The guide contains a range of interesting and informative articles exploring the study of specific subjects overseas, written by experts and professionals from within the six main areas of higher education and industry. The guide also contains select articles from counsellors and students about their own experience and their advice about overseas education.

The guide is divided into sections according to subject, with correspond with our interactive online subject guides, where you can find even more useful articles and information.

We’d like to thank all of our contributors who have shared their knowledge and expertise to make this guide as extensive and informative as possible. We are confident that the articles and information within this guide will help students to embark upon the wonderful experience of international study.

If you would like to request a free copy of The Subject Guide 2012, please click here and provide us with your name, school name and address. You can also preview some of the pages from The Subject Guide 2012 in the gallery below.

Interested in contributing to the next issue of The Subject Guide? We are always looking for new associations, organisations and counsellors to contribute to our guides. Please contact us at editorial@i-studentgroup.com

If you are from an institution and are interested in featuring in any of the i-studentadvisor resources – online or in print – please contact us at editorial@i-studentgroup.com

View a gallery of sample pages from The Subject Guide 2012…

The term ‘Mickey Mouse’ was first used by education minister Margaret Hodge in 2003 during a discussion on higher education in the UK. She defined ‘Mickey Mouse’ courses as those “where the content is perhaps not as rigorous as one would expect and where the degree itself may not have huge relevance in the labour market”. In 2000, Staffordshire University was mocked for its module on footballer David Beckham and the debate flared up again last year, when a leading scientist, Dr Richard Pike, attacked the government for funding students doing degrees such as celebrity journalism and international football business management, saying that the funding should be channeled into science degrees and research instead.

But others insists that the degrees are of worth and have said that derogatory comments by the media rarely look beyond the titles of the courses to the actual content. Earlier this year, the first ever graduate from Liverpool Hope University’s master’s course in British band The Beatles, Mary-LU Zahalan-Kennedy, defended her course to the BBC, saying: “It’s absolutely academic […] It was an examination of how the Beatles came to be. What the political and social climate was and the cultural aspects that helped to facilitate an environment where the Beatles could happen.”

Last year, New York anthropology professor Philip Haseley claimed that UFO studies should be a ‘legitimate university subject’, saying: “It’s about time we looked into this as a worthy area of study [...] It’s important that the whole subject be brought out in the open and investigated.” He also said: “We know people who think this is a nonsense subject. And we’ll refer you to voluminous literature and facts about UFOs.”

Here’s some of the courses often quoted in the media as ‘weird and wonderful’ or ‘unusual’:

• Harry Potter – Durham University in the UK is offering a unit called ‘Harry Potter and the Age of Illusion’ as part of their Education Studies course. The module “places the Harry Potter novels of J.K. Rowling in their wider social and cultural context”, allowing students to explore themes such as ‘Harry Potter and Britishness’, ‘Gryffindor and Slytherin – prejudice and intolerance in the classroom’ and ‘the moral universe of the school – the legacy of the school story’
• Star Trek – Georgetown University (USA) offers a course in Philosophy and Star Trek, which looks at themes such as ‘is time travel possible?
• Star Wars – Queen’s University Belfast (Ireland) offers an open learning course in ‘Feel the Force: How to Train in the Jedi Way’, teaching students the psychological techniques behind Jedi mind tricks and looking at wider issues in Star Wars such s balance, destiny and fatherhood
• Maple syrup – Alfred University in New York (USA) offers “Maple Syrup – The Real Thing” as an honours seminar, looking at the profession and production of maple syrup
• Lace knitting – The University of Glasgow (UK) offers a fully-funded doctoral studentship on the ‘History of Lace Knitting in Shetland’.
• Zombies – The University of Baltimore (USA) is offering students the option of studying zombies, taught by Arnold Blumberg, who has written a book on zombie movies
• Vikings – The University of Nottingham (UK) offers a course in Viking Studies, where students can learn about Icelandic medieval literature and the archaeology of Medieval Britain, Celtic Britain and Ireland

What do you think about ‘unusual’ university subjects – valuable or useless? And what subjects would you consider to be a ‘Mickey Mouse’ degree? Would you ever study a degree in one of the subjects above? Join the debate!

The new website offers all the country-specific information a student will need to start researching their options for studying overseas. On our country pages you can find information about visas, the application process, entry requirements, travel and much more in six of the most popular English-speaking countries – Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the UK and the USA.

