Tips for Studying at Edinburgh University

This list of tips is intended for foreign nationals coming from outside the UK, but applies to anyone new to Edinburgh. The views expressed are my own, and I would invite others to leave comments about their experiences.

Housing

• Don't underestimate the difficulty of getting "Good" housing in Edinburgh. 
• An informal poll (2011-2012) that I conducted found that those that did find it took at least 3 weeks, and spent around £600/month ($1000/mo.) to get their own place. You can spend less, but you get much less.
• A common neighborhood for students is Marchmont, but I was more impressed by the St. Leonards area bordering Holyrood. Others, more inclined to shop may prefer Stockbridge.
• University accomodation that I viewed at Richmond place was unattractive and featured a large shared kitchen. It cost on the order of £400/month for a small cell containing bed, small bathroom with shower.
• The best strategy is to find a friend in Edinburgh, and stay with them while searching on the ground. Walk around to places that you want to live and call the numbers on cards posted. There are many nice places, but also many, many poor places, particularly in the city center.
• Most places will come furnished, but check anyway.
• There is no Craigslist for Edinburgh :(
• "Gumtree" should be avoided if possible.
• Start search in July or early August. 
• See [this post] for a list of letting agencies.

 Don't Trust Stairwells--Lock Bikes Religiously

• Bikes are stolen frequently from Edinburgh Stairwells. Lock your bike on campus if possible, but if not, use strong locks following best practices.
• From Lothian & Borders (Police) statistics that I have looked at, bike theft is only increasing year on year -- don't become a statistic! 

Computer

• I recommend you bring or buy your own desktop. 
• If you bring your desktop from the US, make sure to switch the transformer to 230Vac on the back
• Don't plug in PC-speakers from the US (or other lower-voltage countries) into UK outlets! (Low voltage design + High voltage = explosion)
• You can buy an AC-AC converter, but probably better to just order UK spec ones from Amazon.

Council Tax

• You do not pay this tax if a full-time student. Ignore any notices, but visit [this site] to apply for an exemption. 
• You will have to go in to show your student ID to verify your online exemption application.

Edinburgh University Campuses

• There are two main campuses, "Central" (Where McEwan Hall and the Teviot Student Union are) and Kings Buildings, 1 mile South. There is a free connector bus--See [this page]
• The bus will say "Special Service" and you must show your Student ID to ride.
• Ignore the closely time City buses which are NOT free.

Festival

• If you like a party, then the August Festival calendar is for you. For those who prefer quiet study, be prepared to give the Central campus a wide berth during the month of August.

Cycling

• Edinburgh is developing biking culture. There are a few mainstays:
• BikeStation is like Mike's Bikes for Scotland.
• Spokes is the local advocacy group - very well run.
• Innertube shows the basic city trail layout.

2012 Fulbright Details

UEBS Full-Time MBA Course Handbook (2011-2012)

Edinburgh University MBA Dissertation Guidelines 2012

The following is a paraphrased description, taken from the UEBS "MyBiz" Website on July 12th 2012.

