Study Abroad in San Jose State University

Preparation for the stay abroad:

The application process via MicroEDU went like clockwork – if you can put it that way. The team is available to answer any questions at any time, and these tend to pile up at the beginning when putting together the application documents. CoCo also checks all documents and details again before the application is sent to the SDSU. With the help of the checklists provided, you always have an overview of the application process and which steps still need to be taken. Obtaining the F1 student visa , which I processed at the embassy in Frankfurt, is particularly important and also a bit time-consuming.

Arrival and accommodation:

I only flew to San Diego shortly before the beginning of the semester and therefore didn’t have the opportunity to get to know the whole city or to travel. In my opinion, that didn’t mean I had any disadvantage at all. Since I had already organized accommodation from Germany, I didn’t have to move into the hostel like many other students and look for an apartment on site.

Unlike most students, I live with a fellow student in a private house near the campus. We got the contact from a friend who previously lived there during her own semester abroad at SDSU. I was super satisfied with the accommodation. We both had our own, sufficiently large room and the rest of the house was well furnished. The landlord lived in the house himself, but only shared the kitchen with us. He has a separate bedroom with bathroom in a small annex in the garden. The location of the house was also ideal. The university was within walking distance and the “Boulevard63” dormitory, where most of the (international) students lived, was just seven minutes away on foot. There were also numerous supermarkets and restaurants nearby.

The typical question that everyone has to answer for themselves is. “Would I prefer to live close to the university or close to the beach?” Since the SDSU is inland, you have to weigh your preferences. Both choices definitely have their advantages. I decided to be close to the campus and I was really very satisfied with it. My fellow student and I rented a car from Dirt Cheap and so we were well equipped for trips to the beach after university. In addition, the majority of the international students lived in the student residences close to the campus, so that it was easiest to meet again on campus or at home for group work.

University:

The San Diego State has a wonderful campus to offer, which invites you to linger and study in the park areas thanks to the almost consistently good weather. Every Thursday there is also a food market and a wide range of fast food / restaurant chains and small student supermarkets.

• Check topschoolsintheusa for more about San Jose State University Rankings.

The courses:

BA350 – Multinational Business & Organizational Behavior:

Very interesting content, very good lecturer (Prof. Blue), interactive lectures.
There was a group project in which a country of our choice was to be presented in terms of culture, politics and economy. However, this presentation had to be embedded in a creative concept and be interactive. That took time to prepare accordingly. The exams each consisted of 50 multiple-choice questions. For the exams, 6-7 chapters of the course book had to be read or memorized. The reading and learning effort was accordingly high, but the content was very interesting and mostly very easy to understand. I would recommend this course to others.

MGT352 – Human Resource Management:

Very interesting in terms of content, you learn a lot about the rights of employees and the application and selection process of companies. The lecturer (Pro f. Del Castillo) is very competent and brings a lot of knowledge from his job as an HR expert. However, in my opinion, he lacks the skills to really prepare his course for the exams and exams. The three exams each consisted of 40 multiple choice questions and four short answer questions, whereby the expected answer length is by no means “short”. Some of the questions were asked very comprehensively, so that at least three quarters to a full page had to be answered, which in view of the time was sometimes quite tight. In addition, there were 5 unannounced inclass activities over the course of the semester, each of which brought 20 points and could not be made up in the absence (also excused). Overall, a very interesting course in terms of content, but which quickly caused frustration due to the lecturer and his expectations. Recommended only for people who actually see their future in human resources.

MGT357 – Multinational Business & Comparative Management:

A very interesting course format that I have never experienced before. In this special session the course founded its own company (a consulting company)and associated social media channels. Everyone from the course was assigned to a department depending on the focus of study and interests, so that at the end there was the departments Finance, HR, Marketing, IT and Operations, as well as a CEO and Vice President. In our course there was a girl who made bracelets from pearls as a hobby. We as a consulting company then helped her with the creation of the bracelets and the marketing. So this course was about practical work and a project that was supervised by everyone. The final exam consisted of a DIN-A4 page about what one had learned during the semester in this course. Attendance and the preparation of current news, which were presented and discussed at the beginning of each event, also flowed into the grade.I would recommend the course because of its uniqueness.

BA370 – Marketing:

A very good course with a great lecturer (Prof Haddock). Also very high reading effort for the exams, but easy to manage with only 50 multiple choice questions each. I would choose this course again.

Leisure:

San Diego and the university itself have a lot to offer for recreational activities. In addition to the numerous offers of the SDSU to student groups in the fields of sport, music, etc., the university offers its students a free membership in the campus fitness studio, as well as access to the Aztecs swimming complex, the Gaslamp Quarter in downtown, Point Loma, the Sunset Cliffs or even Coronado Island. The zoo, the USS Midway Museum, Seaport Village and Old Town are also highly recommended.

In addition, San Diego has three beaches to offer: Pacific Beach, also known as Party Beach, has numerous restaurants and bars. In any case, you have to have taken part in the “Duck Dive” on Taco Tuesday, where the internationals meet every Tuesday to eat taco and then party, when a DJ plays from 9 a.m. and the happy hour begins. This is located on Mission Beach Belmont Park, a small old amusement park, which can convince with its location on the beach and the view from the wooden roller coaster. Ocean Beach also has restaurants and beach stalls, but takes it easy. Particularly recommended for all dog lovers, because there is a whole stretch of beach here only for four-legged friends and their masters.

For day trips, Mexico, Los Angeles , the cities along the coast to LA or the beautiful little town of Julien, which is located in the mountains inland, are ideal.

If you have a few more days off, you should of course not forget San Francisco, Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon and other national parks.

Please make sure to use the free tickets to the games of the SDSU teams ! Don’t miss the tailgate before a football game.

Tips and conclusion:

I definitely recommend leaving plenty of space in your suitcase on arrival. In the first few days you may have a little less clothing to choose from than usual, but you can find such good bargains and prices in the outlets and shopping malls in the USA that you would look in vain in Germany.

However, it is best to take enough cosmetic products etc. with you. Contrary to my expectations, products such as deodorant, shampoo and so on were disproportionate and unexpectedly expensive (8 € for deodorant), so it is best to buy enough stock here at DM.

I had an amazing time in San Diego that I will remember fondly for a long time. I’ve met an incredible number of people and seen places that have all shaped me. The SDSU, as a highly regarded university, and the location of San Diego, located by the sea with many sunny days and a lot to experience, offer a great combination for a stay abroad. My English has also improved again through the stay and I am much more self-confident and become more independent.

I take a lot with me from my time in San Diego and can only recommend the semester abroad in California to every sun lover. It’s not for nothing that San Diego is also known as the “Americas finest City” !!