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Cardiff or Lancaster?

Hey everyone!
I'm stuck between Cardiff and Lancaster university (I kinda excluded Aberystwyth- International politics and the non-western world...). I would like to hear some opinions, also because I don't get the opportunity to visit any of them. Here are my pros and cons:

Lancaster-> PROS: the course (PEACE STUDIES and IR) (!)
-collegiate system
- ranking position
- nice city and surroundings (?)
CONS: higher fees and location of campus outside the city

Cardiff -> PROS: course includes a language (Politics & IR with a language
- lower fees and cheaper city
- beautiful city (!)
- russel group (?)
CONS: the course is broader/ more general (?)

There are 100 more, but here are the most crucial points I guess.
Any consideration/help will be appreciated. Thank you so much!
M.

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Original post by indigom
Hey everyone!
I'm stuck between Cardiff and Lancaster university (I kinda excluded Aberystwyth- International politics and the non-western world...). I would like to hear some opinions, also because I don't get the opportunity to visit any of them. Here are my pros and cons:

Lancaster-> PROS: the course (PEACE STUDIES and IR) (!)
-collegiate system
- ranking position
- nice city and surroundings (?)
CONS: higher fees and location of campus outside the city

Cardiff -> PROS: course includes a language (Politics & IR with a language
- lower fees and cheaper city
- beautiful city (!)
- russel group (?)
CONS: the course is broader/ more general (?)

There are 100 more, but here are the most crucial points I guess.
Any consideration/help will be appreciated. Thank you so much!
M.


Lancaster is very small for a city ( i would barely call it a city in my mind) although i suppose it does have it's charms. I think it depends on whether you want to live in a big uni city or whether you feel a small place is well suited to you?
Reply 2
hi
Original post by indigom
Hey everyone!
I'm stuck between Cardiff and Lancaster university (I kinda excluded Aberystwyth- International politics and the non-western world...). I would like to hear some opinions, also because I don't get the opportunity to visit any of them. Here are my pros and cons:

Lancaster-> PROS: the course (PEACE STUDIES and IR) (!)
-collegiate system
- ranking position
- nice city and surroundings (?)
CONS: higher fees and location of campus outside the city

Cardiff -> PROS: course includes a language (Politics & IR with a language
- lower fees and cheaper city
- beautiful city (!)
- russel group (?)
CONS: the course is broader/ more general (?)

There are 100 more, but here are the most crucial points I guess.
Any consideration/help will be appreciated. Thank you so much!
M.


The Russell Group tag attached to Cardiff won't make a difference to you or your post uni outcomes. Lancaster is still a very good uni and on a par with many Russell Group unis. As Claire Estelle said the difference between the two locations is important to consider, but I would argue if you prefer the course at Lancaster and you like the city and location then go for it.
Reply 4
Original post by claireestelle
Lancaster is very small for a city ( i would barely call it a city in my mind) although i suppose it does have it's charms. I think it depends on whether you want to live in a big uni city or whether you feel a small place is well suited to you?


You got the point. I might love the corse at Lancaster but I want to be sure I'll live in a place I enjoy. I'm sure I'd love Cardiff. I like the idea of being part of a college at Lancaster and at first an on-campus-life would be easier I guess but I wonder if I would miss *something*? Yeah I'm hella confused and I tend to overthink.

Original post by jelly1000
The Russell Group tag attached to Cardiff won't make a difference to you or your post uni outcomes. Lancaster is still a very good uni and on a par with many Russell Group unis. As Claire Estelle said the difference between the two locations is important to consider, but I would argue if you prefer the course at Lancaster and you like the city and location then go for it.


Thank you. You're totally right about the RG thing! I'm unsure about the location and its weight in my decision though.
Original post by indigom
You got the point. I might love the corse at Lancaster but I want to be sure I'll live in a place I enjoy. I'm sure I'd love Cardiff. I like the idea of being part of a college at Lancaster and at first an on-campus-life would be easier I guess but I wonder if I would miss *something*? Yeah I'm hella confused and I tend to overthink.


Well I haven't studied in lancaster but live near there so have visited a couple of times and personally i feel that for decent shopping you might have to travel to manchester/liverpool and i recon there would be much less in the way of night clubs in lancaster, but it is a very peaceful quite place whereas a from my couple of visits to cardiff comes across as very busy.

Are you absolutely certain you can't check them out by megabus or something? I believe it really would help.
Reply 6
Original post by claireestelle
Well I haven't studied in lancaster but live near there so have visited a couple of times and personally i feel that for decent shopping you might have to travel to manchester/liverpool and i recon there would be much less in the way of night clubs in lancaster, but it is a very peaceful quite place whereas a from my couple of visits to cardiff comes across as very busy.

Are you absolutely certain you can't check them out by megabus or something? I believe it really would help.


I don't live in the UK unfortunately :frown: and I have to firm (and 'insurance') a choice by 4th May. (btw- The conditions are slightly higher for Cardiff but meeting them should not be a problem)
Also: do you think the lower/higher fees are one of the valid criteria to choose?
Original post by indigom
I don't live in the UK unfortunately :frown: and I have to firm (and 'insurance':wink: a choice by 4th May. (btw- The conditions are slightly higher for Cardiff but meeting them should not be a problem)
Also: do you think the lower/higher fees are one of the valid criteria to choose?