• Grade Credit Weight: 40 of 220 credits; 18.2% of MBA grade
• Submission Deadline: 4PM Thursday August 30th, 2012
• Length: 10-14 thousand words; divided into four to six chapters, including an introduction and conclusion. (+/-)10% acceptable.
• Word Counting Method: Included in the word count is the main body of the project, interpreted as counting from the first word which generally falls within the “Introduction” and until the very last word in the final chapter.
• The dissertation is an extended piece of scholarship in which the student has the opportunity to pursue in some depth an interest in a topic (largely) of their choosing. In it students are expected to demonstrate their ability to engage critically and analytically in literature from the field, and/or building upon relevant concepts and theory covered in the taught element of the degree.
• 2 copies of the project along with 1 submission form should be submitted to the postgraduate office. A copy of the project should also be submitted via WebCT by the same deadline.
• If you request and are granted an extension for the project it cannot be guaranteed that you will be able to graduate with your cohort in November/December. It would be unlikely that marking of your Capstone Project could be completed before the exam board meets.
• Students are not expected to transcribe interviews. Students should enclose 2 copies of the recording when submitting their project rather than transcripts. It is a requirement that any quotations within the project are marked up with a time reference to the recording.
• The project is marked by the advisor and another internal examiner. You should be aware that the regulations do not allow a project to be referred or resubmitted except for very minor changes in the case of a marginal fail; any student who does not pass the project may be eligible to receive the Diploma. The degree is normally awarded in the Winter graduation. (See assessment in section 1.4 of your programme handbook.)
• The project may vary in the breadth of coverage, but it must have a clear focus with definable objectives and boundaries, achievable in the time and word limit available. The objectives you set for the project should be sufficiently specific that you will know when you have finished.
• The dissertation topic is chosen based upon the student's interests; the subjects which staff are able to supervise; and what is feasible in terms of the literature and time available. In the early planning stage you should scan as many sources as possible.
• Dissertation Advisor's Role:
• advise the student on relevant literature
• guide the student in focusing the study
• help draw up a plan and timetable for the work>
• help draw up an outline for the project and discuss any subsequent revisions of the outline
• read and comment on two chapters of the project (usually in stages)
You should agree sensible times for meeting throughout the project period so that, for instance, holiday or travel arrangements do not interfere. Staff are not always available throughout the summer period.
• For the advisory relationship to work well, it must be appreciated that there are rights and responsibilities on both sides. Students have responsibilities to meet regularly and keep their advisors informed of progress, and to hand material in at agreed times. For their part, advisors have responsibilities to respond promptly and appropriately – by making constructive suggestions both at the planning stage and in response to material submitted.
• Conduct sufficient initial reading (plus note-taking and reflection) to focus the project
• Present a Clear Proposal – indicating firm title, objectives, outline and bibliography, references
• main research and writing stage
• Preparation
• detailed chapter outlines with bibliography>
• submit complete draft for comment (3 drafts)
• reflect, revise and redraft (check spelling and bibliography)
• submit final version for examination
• The introduction spells out the focus of the study and its objectives or research questions, explaining why these were interesting to the author and 'locating' them in the field. It should also include an outline of the subsequent chapters. In the case of primary research, there should be a separate chapter providing an account and justification of the research design and methodology adopted. The conclusion should reflect on the implications of your “findings” for wider theory and where relevant, for practice, picking up themes about the rationale of the study in your introduction. How the substantive chapters are organised will depend on personal preference and the nature of the research. However, you must ensure that your treatment is sufficiently analytical, integrating conceptual and empirical material. This integration may run through the body of the work or it may take place largely in a discrete analysis chapter.
• Each chapter should be clearly initiated and terminated. (Signpost method) Questions to ask:
• How does this chapter fits into the rest of the project?
• What is the main take-away?
• Don't rush your conclusions
• Take a methodical approach
• Word Count

Item	Included in WC	Not Included in WC
Footnotes	◊
Figures in tables/diagrams	◊
Words in tables & diagrams	◊
Abstract		◊
Table of contents		◊
References & Bibliography		◊
Appendices		◊

• The introduction should present the aims, scope, rationale and an outline of the project. Where empirical research is conducted there should be a separate methodology chapter. The conclusion should summarise the main themes of the argument, reflect on the wider implications of your work and, if relevant, suggest areas for future research.
• Projects must be typed, not less than one-and-a-half line spacing used and printed on good quality white A4 paper. You must use reasonable margins and are permitted to print double-sided. The pages in the main text, appendices and bibliography must be numbered consecutively.
• 2 paper copies of your project must be submitted. Binding is arranged by UEBS.
• Title Page Layout

  University of Edinburgh Business School Title of Capstone Project By EB Holmes EXAM NUMBER Capstone Project Presented for the Degree of MBA 2011/2012

• On 2 submitted copies identify yourself using ONLY your exam number. But submit a single separate title page with your name on it for the bound copy of the dissertation.

