The Student Room Group

Warwick Business school v/s St Andrews

Hi everyone!

I am in a major dilemma and I really hope you can all help me:bird:

I have an offer from the Warwick Business School for an MSc in Management, and an offer from St Andrews for an MLitt. in Management. I have no idea which option would be better!
I am looking at a career in banking or consultancy, and I've been told Warwick has a great employment rate.

Which is a better choice? Which college has a better reputation? I am going crazy trying to figure this out. Bear in mind that I have paid the deposit to St andrews:frown: I could live with losing it, but just putting it out there....

Thanks in advance for your help:smile:
Reply 1
Nobody?:frown:
Reply 2
The prestige that is attached to the University of St Andrews makes it popular among employers. It is ranked by the Guardian as the fourth best university in the UK, while Warwick is ranked fifth. Other domestic league tables such as the Times, Sunday Times and Independent also favour St Andrews, ranking it as the sixth best nationally.
Reply 3
Original post by AviG123
The prestige that is attached to the University of St Andrews makes it popular among employers. It is ranked by the Guardian as the fourth best university in the UK, while Warwick is ranked fifth. Other domestic league tables such as the Times, Sunday Times and Independent also favour St Andrews, ranking it as the sixth best nationally.

Warwick is generally considered more prestigious for banking, at least at undergraduate level. Oxbridge/London/Warwick are usually listed as the 6 main targets which ibanks try to recruit from. It may be different at Masters level, however, and the fact St Andrews isnt a target is probably related to its location.

Both universities are highly rated though; realistically if you get a good degree from either you should be ok.
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 4
st andys gives 2.1 and 1st degrees only. no 2.2. so you got better chances of getting a great degree.
Reply 5
Original post by frilini
st andys gives 2.1 and 1st degrees only. no 2.2. so you got better chances of getting a great degree.

This is nonsense, masters degrees dont use the 2:1/2:2/etc classification scheme, and St Andrews does award 2:2s at undergrad

http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/staff/policy/tlac/examinations/classification/
Reply 6
Original post by poohat
This is nonsense, masters degrees dont use the 2:1/2:2/etc classification scheme, and St Andrews does award 2:2s at undergrad

http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/staff/policy/tlac/examinations/classification/


i am using the 2.1 and 1st because this is the most common grading system in uk. i am well aware that st andys does not classify their degrees like that.
i do not know what undergrads get. and the question is about an MLitt. the grading system is 0-20. 14 and above you get the masters=2.1. above 16.5 equals to 1st. dissertation is graded seperately from classes. you need above 16.5 in both the dissertation and the exams to get a first class.
Reply 7
Original post by frilini
i am using the 2.1 and 1st because this is the most common grading system in uk. i am well aware that st andys does not classify their degrees like that.
i do not know what undergrads get. and the question is about an MLitt. the grading system is 0-20. 14 and above you get the masters=2.1. above 16.5 equals to 1st. dissertation is graded seperately from classes. you need above 16.5 in both the dissertation and the exams to get a first class.

UK universities do not use a 2:1/2:2 classification system for Masters degrees. A Masters is either a fail, a pass, or a distinction. St Andrews is no different: http://www.google.co.uk/search?sugexp=chrome,mod=9&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=st+andrews+masters+pass+fail+distinction
Reply 8
Original post by poohat
UK universities do not use a 2:1/2:2 classification system for Masters degrees. A Masters is either a fail, a pass, or a distinction. St Andrews is no different: http://www.google.co.uk/search?sugexp=chrome,mod=9&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=st+andrews+masters+pass+fail+distinction


well excuse moi. you get my point however. st andys does not have written on their degrees any of these. (i dunno about undergrads though)
but they do ask about the classification when you apply for a job. and you either get to reply as 2.1/1 or upper second/ lower second etc. even for your masters.
Reply 9
St Andrews classifies their degrees, both under the same way that Warwick (and every other UK university) does, both at undergraduate and Masters level.

No job should ask whether you got a 2:1 in your Masters, because you cannot get a 2:1 in a Masters. If they are asking this, it will be in reference to your undergraduate degree.