I would think choosing on basis of fees would be a reasonable criteria.
Is Cardiff really cheaper as a city than Lancaster? I would've said it's the other way around, correct me if I'm wrong!
Reply 9
Original post by InternationalXX
Is Cardiff really cheaper as a city than Lancaster? I would've said it's the other way around, correct me if I'm wrong!


You are probably right! Makes sense.
Do you know any of the two cities? Experieces, suggestions...?
Original post by indigom
You are probably right! Makes sense.
Do you know any of the two cities? Experieces, suggestions...?


Hi there :smile:

I'm a student at Lancaster university so I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have about studying here.

I see that one of your concerns about Lancaster is that the campus is located outside of the city. While this is the case (we're pretty much surrounded by fields and you can get some lovely views) there are very, very regular bus services into town that take all of 10-15 minutes, so it isn't that far at all.

The 'city' itself, like Claire has said, is quite small and you can easily find your way around it. There are a decent amount of shops and restaurants dotted around but I wouldn't say it's magnificent. I personally like this as I'm terrified of getting myself lost in a big city, but if you want to have a real 'city' feel you probably won't get it here. I think it makes up for it though in terms of its historical buildings- it's got quite a lot of character.
Original post by indigom
You are probably right! Makes sense.
Do you know any of the two cities? Experieces, suggestions...?


All I know is from research, I'm not even from the UK, though I know Lancaster is very small and I believe it should be cheaper than most cities. I don't know anything for sure, I was rather asking than claiming to know for sure. In fact, I've also been wondering about the living costs in Lancaster :angry: Can't seem to find a reliable source.

Anyway, congratulations on your offers and whatever you choose, you'll have a great time and great graduate prospects! :tongue: Not gonna make any suggestions as I'm obviously bias (firmed Lancaster) and I'm in the same position as you are (outside the UK, so not very knowledgeable uni wise), but they're both great. Check the course content, see where the focus of the course is and what optional modules you have, this might be a decisive factor for you.
Original post by Claros
Hi there :smile:

I'm a student at Lancaster university so I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have about studying here.

I see that one of your concerns about Lancaster is that the campus is located outside of the city. While this is the case (we're pretty much surrounded by fields and you can get some lovely views) there are very, very regular bus services into town that take all of 10-15 minutes, so it isn't that far at all.

The 'city' itself, like Claire has said, is quite small and you can easily find your way around it. There are a decent amount of shops and restaurants dotted around but I wouldn't say it's magnificent. I personally like this as I'm terrified of getting myself lost in a big city, but if you want to have a real 'city' feel you probably won't get it here. I think it makes up for it though in terms of its historical buildings- it's got quite a lot of character.


Hello! Could you tell me a bit about the living costs and how affordable is living in Lancaster? Just a general idea :smile:
Original post by InternationalXX
Hello! Could you tell me a bit about the living costs and how affordable is living in Lancaster? Just a general idea :smile:


Hey :smile:

If you're looking to live on campus I would suggest going directly onto Lancaster University's website and checking the costs of accommodation there, but generally I would say the prices are pretty good and not too expensive in comparison to other unis, particularly in the south (which I've heard is renowned for being generally more expensive to live in). The only issue I have is that using the laundry services here can be expensive, but I think that's due to the company that owns the service (circuit) rather than the university itself.

If you're wanting to know about off campus accommodation, I'm pretty sure that for a standard house the prices are generally around £95 p/w but this obviously changes depending on what you want from your room. If you're interested in seeing what sort of houses/flats are available within the city for students Yellow Door Lets is a pretty popular company here.

In terms of food, the closest big supermarket to do a proper shop in (to the university) I'd say is Sainsbury's, which in itself is a little expensive. However, I personally do my shopping online at Tesco and get it delivered, which is a cheaper option. There are shops on campus too, such as spar and a co-op, if you need other things. There are also a lot of places to eat on campus that I would consider good value so if you want to eat out with friends there's always that option (and it's cheaper than having to go into town). I personally don't drink but I hear people comment that drinks are cheap in comparison to other places (and there seem to be countless offers for drinks in the clubs here).

Transport I'd say is pretty good value, I can get a return into the town centre (which is about 15 minutes away from the university) for £2.50 on the bus. If you're likely to use the bus frequently, there is also a unirider available.

Not sure where to put this final bit, but Lancaster University students can sign up to a purple card which can allow them to get discounts in certain stores. I wish I could remember how much the discount was, but I was able to use this in a Select clothing shop, so I'd think you'd be able to use it quite often.

I hope I've answered your question ok, if not feel free to clarify a bit further :smile: Sorry for the paragraph, I got a bit carried away
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by Claros
Hey :smile:

If you're looking to live on campus I would suggest going directly onto Lancaster University's website and checking the costs of accommodation there, but generally I would say the prices are pretty good and not too expensive in comparison to other unis, particularly in the south (which I've heard is renowned for being generally more expensive to live in). The only issue I have is that using the laundry services here can be expensive, but I think that's due to the company that owns the service (circuit) rather than the university itself.