Good books in various subjects

• Aerodynamics: Anderson
• American History: Bailey & Kennedy
• Biology: Campbell
• Calculus: Swokowski
• Finance: Higgins
• Mechanical Engineering: Shigley
• Precision Machine Design: Slocum

MBA Party today from 2-5PM

Image Design & Audio Editing Tools (Free and Powerful)

Image Design Tools

• ImageMagick (batch process images, create animated gifs)
• Inkscape (create vector art)
• Gimp (Like Photoshop. Use perspective)

Audio Editing Tools

• Audacity (install free MP3 codec to convert WAV to MP3)

Laser Fundamentals (MIT Open Courseware)

Leonardo's conception of Vorticity (EIR, 1982)

Source: Executive Intelligence Review, Dec. 7th 1982. p23

Amazon Warehouse Trip

Glenmore Leadership Course Details

Course Grade:

1. 60% Personal development plan
1. 1,500 words. 
2. Describe:
1. Vision of the leader he or she aims to become
2. Current strengths
3. Specify: 
1. concrete actions including deadlines
2. resources required
3. support required
4. benefits expected.  
2. 30% Group presentation
1. Graded on:
1. Logical Argument 
2. Information from readings
3. Application of leadership concepts 
4. Clarity
5. Persuasiveness 
3. 10% Participation 

Course Schedule:

Sunday April 15th, 2012: Leave UEBS at 330PM
Monday April 16th, 2012: Leadership 

Required Reading: 

1. Bennis, W. 2004. The Seven Stages of a Leader. HBR, January 
2. “Level 5 leadership: The triumph of humility and fierce resolve” HBR Jan 1, 2001 

Tuesday April 17th, 2012: Emotional Intelligence 

Required Reading:  

1. Stein, S. & Book, H. (2011). ‘The EQ Edge’. John Wiley & Son. Chapters 1, 2 & 7. 
2. Goleman, D. 2000. Leadership That Gets Results HBR, March/April 

Wednesday April 18th, 2012: Change Management

Thursday April 19th 2012: Creating a Vision

Friday April 20th 2012: 1PM: Return to Edinburgh University

Choosing a Specialization

The following explanation is from the UEBS Full-Time MBA Site (MyBiz)
(As of the date of this Blog Post)

Students wishing to select a specialisation must submit the form below when selecting option courses for semester 2b. The absolute deadline for selecting or changing specialisation is April 16, 2012.

When selecting option courses for Semester 2b, students wishing to pursue one of the specialisations must also submit a form confirming the area of specialisation. In addition, students must submit a brief description of the Capstone Project that will contribute 40 credits towards the specialisation. The description cannot simply say "Strategy" or "Finance" but must sketch an area for the intended Capstone Project and type of project: Business Plan, Business Report, Academic Case Study, Traditional Dissertation, or Social Entrepreneurship Project.

Changing specialisation
Students may change specialisation once, this must be done no later than 16 April, which is the deadline for selecting specialisation. The deadline for selecting specialisation is 16 April. The change can only become effective if the student can secure at least 20 coursework credits within the new specialisation when considering Semester 2a and Semester 2b/Exchange choices. In addition, a student wishing to select a new specialisation must re-submit the MBA Specialisation Form including a new description of the Capstone Project. A suitable project adviser may not be available at this late point in time.

Students who have not previously selected a specialisation my do so at the time of selecting Semester 2b option courses under the same terms as for those wishing to change their specialisation.

Once semester 2b courses are confirmed and IBs confirm courses that they are taking abroad - and everyone has submitted their capstone project proposals, we will be able to confirm whether or not applications for specialisations have been accepted.

Students on the IB Programme will need to discuss their course choices for their semester abroad with Tony to ensure that they are suitable for specialisation.

Please consult the list of courses seeded for the different specialisation tracks and then fill in the form below to select your specialisation.

Form for Filling out Specialization (Image)

Firbush Weekend Details

The Following is the Firbush Weekend summary from the MBA office at UEBS.
For Firbush photos from my first trip, see this link.


Accommodation
The main building at Firbush comprises several rooms each containing two sets of bunk beds (sleeping 4). Duvets, pillows and linen are provided, but not towels or toiletries. Please bring

your own. After arriving Friday evening you will be provided with a three

course dinner, followed by an orientation meeting and a short activity.

