Our collection of real, honest student reviews of unis and courses is the largest in the UK, and help you make well-informed decisions about your future. Student reviews also form the basis of our annual Whatuni Student Choice Awards(WUSCAs), which highlight great work carried out by institutions for their students.
2023 WUSCA winners
Amazing student union, with good facilities. May not be for everyone but in such a lovely rural area with many farms around for students to work at. Lots of good facilities such as the future farm and soil hall.
Most lecturers are really good but some can ruin the subject due to certain way of teaching and unenthusiasm towards Agrics
Only problem is you have to get a taxi from Newport back to Harper, although it is only £7 and very cheap if split between a group of you. Loads of shops to do food shopping and other things. Loads of pubs!
Quite old fashioned but well maintained and really sociable. Really close to the SU which is very convinient.
Harper is a university of mostly like-minded people and has a good balance of work and play whilst looking after its students with easily available support and good facilities. Being in the countryside means there is also lots of space.
Loads of contact hours with the lecturers works very well, generally smaller lecture sizes compared to most universities making the course feel more personal. Strong emphasis on how the degree will be used in the real world and compulsory placements to ensure students gain experience in the fields they are interested in before leaving.
Generally, nothing to complain about, good facilities and well located. Unfortunately very close to the students union so can become a little noisy if you are trying to sleep instead of going to the party...
Majority of the lecturers have worked in the industry themselves and are able to use there own case studies to support the learning. Furthermore the placement year is excellent idea.
Being in person is mucb better post covid. The university could use the farm to teach us more and share accounts etc
Needs reinvestment and new furnishings
Best - the people, like minded Worst - SU is run as a business and doesn’t have the students interest at heart
Great lectures
Expensive
I love the area and how campus is also a working farm. The facilities are great especially the library and new veterinary education centre. The SU is very proactive and good at putting events on.
The new veterinary education centre is very good and well equipped for both lectures and practical sessions, so we are more prepared for placement.
The technicians were very good at responding to us and replaced or fixed anything very efficiently.
They have a wide range of activities and socials for different people as well as a wide range of courses with suitable accommodation on campus and around the area. The location is more rural so it is harder to get around if you can’t drive but they do offer a minibus surface to take you into the nearby towns.
It covers everything you need to know with both lectures and practical sessions to help understand the content. There is also a 2 placement sessions: one at the end of first year and the whole of third year across the course so we can get experience within the industry and put what we learn into practice
Different types of accommodation available at different prices to help accommodate everyone with all amenities that may be needed covered.
Great range of facilities and up-to-date technology to enhance studies. Lecturers and student support staff are very accommodating to learning difficulties and provide a well-rounded support network to complete module work, especially understanding information from a different point of view. From coming from a country/farm background, the campus feel and look makes you feel at home and has a lovely small community feel to it.
Great course with an interesting spin on the food industry and nutrition. Could have more nutrition-focused modules as can feel a bit too business heavy at times which is not something I thought of when choosing to study nutrition however it was made aware to us in the descriptor that the course would be aimed at industry rather than health, however, would prefer more nutrition options. Was unsure at the time that nutrition placements were few and far between which was quite disappointing, however, Harper has great career prospects and contacts therefore not worried about future graduation.
Best Ascpects: Great location in rural setting means you are surrounded by the outdoors and on-site farm, a really healthy environment to study. Being a small university, there is a real sense of community. Worst Aspects: Since joining in 2018, the students Union has become more restrictive towards clubs/societies and events so th quality of social events is not what it used to be.
Smaller class size relative to other universities mean you have a close relationship with lecturers and staff, you feel like a part of the Harper community and have plenty of support. Compulsory placement year was a great learning opportunity where you get to work as a professional in industry. This benefits your knowledge and work ethic heading into final year(s) of study. Practical approach to teaching with excellent workshop facilities and staff important in becoming an industry-ready engineer. Also great links with industry that support group projects. However, workload required between modules with same credit value is unbalanced. For example large engineering design projects can be worth as much as a single business related assignment despite contributing equally to your degree.
Excellent value for money in catered accommodation, 3 good size meals a day. Good sized rooms with modern shared bathrooms. WiFi on campus is fast There are shared kitchens on each floor for cooking on the weekend when the canteen is shut. Social room on the first floor was great for playing games as a house.
Better student support- more mental health facilities Better access to get onto campus- Shuttle bus can be unreliable and full
Lots of contact time however some modules have no relevance to our course area and are not enjoyable. Would prefer more focused modules about nutrition. Good study support
Good places for coffee and brunch with friends Not much nightlife and issues with safety on nights out Nice walks along the canal etc.
Good however I was allocated a room with a massive tree in front of the window so my room was constantly dark which made it difficult to work in. Had flatmates who went home every weekend so was left alone in the flat. Good internet but awful signal for phone calls. Good housekeeping every day and if problems were reported they got fixed as soon as possible
The facilities allow for hands on learning, all the equipment one could need is there and staff are always more than happy to help you. The sporting facilities, the hockey pitch, needs updating.
Lecturers and staff are always happy to help and often show real interest and support in what you are trying to accomplish. The facilities are great and there are so many opportunities to hands on experiment and test theories and parts. Timetabling doesn’t put us in our own building a lot of the time
Nice, clean and comfortable, all you need and expect from halls. We had loads of kitchen space and a generous on-suite. Best thing is the included laundry service!