever madly by others and jokingly though still presenting the sober, true, disparate picture and possibly awareness of the severity of the truth.
For me the sense of disbelief here, unstatable really, meant I could not make sense of the real world, outside here, at the time. It seemed that there might not be anything anywhere. And looking back, the idea of leaving to have to wait in confusion quickly imagined, at what the hell it was for a year this though making me suddenly so ill that it was briefly very sore when I could conceive it, seemed to me where there is nothing, or rather less, but nothing speaks, alien and more than frightening. Here is less than zero. Also I could see the situation held for me physical pain without being touched, which was new for me. Where nothing properly is happening and confusion of a barbaric remote place gives physical pain, it also brings ongoing disturbance as this was not priorly seen possible or identifiable. Having said all of this, I also felt completely safe and simultaneously anesthetized always. I realize that this is a natural symptom of the unnatural and precise, concerted behaviour of the staff, though with that of students also. Some people might like the idea of doing nothing with pens for four years, or worse somehow, doing things with pens that should be similar to "doing nothing with pens". A terrible situation, led by the staff of this company in not having courses principally, or apparently respect for the notions from which these might stem, was always crucially linked to how the students behaved. And there was a further action suit ocurring from the staff in their selection decisions and more.
VERY IMPORTANT ADDITION to this article. 7 Dec. 2005. News from months ago which had been ommitted since as of lapse. Apologies for this.
In the last few years, since I have left Edinburgh, I have followed up research on the subject of this article. I have spoken to all of the staff of the department where I studied, at the time ending many decades of being a small faculty. A titled system had been developed I report which allowed for and encouraged one-to-one consulting between students and staff at any time. This was made an inherent part of the department and welded so as to be attatched to the concerns of the course. I suppose, although I not being a student have never experienced this development, it amounts in a part to something similar to the one-to-one tutorial system of Oxbridge. The staff made plain and stressed that this was not a tutorial teaching system. They said they could see that it should have some to many of the benefits of the Oxbridge one-to-one tutorial system for students.
****************
Part One is curtailed here. Apologies.
Anyhow an updated version is being prepared for early in 2006.
Part Two continues on the next page.
So please select from the list of links at the bottom of the page to view.
************
IMPORTANT advertising comment: REMARKABLE.
World Wide Web:
rapidtransformations.com
There is ONE PARTICULAR store which advertises and sells on W.W.W.
and appears on google ads on these pages under terms "FREE HYPNOSIS". I refer to this one only here, not any other similar adverts viewed on my pages.
The FREE HYPNOSIS site sometimes referred to by the worded box advert really does offer a great deal of excellent offers as this author has experienced. My first order came in good time by post to the U.K. and for the same shipping price contained the box with 300 dollars of extras which the website describes. If you see a Bonus Days Sign, if you order on that day then extras are supplied with any order regardless of its size.
And each of the hypnosis products *{from the FREE list}* in the first place are COMPLETELY FREE anyhow. The customer is to buy the shipping charges which are very cheap.
The products offerred are RESPONSIBLE and I would describe as mostly about positive thinking and relaxation to the motivation prescribed. There is nothing of worry of what I have seen is offered. I have also tried the returns service. I vouch for the guarantee fully.
******************
Have some guava.
This article continues in part two.
To view select from the links below.
******************
These pages are being updated. I apologies for text errors and curtailment of part one.
Please also see: ADDITIONAL NEWS at
~newone042r - not quite yet.
Happy festive season. Merry Christmas.
Next page (Part 2)
Freetranslation.com (translates more text quickly)
The Orion Duo (musicians of Northern Ireland).
Polish-to-English and English-to-Polish free translations
Help this site.
World Vision
Send E-Mail to: newone042@yahoo.co.uk
Copyright © 2005 newone042. All Rights Reserved