Travel Arrangements

Minibus transport usually departs at 5.15 pm, but please assemble at

5.00pm so that we have ample time to load the trailer, and to take a

register. Individuals travelling by car should check the Firbush travel map

(link), and allow two hours for the journey. The course commences with

dinner at 8.00 pm on Friday evening. The course finishes after tea on

Sunday afternoon at 4.30pm. The minibus usually departs at 5.15 pm

aiming to be back in Edinburgh at 7.15pm.

Personal Equipment

Check out the MBA equipment list below for an overview of what to bring.

Remember that Firbush can kit you out for all specialised activities from our

comprehensive equipment store. It's your responsibility to ensure that you

have plenty of warm clothes with you, as well as additional spare clothes

(because you may get wet). If you have your own specialist equipment then

do please bring it with you.

MBA Equipment List

It is not necessary to have every item noted below. The list has been

compiled so that you can check to see what the general requirement is. We

suggest that you simply pack a weekend bag, and then just add a little

extra to ensure that you have enough to keep warm when you are outside.

It’s also a good idea to bring a complete set of spare clothes so that if you

do get wet, you will be able to change.

Firbush has its own drying room in the basement, as well as a stock of

specialist clothing available on loan. The Firbush Bar and public telephone

are located in the main building. If you can, it will help if you bring loose

change and notes of a small denomination.

• Rucksack, Weekend Bag, or Suitcase

• Walking Boots or Trail Boots

• Woollen socks (long socks)

• Training shoes

• Track suit bottoms

• Standard underwear and socks

• Thermal underwear

• Shirt/undervest

• Spare shirt/tee shirt

• Shorts

• Spare sweater

• Fleece jacket

• Waterproof anorak/cagoule

• Waterproof overtrousers

• Gaiters

• Thermos flask

• Water bottle

• Sunglasses Sunblock

• Towel, Soap/Shampoo

• Other Toiletries

Available on loan at Firbush

Cagoules, overtrousers, walking boots, gaiters, balaclavas, mitts, map,

compass, daysacks,

Clothing

Where possible, it is advisable to wear several thin layers, to enable control

of the wide variation in body heat during trekking activities. A flexible

clothing assemblage of underlayer / several insulation layers / shell layer is

best. Jeans are not particularly suitable for wearing during trekking; cords

or tracksuit bottoms are better, and breeches are best. If you have no

alternative, jeans can be worn under shell clothing or with thermal long

johns. Clothes need to tuck well in at the waist for your added comfort.

Schedule:

Friday

19:30 Arrive at Firbush/room allocation

20:00 Evening meal

21:15 Formal welcome and course introduction

22:00 Bar opens

23:00 Bar closes

Saturday

08:30 Breakfast

09:15 Activity briefing

09:30 Equipment issue

10:00 Adventure activity

16:15 Finish activity

17:00 Free time

19:00 Evening meal

20:15 Evening activity (optional)

21:15 Bar opens

23:00 Bar closes

Sunday

08:30 Breakfast

09:15 Activity briefing

09:30 Teambuilding Activities

12:30 Lunch

13:30 Afternoon Activity

16:00 Review of weekend

16:30 High tea

17:00 Depart for Edinburgh

Useful Contacts

Firbush Office in the Centre for Sport and Exercise:

46 Pleasance, Edinburgh, EH8 9TJ

Tel 0131-650-2594 Fax 0131-557-6398 email Firbush.Office@ed.ac.uk

Firbush Point Field Centre: Killin, Perthshire, FK21 8SU

Office Tel. 01567-820329 Guests 01567-820261 Fax 01567-820994

email les.berrow@ed.ac.uk

Sailing at Port Edgar Checklist

Directions to Port Edgar from Dalmeny when traveling from Edinburgh: Walk straight down the ramp and straight down the street. You will be in a residential area. Look right and you'll connect with a great bike path. Turn left and follow the path until you reach the ScotMid Parking Lot. Exit the lot heading down and follow the road left. You will pass a police station and bus stop. Continue down this road until it curves back up hill. The road bridge will be in front of you. Follow this road straight through the Port Edgar gate and straight on until it slopes down to the right. At this point the Yacht club (and circular tables) are on your left. This is our meeting place.