Plus, you can still read all of our extensive interactive subject guides on the Subjects page, which are great for students who know which subject they want to study but are not sure on the country, or for those who want to find out more about a certain subject area. You can also read more subject- and country-specific articles by professional and educational organisations, plus blogs by our i-studentlife bloggers that show what it’s like studying overseas from a student perspective.

For counsellors and advisors, we also have our Counsellor Chronicles page, which contains articles written by education experts and counsellors from around the world about their work. Also, have a look at our News page for all the latest international news stories affecting education around the world.

We will be continuing to update and add content and features to the website in the coming months, as we strive to make the website as useful and enjoyable as possible. If you want to keep updated with all the latest news and articles, you can Subscribe or follow us on Facebook or Twitter.

We always love to hear what our readers and visitors think, so if you have any comments or suggestions about the new website – or any of our resources – please get in touch at editorial@i-studentgroup.com

We hope you enjoy our new website!

Best wishes

The i-studentadvisor team

We’re proud to present the latest edition of our i-MAD magazine, covering media, arts and design courses around the world.

This issue is the first of a new volume of i-studentadvisor, featuring brand new designs and features, as well as expanded content and interactive features requested by you, the readers.

We have had a huge amount of feedback from our readers over the past year and we hope that this new volume of magazines reflects the changes and improvements you have suggested.

As always, the magazine is packed with articles from professionals and associations containing the very best information and everything you need to know about applying for media, arts and design courses. We would like to thank all those that have contributed and worked with us on this magazine.

Inside this issue you will find articles about photography, textile design and everything in between, including interviews with an up-and-coming star of UK radio as well as the successful journalist Kathryn Flett.

We hope you enjoy reading this magazine and find it useful when choosing your study options and, as always, we would love to hear what you think. You can get in touch with us at editorial@i-studentadvisor.com

i-studentenquiry.com, the free service matching students with universities, colleges and English language schools around the world, has relaunched and now offers faster, clearer results for both students and institutions.

First launched in 2010, i-studentenquiry allows prospective students to fill out one simple form for either undergraduate, postgraduate or English language study. Students enter their requirements, such as the courses they would like to study and in which countries, along with their qualifications and personal details on a secure form. The form is then processed by the intelligent algorithm powering i-studentenquiry.com to find which universities and colleges around the world could provide the education the student is seeking.

The latest version of i-studentenquiry includes a range of new features to make the system more accessible and easier to use, such as:

• The “My Account” page, allowing students to log in and view their enquiry history and matches
• Easier to fill out forms, allowing students to complete their enquiry quickly and simply
• Improved control for institutions, ensuring faster responses to student enquiries

i-studentgroup would like to thank all of the students, counsellors and university admissions professionals who provided valuable feedback during the development of the new and improved i-studentenquiry service. To fill out your form, visit http://www.i-studentenquiry.com

You can also join the i-studentenquiry Facebook page here – http://www.facebook.com/istudentenquiry

The Times Educational Supplement, sister paper of the Times Higher Education, has reported that nearly 30,000 applicants to UK universities last year cheated on their personal statements by copying them from online sources or other applicants. The 600-word personal statements for UCAS applications in the UK are an integral part of the university application process, where a student is supposed to demonstrate their personality and why they stand out from other applicants.

UCAS uses plagiarism detection systems, which are also used in many universities to scan essays, and found that in those 30,000 copied statements at least 10% was identical to another source or application, with hundreds even copying the opening lines. The rate of plagiarism in personal statements decreased from 5% in 2007 when UCAS first trialled it’s plagiarism software to 2.8% in 300, but has risen again to 3.85% in 2010.

In another case, scandal hit Japan’s universities last week as it emerged that a series of questions posted on a popular website, which at first seemed innocent, were in fact taken directly from the entrance exam to the prestigious Kyoto University, posted –and answered – whilst the exam was taking place. It is believed that the poster, named ‘aicezuki’, posted the English and maths questions on Yahoo Japan’s “chiebukuro” (pearls of wisdom) site using a mobile phone.

It has further emerged that posts under the same name were also posted during entrance exams to other popular universities, Doshisha University, Rikkyo University and Waseda University. It is not yet clear whether there is more than one person involved and police have launched a search for those responsible. The scandal has prompted calls to ban mobile phones and electronic devices from test sites, such as in South Korea, where a similar ban was brought in after another cheating scandal involving mobile phones in 2004.

And it’s not just the youngsters either. German Defence Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg was recently found to have copied large chunks of his 2006 university doctorate thesis and has since stood down from his post and been stripped of his PhD. He has claimed that his plagiarism was a mistake but this has been met with much scepticism, with tens of thousands of German academics writing complaints to the Chancellor, Angela Merkel, who has stood by him throughout the scandal. The University of Bayreuth stripped Guttenberg of his PhD after it emerged that over half of the 475-page thesis had been taken word for word from other people’s work.

