Oxford Brookes or Brunel??

Im stuck on choosing a firm place for a Sports Science sandwich course on UCAS.
Its between Oxford Brookes and Brunel, both are asking for the same grades.

On visiting both I found that for the actual course and academic facilities I am favouring Brunel, however for the general uni campus, accommodation etc I prefer Brookes.
I have put in a lot of thought to try and separate the two but I'm still struggling to work out my choice.
I want a good education with the best chances to get involved in research and gain a good placement, however I also want a nice uni life outside of the course, which for some reason I just didn't quite feel when looking around Brunel.

Too help me out can anyone tell me a bit about:
1. The course and quality of education received
2. The general university feel
3. The nightlife
4. The local area
5. The sports clubs, (My main sport is Rugby (League and Union)
6. The placements offered
And any general points good or bad about either

Thanks

Reply 1

Oxford Brookes University

Official Rep

Hey there, sounds like you have a difficult choice ahead of you! I can definitely tell you a little more about the Oxford Brookes side of things, so let me answer your questions in order:

1) The course and quality of education received: Our students on the Sports Science course have rated it very highly on the most recent National Student Survey. 98% said that they were satisfied with the quality of the course, and stated that staff were good at explaining things. 97% said that the staff made the subject interesting and 94% said that the course was intellectually stimulating. So overall the students are very happy with the quality of their education here

2) The general university feel: This is a very subjective idea and really, the only way to find out whether the general atmosphere of a place is right for you is to visit. It sounds like you've already visited both universities you are considering, so think back and try and reflect on which one you felt more comfortable in. Remember, this is the place you'll be spending 3 years or more so you need to be able to picture yourself enjoying your life there. That doesn't just mean the campus but also the local area you'd likely be based in second and third year. If you wanted to come back and visit Oxford Brookes we run campus tours almost every day during the week.

3) The nightlife: Given that Oxford has one of the highest student densities in the UK, the nightlife here is very much geared towards the student population. So whether you're into cheesy club nights, more of an underground music scene or just chilled nights in some quaint and historic pubs, Oxford pretty much has whatever you're after. If you're ever doing a big night out in London, there is a coach service which runs through the night and drops you off right outside the University campus.

4) The local area: again, this is pretty subjective, and it's worth going to have a look around the area where the university is based. Many of our students live in a vibrant area of town called Cowley which is famous for its independent shops, bars and restaurants, and is often seen as Oxford's answer to Camden. Generally the local area is very safe, and the Students' Union run a Safety Bus which can give you a ride home late at night if needed.

5) Sports clubs: Brookes has both a Rugby Union and a Rugby League team. According to the British Universities and Colleges Sport rankings, they've both been doing pretty well in the overall rankings.

6) Work Placements: On campus, work placements are provided in the Clinical Exercise and Rehabilitation Unit (CLEAR) and the Human Performance Unit (HPU). Both of these provide excellent environments for hands-on experience. Recent work placements include the development of exercise programmes for CLEAR unit clients who have significant movement disorders and physiological testing of athletes in the HPU.Off campus, we have links with a range of organisations including Oxford Sports Partnership (who provide placements across a range of sports), Oxford Harlequins, Oxford United Football Club and Oxford Hockey Club, together with local schools.

If you're stuck between two (or more) courses, a great website you can use is unistats.com. It allows you to compare courses alongside each other in a lot of different ways including student satisfaction, the way the course is taught, employment prospects, living costs and much more. Sometimes however, when all the stats and numbers get a bit much, following your gut instinct is generally a good way to go.

If you have any more specific questions do give us a shout. Email [email protected] or call us on 01865 484848.

All the best of luck for the choices ahead!

Oxford Brookes University

Oxford Brookes or Brunel??

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