General

Prepare to be wet. Hat gloves and sunglasses make sailing much more comfortable
Prepare to be cold. Bringing extra layers

Prepare to use your hands to pull lines and hang onto the boat.
If you bring a camera, have a  bag (preferably waterproof) to store it in.




Item
Description
Gloves
leather palmed best, gardening gloves ok
Hat
with cord to keep it from blowing away!
Sunglasses

life jacket
required for every person. Available with the boat
warm underlayer
fleece
tennis shoes with thick, fleece socks

waterproof overlayer
hiking windbreaker ok
ruck sack / backpack
to hold gear. This will be stored below
Pack Lunch
Sandwich, beer
Water
bottled water or squeeze bottle

Hunter 707 Videos

Getting Started (Engine Use)
Upwind Sailing
Spinnaker Rigging
Flying the Spinnaker

CS Exam 2012

Login to WebCT, Corporate Strategy, Click Assessment

Download Case PDF

Voting for Student Council Positions at the University of Edinburgh

Login to MyEd and click on Vote Now (Blue Button Above)

Click on the Vote option on the left side of the window. You have to do this separately for each position. (grueling) The positions at the top are for the highest ranking posts. (Pres./VPs)

Cranfield Regatta 2012

Event Details:

• Offshore F40 Regatta hosted by Cranfield at Port Solent from July 6th-July 8th
• Sailing Experience not mandatory
• Up front deposit of £100 per person required by April 15th
• Training to be held at Port Edgar Yacht Club
• Team and UEBS will Fund raise for 2 day F40 boat cost

Where can I dry clean my clothes?

Here is a list of dry cleaners close to the University of Edinburgh Central Campus:

•     Euroclean: A few Pounds to have shirts washed and ironed -- seems good.

•   Johnsons: 13.75 for 2-piece suit with shirt, including 10% student discount. Not cheap!

California Law Pertaining to Security Deposits

Security Deposits in California

Fluid Mechanics: Boundary Layers

2012 MBA Exam Schedules

Financial Analysis
Wednesday, March 21st 630-830PM
Location: Playfair Library

Project Management
Thursday, March 22nd 630-830PM
Location: 2nd Floor Adam House

Corporate Strategy
Monday, April 2nd 930-1130AM
Location: 2nd Floor Adam House

Statistics
Wednesday, April 4th 930-1130AM
Location: 2nd Floor Adam House

Here is a link to Past Exams:

http://www.exampapers.lib.ed.ac.uk.ezproxy.webfeat.lib.ed.ac.uk/MBA0405.shtml

Dissertation Support System, Edinburgh University

The University of Edinburgh Business School accepts MBA dissertation proposals using an online system called DSS. (Dissertation Support System) Using this system, you can submit and update your dissertation and choose an advisor. Before doing so however, it is recommended that you speak to the adviser in advance.

• Access DSS
• DSS Form
• Submission Deadline: March 19th 5PM

Procedure:

• Upload a completed copy of the DSS form. This requires:
• Working Title
• Dissertation Summary
• Methodology Summary: Qualitative, Quantitative or Mixed
• Select Subject/Discipline Group
• Nominate preferred adviser
• Matching of advisers to students will conclude on April 6th

Bloomberg

Edinburgh Road Cycling Races in March and April, 2012

(Courtesy of Josiah King, EUCC)

Job Search Databases

Altran Summary

1. Technical Consulting Firm based in France 
2. US Presence (Including San Francisco)
3. Presence in:
1. UK- growing strategic location specializing in manufacturing
2. Belgium
3. Germany
4. Austria
5. Netherlands
6. Switzerland
1. Mori Seiki also has operations in Switzerland (DIXI)
   
7. Sweden
8. Spain
9. Italy
10. Portugal
11. Luxembourg
12. India 
13. Singapore
14. Malaysia
15. China
16. Japan
17. South Korea
18. Brazil

Semester 2a course Reps, Edinburgh University Business School

How to Respond to Events

There is an upcoming Post Grad Forum on February 8th as part of the 2012 PG Fair. But, how do I sign up?