I'm not sure how you can claim to have two Masters degrees and yet not know how they are assessed.
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 10
Original post by poohat
St Andrews classifies degrees the same way that Warwick (and every other UK university) does, there is no difference.

No job should ask whether you got a 2:1 in your Masters, because you cannot get a 2:1 in a Masters. If they are asking this, it will be in reference to your undergraduate degree.

I'm not sure how you can claim to have two Masters degrees and yet not know how they are assessed.


because ive always been asked if i have a 2.1 or a 1st. its simple.
Reply 11
Most jobs do ask whether you had a 2:1 degree or not, but I always assumed they were referring to the undergraduate degree.
For the postgraduate degree, the classification is always Pass, Merit or Distinction ( to my knowledge).

Of course, if somebody individually wants to calculate whether or not their postgraduate marks fall under the 2:1 category or not, that it entirely different. I don't think the university will classify it like that though.
Reply 12
Anyway, can we please get back to which one of the two is a better university? :wink:
Reply 13
it depends on what youre looking for. have you gone through the syllabus? which one do you prefer?
from personal experience i would go for st andys. but i am biased.
i do not know how life is at warwickshire, but it is quite good in scotland. nearly no crime at all, quiet place, good health insurance, great professors.
Reply 14
Original post by frilini
it depends on what youre looking for. have you gone through the syllabus? which one do you prefer?
from personal experience i would go for st andys. but i am biased.
i do not know how life is at warwickshire, but it is quite good in scotland. nearly no crime at all, quiet place, good health insurance, great professors.


Since it is just a one year course, I am more focused on which is the better college rather than which would be the better place to live in.
In any case, both St Andrews and warwick are quite remote in terms of location and in that respect I am honestly keen on neither. LOL

The safety aspect concerns me. I have heard that Coventry(where I will live if I go to Warwick) is not very safe at all. Don't know how far that is true....

As for the course, I think the workload at Warwick will be far more. OTOH, their syllabus is more comprehensive. It includes desk based research in a company as well as meetings with potential employers.

Arrrgh!! I am beyond confused:frown::frown::frown:
Reply 15
by the way, st andys IS a target for top employees. most of my classmates were hired from a big4 company straight after dissertation. also, there are some companies who hire only from top unis. and both these two are on the list.
do both? :tongue:
Reply 16
Original post by frilini
by the way, st andys IS a target for top employees. most of my classmates were hired from a big4 company straight after dissertation. also, there are some companies who hire only from top unis. and both these two are on the list.
do both? :tongue:


Ah, you were at St A's! Can you tell me a bit more about the general experience there? What course did you do?

Also, which companies usually hire from St A? To my knowledge they don't have employers recruiting from campus very often, but I could be wrong.
Reply 17
Original post by UptownGirl7
Ah, you were at St A's! Can you tell me a bit more about the general experience there? What course did you do?

Also, which companies usually hire from St A? To my knowledge they don't have employers recruiting from campus very often, but I could be wrong.


Yeah i did the MLitt in finance & management a few years ago. We had recruiters coming over, they did not hire straight away from the campus-things might have changed now.
Overall it was great. Very quiet sometimes, but safe and the uni helped us with anything we wanted. Everyone knows everyone there. You can walk on your pyjamas at 4am and none will hurt you.
The companies that hire are the usual ones. The big 4s, top consulting firms, etc.
The grading was ok. It is not easy to get 17/20, but its not too difficult either.
Reply 18
Original post by UptownGirl7
Hi everyone!

I am in a major dilemma and I really hope you can all help me:bird:

I have an offer from the Warwick Business School for an MSc in Management, and an offer from St Andrews for an MLitt. in Management. I have no idea which option would be better!
I am looking at a career in banking or consultancy, and I've been told Warwick has a great employment rate.

Which is a better choice? Which college has a better reputation? I am going crazy trying to figure this out. Bear in mind that I have paid the deposit to St andrews:frown: I could live with losing it, but just putting it out there....

Thanks in advance for your help:smile:


Warwick is more highly regarded career wise.
The business school is quite good as well.

Quick Reply

Latest

Trending

Trending