Cases like these seem to suggest that plagiarism and cheating is rife, although obviously this is still a small minority and the majority of university students are honest and don’t plagiarise. But in an age of ever-smaller mobile devices and internet access, universities may have trouble curbing the numbers of cheating students. Perhaps some students can’t avoid the temptation to cheat when they think they cannot be found out – according to plagiarism.org, a poll conducted by US News and World Reports found that 90% of students believed that cheaters are never caught or are not appropriately disciplined.

We asked some UK students whether they would cheat on entrance or university exams if they thought they wouldn’t get caught,  and it seems that even those who wouldn’t cheat cited their reason as fear of being caught, rather than the morals involved.

Here’s some of their thoughts on cheating*:

“Of course I would, because I could always actually learn stuff once I am on the course. It would give me a better start.” – Sarah, journalism student from the University of Westminster

“No, it’s not worth the risk of getting caught.” –  Jane, studying Costume with Performance Design at the Arts University College at Bournemouth

“I wouldn’t. Bad Karma… I’d be paranoid the whole time, and I like to feel I have got there on my own… you can always resit.” – Ruth, Marine Biology student from Newcastle University

“If you wouldn’t get caught why wouldn’t you? You would be stupid for not cheating.” – Ben, Business student, Brunel University

Although the majority of students are not cheating, those who are considering plagiarising or cheating should consider the consequences. Plagiarism can lead to failure of a courses and even expulsion, and in some cases can be a legal matter.

What do you think? Would you cheat if you thought you wouldn’t get caught? Do the morals around cheating matter?

*Names have been changed for confidentiality reasons

The Russell Group, which represents 20 of the UK’s top universities including Oxford and Cambridge, recently sparked controversy with it’s new guide, Informed Choices, to help students choose A levels in preparation for university. Some, including the British Journal of Photography (BJP), felt that the guide has attacked so-called ‘soft subjects’ and accused the Russell Group of short-sightedness.

The guide warns students considering taking more than one ‘soft’ subject – usually courses that are vocational or practical based such as art, music or business studies- that “some caution may be needed” and encourages students to take two or more A level qualifications in ‘hard’ or ‘facilitating’ subjects such as English, maths and the sciences in order to have “a much wider range of options open to you at university”. They also state that general or critical studies should only be taken as an additional subject and not be one that students rely on for entry requirements.

But in an article the BJP editors, and the photography lecturers they spoke to, argued that it was absurd to consider some subjects as ‘soft’ and that these subjects could teach students independent thinking and creativity. However, although it may be aggravating to those involved in the ‘soft’ subjects it should be considered that this is not a new categorisation created by the Russell Group; the grouping of subjects as ‘soft’ and ‘hard’, whether correct or not, has been a persistent problem.

The BJP also pointed out the need for encouraging students to take up arts and humanities subjects, especially after government cuts meant a withdrawal of funding for these courses in the university sector. At a time when unemployment is high and university fees are set to increase, there are already fears that students will not take creative/humanities subjects, instead opting for subjects they think can lead to a specific job. There may be a worry that the Russell Group’s guide may discourage students further from taking a broad range of subjects, instead promoting the traditional ‘hard’ ones.

The guide could be of great use to students considering their post-16 study choices, though some of it’s recommendations may not sit comfortably with some. For example, the guide states: “By choosing facilitating subjects at advanced level, you will have a much wider range of options open to you at university. An advanced level qualification in any facilitating subject will keep open to you a number of degree courses” and also states that choosing non-facilitating subjects doesn’t increase your options at university.

Whilst this may be true in some circumstance, evidence shows that a majority of courses do not require specific subjects and will consider most subjects, whether ’soft’ or ‘hard’. Recent research titled ‘A level subjects: What universities want’ by The Guardian showed that many universities do not require or discount specific subjects, with the exception of general studies which some of the universities involved said could not be part of the entry requirements. Most outlined that for some courses specific A levels may be needed but this is not ‘hard’ or ‘soft’ based; i.e. whilst engineering may require a ‘hard’ subject such as maths, other subjects such as art will require a ‘soft’ qualification such as A level art.

For example, in the research Canterbury Christ Church University said: “We do not differentiate between A-level subjects and accept general studies. However, for some programmes a specific A-level or equivalent is required, eg a music A-level for the music degree, art for our fine art degree programme and most of our science programmes require at least one science A-level.”

