Course content

In Japan, Arts Management study is not very popular and there are few universities that provide Arts Management or similar courses for postgraduate study. I am interested in international comparisons of arts and cultural industries; and Queen’s provides the exact module that I want to study. Through the seminars, we can gain both theoretical and practical perspectives and we have a lot of time for discussions in class, which help to improve my English skills.

Also, I was passionate about having a work placement as a part of curriculum to gain on-site experience. In the Queen’s Arts Management course, we have a compulsory module of work placement and choose our place from a wide range of arts organisations in Belfast. This is beneficial for us not only for getting experience, but also thinking about our career opportunities in the future.

Abundance of events

Queen’s provides a wide range of social events, especially during Freshers' Week. In the Thomas J Moran Graduate School, I participated in a welcome event where I was able to meet other postgraduate students from other courses and other countries. It was great opportunity to make new friends and learn how diverse Queen’s is. The connections with other international students are important for me and they have helped me a lot so far.

Living environment in Belfast

As an international student, I was really worried about the cost of living. Northern Ireland has the lowest student living costs in the UK (Save the Student National Student Money Survey 2024), so we are able to live without significant financial stress. It was astonishing to me that we can buy spaghetti for 27p (about ¥60) per 500g in a supermarket! I live in Queen’s accommodation now, it is well-equipped and cosy. Sometimes I have parties with my flat mates or friends.

Cavehill Country Park

Arts vibrancy

In Belfast, you can find museums, theatres and cinemas around the city. Ulster Museum particularly has huge collections, such as paintings, pottery, and historical items, you might need several days to see everything it exhibits.

On top of that, Late Night Art Belfast takes place on the first Thursday of every month. You can explore galleries and venues throughout Belfast for free and experience unique local art works, such a precious adventure!

Spare time

I often join the events at the university or in accommodation in my spare time. The School of Arts, English and Languages holds a number of events regularly, such as coffee chat, painting and plants - it is a good time to relax and interact with other students in the same school.

When I want to concentrate on studying, the McClay library is my favourite place to be. There are plenty of study areas and meeting rooms for us, I always go there with my laptop, tablet, and notes to prepare for or review lectures. Also, there is a café on the ground floor, so it's perfect for taking a break when I feel tired.

Studying in the McClay

Tips for Japanese students: Join a webinar and become familiar with Belfast!

It is difficult to know about and imagine your university life from Japan, not to mention visiting Belfast. If you are still thinking about it, I highly recommend attending a webinar of a school or a course you are interested in for now. You will be able to gain valuable information about what you will learn and how current students study by looking at some pictures and videos which are not on the internet, or listen to student speakers.

If you already have an offer from Queen’s, congratulations! I would suggest you learn about Belfast, the city itself, before coming here. Belfast has a long and deep history and it is worthwhile learning about, making your life here enriched. In addition, you should think about what you will bring, especially food and clothes. Sometimes it is difficult to find things that we use in Japan, and it might be expensive even once you've found them. To save money and for peace of mind, it would be better to think about it as soon as possible.

Find out more

Take a Virtual Tour of Queen's

Information for students from Japan

Everything You Need to Know as a First-Year Queen’s University Student

Five Things That Seem Scary at University - And How to Deal With Them

Reina Oda MA Arts Management | Postgraduate Student | Japan Hello there! I’m Reina from Yokohama, Japan and currently doing a Master’s in Arts Management at Queen’s. I love watching stage plays and musicals, and sometimes exploring the city is great for me to relax after working hard. Belfast is a vibrant place, especially for arts, so I’ve been really enjoying my life here so far! Thank you for reading my blog and I hope this helps you!