There are a few steps to make a booking with MyEd. Here's How:

You can sign up for Events within MyEd. See how below:

1. Go to the MyEd Site
2. Go to MyStuff, My Bookings (On the Right)
3. Look at Events
4. You can scroll using the arrows at the bottom to go forward week by week.  Some weeks are so full of events that you need to do this to find future events before they sell out!

2012 Summer Internships

The following was taken from the school site regarding the Internship Search:
(http://www.business-school.ed.ac.uk/mybiz/mba-international-business/my-study/opportunities/summer-internship#whattype)

Students find internships with a wide variety of companies and organisations both in the UK and abroad. The following is a list of some of the organisations that have hosted internships over the past couple of years. The students names are mentioned in brackets.

• Royal Bank of Scotland 
• UPS, UK 
• Citibank, Ireland 
• UBS, New York 
• Amcor Flexibles, Spain 
• Cacharel Bodegas y Viñedos, UK 
• Equal Exchange Trading Ltd, Edinburgh 
• IPI Infrastructures Ltd, UK 
• Penta Capital, UK 
• UNECE, Switzerland 
• Global Lead Consulting, USA 
• Costa Coffee, UK 
• Siemens, Germany 
• Standard Life, UK 

Timing of your Internship search

It is essential that you begin looking for a suitable internship as soon as possible.Many internship programmes have deadlines from November onwards. For the majority of you who will find internships through direct negotiation between yourself and the company do not under estimate how time consuming it can be. You may need to make a number of enquiries before you can identify a company that is willing to offer an internship. Typically, it can take at least three months to organise an internship, from the initial enquiry to confirming details.

How the School can help you

The school has a network of contacts in many companies and organisations, mainly sourced through our worldwide network of over 5,000 alumni but also through companies that we have connections with through student projects, research and visiting speakers.

There are a number of events that are held throughout the year at the Business School that may be useful to you in terms of information gathering and establishing contacts. Furthermore the main university careers office organises a programme of Employer Presentations throughout this semester.
If you have any queries relating to work permit issues you can make an appointment to speak to an immigration expert at the International Office. Appointments and advice can be obtained by emailing immigration@ed.ac.uk.

Internship Sites

Formal MBA-level summer internships are offered by some companies, (usually described as 'Associate' level internships). As information about internships is being continually updated please check the company websites for the most up to date information. Please note that some companies will only offer summer internships to MBAs on a two year programme.
Two sites of particular interest are the Asian Development Bank and ‘MBAs Without Borders’, both of whom specialise in MBA level internships within their organisations. Further details can be found at:
Asian Development Bank:
(please note that applications need to be made through the School)

• www.adb.org/Internship/default.asp

MBAs Without Borders:

• www.mbaswithoutborders.org

IFC (a member of the World Bank Group):

• www.ifc.org/ifcext/careers.nsf/Content/SummerIntern

• www.philox.eu/?page=work-internships&menuindex=4.2#internshipsdirectory
  The internship section of Philox.eu, is a student community website that provides a networking platform for students across Europe. The link below gives you a wealth of links to companies and organisations offering internships globally.
• www.jobsamerica.co.uk
• http://careerplanning.about.com/cs/internships
  Mainly advice about US internships
• http://businessmajors.about.com/od/employmentaftergraduation/tp/TopInternProg.htm
  "Top 10 MBA internships"
• http://dmoz.org/Business/Employment/Job_Search/Entry_Level_and_Internships
  Large number of US internship sites
• www.iagora.com
  For internships in Europe
• http://graduatetalentpool.direct.gov.uk
  This is a UK government run initiative to connect graduates to businesses through internships. Most opportunities are aimed at pre work experience students though the site may be useful in showing which companies are open to providing such opportunities.
• www.asia-interns.com
• www.idealist.org
• http://effectivinternet.com/contactsingapore/nov09/c_sg_apprentice_programme
  For internship opportunities in Singapore
• www.mba-exchange.com/candidates/candidates.php

2012 Week 1 Schedule