stokebailey

My 21 year old daughter, economics major, is thinking of spending fall semester at Regent's American College. The website looks good, and it sits on some incredible real estate. We're about to put down the deposit.

Any experience with it?

nytraveler

Have you checked this out with her university? Will they take credits from ths institution? Typically you can;t just go anywhere and assume your home school will accept the credits.

Havana128

The College is part of the Regents College Group which is one of a small number of private sector institutions which have even awarded Taught Degree Awarding Powers (TDAP). TDAP is bestowed by Government (the Privy Council to be precise) on advice from The Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) who I work for, although not in the area of quality assurance. See qaa ac.uk.

Here is an interview with the Principal Aldwyn Cooper and Stephen Jackson who is the QAA Director who leads this area of work.

http://www.ebslondon.ac.uk/about_ebs...ng_powers.aspx

So the College has been through a rigorous process and I will see if I can find the public reports on our website and post them later. Before getting TDAP the college would have awarded the degrees of other institutions on a franchise basis. The awarding institutions would have been ultimately responsible for the quality. With TDAP it is all in Regents College's name and Government would hold them accountable.

Context: the Government is keen to expand the role of what are sometimes called "alternative providers" to increase the size of the Higher Education market without increasing the burden on the tax payer so Regents is flavour of the month, by which I do not imply that they don't deserve the right to award degrees, I only mention it because your research might reveal that this is a controversial policy in some eyes and Regents will no doubt get some flak. In reality the line between "public" and "private" institutions has virtually no meaning as all institutions rely on fees not government grants and all are self-governing. Note - it is illegal in the UK to call yourself a University or award "degrees" if you haven't been approved by Privy Council.

As for the college itself I assume it is on the Regents Park site which I have been to only once. It is a very nice setting and they were clearly investing heavily in the buildings when I was there. It's very international.

There are many at QAA who know the place far better thanI if you need more advice contact me.

stokebailey

Hi, nyt. Yes, this would be through her home university, and the credits count towards her degree just like home. So no problem there.

Thanks so much, Havana, for the background. The TDAP looks fairly recent, doesn't it, but solid.

The college is in Regent's Park, as are most of the dormitories, so the physical setting would be hard to complain about. I think if nothing else, living a few months in London would be en education.

She would like the diversity, and not to be in classes with mostly Americans (as her older sister was for a semester in Paris) or any other monoculture. The website says 45% European, including 12% from the UK, and 15% North American.

stokebailey

I'm going to answer my own question now, a year later and the day before she returns from her semester at Regent's. She LOVES it there, and it's difficult to leave.

The dormitory, the classes, her fellow students, everything. The level of instruction is about equal to her home university, and the ratio of excellent professors to one complete dud is about average. I understand that Webster U here in the US will be relinquishing their involvement soon, but don't know any details.

If anyone you know is considering this, we recommend it highly.

Havana128

That's good. I am going there in a couple of weeks and will pass that message on to them.

stokebailey

Thank you Havana. And thank you for your encouraging words back then.

She thinks her World Religion and Philosophy instructors this semester were especially wonderful.