University of Essex

Colchester

Psychology - Essex or Kent?

Hello,
So I got my offers but can't decide where to go; I want to study BSc Psychology. It's between Uni of Kent and Uni of Essex - if you were in my position, what would you choose? I know Kent is higher in rankings for psychology, but Essex is good for research - please help! Please share your experience with either of them - will be much appreciated.

PS. I already booked some open days. Just wanted to hear your opinion before I go and visit them.

Thanks,
Mollie

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 1

ByronicHero

Rankings are completely irrelevant, choose the one with the course you like best.

University of Essex

Colchester

Visit website

Reply 2

WhatTheFunk

Go on the opens days and that will give you a feel of the place to see if you like it or not

Reply 3

goldlight

Original post by mollie-

Kent! It has a bit better reputation.. (unfortunately, reputation still matters!)

Reply 4

ByronicHero

Original post by goldlight

Kent! It has a bit better reputation.. (unfortunately, reputation still matters!)

Hardly, and not when we are talking about Kent and Essex it doesn't.

Pointless argument to have though and we are both entitled to our opinions etcetc

Reply 5

mollie-

Original post by paddy__power

Hardly, and not when we are talking about Kent and Essex it doesn't.

Pointless argument to have though and we are both entitled to our opinions etcetc

I thought Kent was seen as a much better uni than Essex? I'm probably wrong though

Reply 6

ByronicHero

Original post by mollie-

I thought Kent was seen as a much better uni than Essex? I'm probably wrong though

It isn't, except by people who don't really know what they are talking about. I am of the personal opinion that Kent is indeed better for many, possibly most, things but it isn't much better in almost all cases and Essex is easily better for social sciences, for example. With regard to reputation mattering: yes it does, but neither of them are top universities and as such they will be considered, broadly, part of a large group of universities that are not "top". This can vary depending on what exactly you mean by reputation and frankly most people don't even know what they mean by reputation. If you mean employers then the difference between the two is definitely negligible.

Simply put, define "better" and then offer evidence. Ask most people to do this and they fail at one or both hurdles.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 7

Fuzzpig

Original post by paddy__power

What are you basing this on? Kent is much better for Law and Psychology, close for Politics for example.

I am basing this on a league table, but it's the only easy way of doing so. Why is Essex easily better for Social Sciences, in your opinion?

Reply 8

cardine92

Original post by mollie-

Being good for research isn't always the best thing, I have at least one lecturer that I can think of that is so caught up in his own research that teaching a bunch of first years isn't high up on his list of priorities. My lecturers also have the annoying habit of cancelling lectures whilst they jet off to Uganda :rolleyes:

I don't know anyone at Essex but I know quite a few at Kent and they all seem to like living in Canterbury. Once you are at uni you really don't care about league table, so think about it, do you really want to live in Colchester? Or Southend or wherever.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 9

ByronicHero

Original post by aliluvschoc

I know people who have done several courses at both universities and am aware of the courses otherwise in a few cases (politics, mainly, and I disagree that it is close [but this is very opinion based]), I also have the opinions of various family and friends [and by extension their colleagues) regarding the reputation with "employers" in fields such as finance, accountancy and management. League tables do not define which course is "better" at all, nor does my personal opinion (based on many opinions though it is) but people shouldn't be so quick (and this includes myself) to say that X is "better" than Y without knowing why it is better. Why is Kent better for Psychology (or indeed Law), in your opinion? Is the course intrinsically better (I believe they are both fine with regards to the BPS)? Does it lead to better graduate prospects? If so then how are you qualifying this statement and why does that make the course better? Why is it close for politics? Are you basing this on the course or the non academic benefits of it? Etcetc. You don't actually need to answer the questions because I don't really care but they are there simply to illustrate my aversion to people throwing around "better" with no qualification beyond league tables.

I assume you are a Kent student so it isn't surprising that you think the above (in group out group and all that jazz) :tongue:

. I was a student at Essex and hated it, I would far prefer to have gone to Kent I think but not because it is a better university, but because it would have been better for me with regards to what was personally important to me and when people use tables and such to make their decisions they negate their own ability (in many cases) to match their needs and wants to universities that can satisfy them.

In short: people just need to think far more about their application choices.

Reply 10

catoswyn

Original post by mollie-

One thing to consider is if either course offers any placements. A psychology course that offers placements as part of the degree is very useful in terms of progressing in psychology work afterwards. I would definitely look at any links the two psychology departments have with outside agencies and chances to get work experience.

Reply 11

Jackso

Original post by paddy__power

I assume you are a Kent student so it isn't surprising that you think the above (in group out group and all that jazz) :tongue:

I'm just wondering, what made you hate Essex? Was that due to your course structure or because of the university location?

Reply 12

ByronicHero

Original post by Jackso

I'm just wondering, what made you hate Essex? Was that due to your course structure or because of the university location?

Course - the location was nice.

Reply 13

mollie-

Original post by paddy__power

Course - the location was nice.

What did you study if you don't mind me asking? Sorry if I'm too nosey

Reply 14

ByronicHero

Original post by mollie-

What did you study if you don't mind me asking? Sorry if I'm too nosey

English.

Reply 15

SophiaKeuning

Original post by paddy__power

English.

I've applied to Essex for English & History... Oh dear. :teehee:

Hopefully Cardiff or Sussex will have me though.
Anyway, OP I know someone who does Psych at Kent and loves it. That's all I can offer.

Your avatar's Johnny Cash? (I swear it is..). If it is, Folsom Prison Blues is a favourite of mine.

(edited 12 years ago)

Reply 16

ByronicHero

Original post by SophiaKeuning

I've applied to Essex for English & History... Oh dear. :teehee:

It was indeed, but I've changed it now :smile:

Reply 17

LettersFromTheSky

I'm at Essex, what I will say about the first year is I don't have much love for the first yearcourse structure. There's only one module on actual psychology topics, each lecture covers a whole topic and you get one 2 hour lecture per week. You'll also have tutorials for this module, but most of them are study skills and imo are useless. If you've done a-level psychology, especially aqa a, you'll find this stuff quite repetitive. Research methods again is an hour lecture per week, very similar to a level. Also a one hour lab class/tutorial class each week. You then have Statistics for psychologists, which for us is mostly a two hour lecture and a lab class each week , the lecturer is really good and I've gotta say, thats probably the module i enjoy the most, never thought i'd say that!

Then for the fourth module you get a choice of a list of modules from different department you pick from there what you study.