City University London also said: “General studies is the only A-level generally excluded. Having it would not damage their chances of winning a place, as long as there was sufficient preparation elsewhere on the form.”

In any case, students should make sure they are aware of the requirements for the courses and universities they are interested in. If you are unsure of what you would like to study at university, you should try to keep your options as wide as possible and study subjects that may be required for subjects you think you might want to study.

To see the Russell Group Informed Choices guide, click here. To see the The Guardian’s ‘A levels: What universities want’ click here.

What do you think about the categorising of subjects as ‘soft’ and ‘hard’? Have you taken an A level subject that you don’t enjoy in order to have better qualifications? Let us know your thoughts.

Mr. Clifford is widely regarded as one of the leading exponents of public relations in the UK, representing some of the biggest names in UK politics, sport and popular culture. One of his first ever roles in the industry was representing a little-known band from Liverpool called The Beatles. Perhaps less well known is his commitment and support for charities, including Children’s Hospices UK.

During the talk Mr. Clifford will talk about his thirty-year career at the forefront of the British media and will hopefully share some of the secrets of his success with the ABS members attending.

The ABS is the authoritative voice of business and management for the UK, and collectively provide business and management education for over 250,000 students a year.

Mr. Clifford was delighted to be asked to speak, saying: “I am pleased to be speaking to people who I’m reliably informed have got a tremendous amount of entrepreneurial talent. Hopefully when you start to make a fortune you’ll come to me for PR, making me even more successful. The media can and often does play a very important part in the success of any business project; hopefully I can help to give you an insight into how this works.”

Vicky Robinson, Head of Communications for the ABS said: “We are planning to put on joint events and career enhancing activities at venues around the world to engage with UK HE alumni globally and promote and add value to the UK HE Business School experience. The events will be advertised to a total of 1/2 million professionals and will provide the opportunity for them to learn from experts in the field of business as well as to network with other business men and women.”

You can learn more about the events and the ABS by visiting their website www.the-abs.org.uk

Professor Maguire returns to Australia after more than three years in senior management and editorial roles with the English-language Shanghai Daily in China.

A former managing director of Perth’s The Sunday Times, he brings to Murdoch’s media school a wealth of experience gathered over more than 30 years in daily and Sunday newspapers and radio in Australia, Hong Kong and China.

Dean of Media, Communications and Culture at Murdoch, Associate Professor Chris Smyth said: “David’s experience running newspapers, including in the burgeoning Chinese industry, is a wonderful asset to the journalism programme.

“His appointment as the most senior media figure in any WA journalism school means we can offer courses in new areas like media management and carry out world-class research.

“More importantly for our students, he’s already made a great transition from the newsroom to the lecture theatre as a generous, approachable teacher.”

Professor Maguire said he looked forward to using his experience of the media in China and Hong Kong to further develop Murdoch’s extensive collaborations in the region, build its student base and initiate major research projects.

“The rapid development of all media in China reflects the incredible growth throughout the country and the suite of disciplines offered by Murdoch, from journalism basics to cutting-edge technology and media management, push all the right buttons,” he said.

A Doctor of Business Administration and an MBA, Professor Maguire is adding to his academic credentials with the completion of his PhD at Murdoch on the media’s challenges in covering the chaos of major crises.

To learn more about living and learning down under, why not read the i-studentadvisor Australia guide.

Dr Kriti Narain, Principal of Jai Hind College in Mumbai and Professor John Vinney, Vice-Chancellor of UK based Bournemouth University, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding for the two institutions to work more closely together.

Jai Hind is a leading college in Mumbai, affiliated to the University of Mumbai. They have both Junior and Senior Colleges, the latter educating students to degree and masters level.  The subjects offered include Media, Commerce and Science.

The link between Jai Hind and BU has been developed by the University’s Media School and International Marketing & Student Recruitment Team.

Following the formal signing ceremony, the visitors met with Stephen Jukes, Dean of the Media School, and his colleagues followed by a tour of facilities.  They then visited with Dr Xavier Velay and Dr Reza Sahandi in the School of Design, Engineering and Computing before meeting Professor Matthew Bennett, Dean of the University’s School of Applied Sciences and visiting the School’s labs, escorted by Dr Daniel Franklyn and Iain Green.

This is the third visit BU has received from Jai Hind over the last year. Staff from BU have also made many visits to Jai Hind in Mumbai to meet staff and present to their students. This visit to BU was very successful and the University looks forward to developing the link further.