If you're wanting to know about off campus accommodation, I'm pretty sure that for a standard house the prices are generally around £95 p/w but this obviously changes depending on what you want from your room. If you're interested in seeing what sort of houses/flats are available within the city for students Yellow Door Lets is a pretty popular company here.

In terms of food, the closest big supermarket to do a proper shop in (to the university) I'd say is Sainsbury's, which in itself is a little expensive. However, I personally do my shopping online at Tesco and get it delivered, which is a cheaper option. There are shops on campus too, such as spar and a co-op, if you need other things. There are also a lot of places to eat on campus that I would consider good value so if you want to eat out with friends there's always that option (and it's cheaper than having to go into town). I personally don't drink but I hear people comment that drinks are cheap in comparison to other places (and there seem to be countless offers for drinks in the clubs here).

Transport I'd say is pretty good value, I can get a return into the town centre (which is about 15 minutes away from the university) for £2.50 on the bus. If you're likely to use the bus frequently, there is also a unirider available.

Not sure where to put this final bit, but Lancaster University students can sign up to a purple card which can allow them to get discounts in certain stores. I wish I could remember how much the discount was, but I was able to use this in a Select clothing shop, so I'd think you'd be able to use it quite often.

I hope I've answered your question ok, if not feel free to clarify a bit further :smile: Sorry for the paragraph, I got a bit carried away


THANKS! I've heard all kinds of things and I actually wanted to know from someone who lives there. It's pretty reassuring :redface:
Reply 15
Original post by InternationalXX
Check the course content, see where the focus of the course is and what optional modules you have, this might be a decisive factor for you


Thank you :smile: Although I was leaning toward the course at Lancaster (because of the 'peace studies' part), a friend of mine noticed that a more 'general' course (like the one at Cardiff, Politics & IR with a language) might be a good start to find new interests to develop as a postgraduate student (or through optional modules). AAAAAAH hard choice :bricks:
BTW; which course do you have an offer for?

Original post by Claros
I hope I've answered your question ok, if not feel free to clarify a bit further :smile: Sorry for the paragraph, I got a bit carried away


Thank you so much. This helped a lot. I will contact you if I need further information.
Original post by indigom
Thank you :smile: Although I was leaning toward the course at Lancaster (because of the 'peace studies' part), a friend of mine noticed that a more 'general' course (like the one at Cardiff, Politics & IR with a language) might be a good start to find new interests to develop as a postgraduate student (or through optional modules). AAAAAAH hard choice :bricks:
BTW; which course do you have an offer for?



Thank you so much. This helped a lot. I will contact you if I need further information.


I have an offer for Psychology :tongue:
What are the exact names of the two courses? I'll guess they are both with "AND" (IR and Politics/Peace Studies). In this case, both of the courses are with "AND", which means that there will be an equal split between IR and the other subject, so basically the amount of IR you will be doing will be pretty much the same. Now, you have to think about which one you'd rather do- Peace Studies or Politics?- alongside IR. Although Peace Studies does sound less general than Politics, and Politics would sound more appealing imo. And an additional language would defo help massively. Check all the modules listed (not just the general idea of the course) and see which ones sound better, each uni has a different approach to the subject whilst still teaching all the requirements. Also, check this:
http://www.lusi.lancaster.ac.uk/CoursesHandbook/ModuleDetails/OnlineModules?yearId=000116&categoryCodeLid=000622&sortOrder=1&urlSearch=CompleteByDepartment

Although IR isn't there by name, some of the modules are under the "Politics, Philosophy and Religion" category (for example, at Lancaster, in your first year, you'd be doing POLI100- Politics and International Relations in the Contemporary World). Check your course's modules to see which ones you'd be doing and read an in-depth description. To do this fairly, search for the same thing for Cardiff's modules, see which ones you like better. Both unis are great, now the course should be the main focus. :biggrin:
Heya, I've moved this to a more appropriate forum for you :h:

I see you have been given lots of useful information already, but check out this page as well for more university-specific information.
Original post by InternationalXX
I have an offer for Psychology :tongue:


I just noticed this, but I'm actually a Psychology student here too. So if you have any course specific questions feel free to ask me!
Original post by Claros
I just noticed this, but I'm actually a Psychology student here too. So if you have any course specific questions feel free to ask me!


Wow! Perfect then! :biggrin: I must've stumbled across a gold mine!

First off, how do you find teaching so far? I've heard mixed opinions about the quality of the department, ranging from amazing to not the best choice but not all of them were from people who actually studied there, so inside scoop would be just what I need!

Secondly, what about work experience and volunteering opportunities? Related to psychology, to be specific. Is the fact that it's a small city a disadvantage? I've heard of the voluntary placement programme and it certainly sounded awesome, pretty supportive and focused on employability.

Also, is it true than you choose if you wanna graduate with a BA or BSc Psych in your third year?

Oh, and what minor did you choose in your first year? :tongue:

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