In general, it has to be said that the level at the SDSU is relatively low compared to the University of Mannheim and that you can travel and surf a lot despite being present.
Unfortunately, I had to take five courses (Mannheim would not have recognized the semester otherwise). Since the “tuition fee” unfortunately only includes four courses, I had to pay around $ 700.
I took the courses:
BA350 – Management & Organizational Behavior at Lily Zhou (Special Session)
This course was the easiest course I have ever had. The grade consisted of four parts: 1. Participation. Ms. Zhou wanted us to have a current topic prepared for each lesson. She would then always randomly call up people who then had to briefly introduce the topic. 2. Presence. 3. An “Essay Contest”. The course was all about this “Essay Contest”, a project she thought up and worked on. 4. The final exam. For the final you should present on two pages what you have learned in this course.
Everyone on this course got an A.
CJ 300: Crime, Law & Justice with Nicole L. Bracy (On Campus)
I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. Relatively high effort compared to the other courses. Uninteresting content and many small exams. Advantage: This is a “hybrid course”. This means that the lecture takes place online every 14 days. My grade: A.
HTM 201: Introduction to Hospitality and Tourism Management at A. Dillete (On Campus)
Super easy course. Recommended to everyone who wants to get a good grade. Simple exams, but a lot of effort during the semester. A music video has to be shot. Big disadvantage: For guest lectures (approx. Every 14 days) you have to come in a suit and tie. My grade: A.
JMS 460: Principles of Advertising at B. Mueller (On Campus)
A lot of effort by American standards. There were four exams for which you had to learn a lot by heart. No comparison to Mannheim, but my most complex, but also most interesting course at SDSU. My grade: A.
MGT 475 Leadership in Organizations with Mark E. Nicholson (Special Session)
This course consists of exams and a project. In my opinion, the evaluation of the project is unfair, as some of the students are allowed to evaluate and therefore the grade depends on whether your own friends are currently evaluating your project or strangers from the course. The exams were relatively demanding and involved learning by heart. My grade B +.
I lived in the Fifty-Twenty-Five near the university. I wouldn’t recommend that to anyone. It was $ 750 per month per person sharing. There was a pool, a gym (very old and small. You have a free membership in the university gym, which is huge.) And a shuttle service to the university (every 20 minutes). All in all, it was more convenient to live there. But I would recommend 63 Boulevard to anyone looking for an off-campus apartment complex. It’s newer, nicer, bigger and offers even more for the same price. The disadvantage here is that you have to rent for an entire year. If you move out after six months, you have to look after a new tenant independently. The Fifty-Twenty-Five could only be rented for half a year (for a surcharge). In general, I would recommend everyone to stay on the beach (preferably Pacific Beach). Most of them only have to take four courses and thus get two to three days of uni per week. It takes about 20-25 minutes to drive from there, but it works with two days at university.
For those looking to rent a car in San Diego , there are inexpensive alternatives to the standard car rental companies.
In general, it has to be said that the cars in the rentals listed below are all extremely old and “used”. According to Topschoolsoflaw.com, you also have to be careful with the insurance. For example, I had a deductible of $ 1,500 (the whole car was probably worth that much).
There is “Renty car rental”. Here, a nine-year-old Toyota Yaris costs about $ 350 per month. There is also “dirt cheap car rental”. Dirty cheap car rental is very popular with SDSU exchange students and I would recommend reserving a car there in advance. I got there and wanted to rent a car, but all the cars in the cheaper price range were already rented. A cheap car here costs around $ 400. However, you also get a really, really old and broken car. I had rented my car from “Express rent a car”. This incurs high costs for those under the age of 21. My car was $ 400 a month because I rented it for four months and paid for it in advance. From the outside, the car looked relatively good. Inside, however, it left a lot to be desired.