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Best Northern Unis for Business?

There's a couple of threads about good Business Unis in general, but which would be the best in the north? I don't really want to be going as far as London..

Grades wise, anywhere who'd take AAB.

Also, how good are Durham and Newcastle for it? They're the best 'decent' ranked Unis locally.

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Reply 1

River85

Juustuburger

Also, how good are Durham and Newcastle for it? They're the best 'decent' ranked Unis locally.

Durham and Newcastle are certainly the "best" universities in the NE of course, Newcastle being top 20 and Durham top 10. Unfortuntely (undergraduate) business is not one of the strengths of either. There are others, look beyond the top 20 (more on that later).

Best is entirely subjective. A good university is one that suits you as an individual. No one can tell you which are the best for you. I take it you are using rankings.

Lancaster is arguably the strongest. Its business courses are very well respected. There's Loughbrough and Warwick if you don't mind the midlands.

Apart from these then Leeds or Newcastle. Unfortunately business is possibly the one (maybe two including psychology) departments that lets Durham down. It doesn't match up to the good to excellent stadard of most of its other departments. The courses are also based in Stockton which some (not me) may have a problem with. Don't know if that would be a problem to you.

But look beyone the rankings and there's Northumbria. It's always been more than "just an ex-poly". It's one of the leading new universities and its business courses have always been fairly well respected. Although it may not match the strength of Lancaster, Leeds and Newcastle it is still perhaps worth considering (even just as a back up).

Have a look around the courses. Make sure you look at the course content, location and environment of the unis as much as ranking or prestige.

Reply 2

Juustuburger

Thanks for the response, I think when I do come to look I'll take into account various factors, including location, cost of living, where I want to be, the strength of the course and the area in social terms.

I did think Durham was low on the Business ranking (it's about 45th). I'm keen on going somewhere that's seen as strong for the course, so that would make Newcastle a better option than Durham?

I know that Newcastle recently built a new building for Business-like courses, but I don't know whether that means they're concentrating on that or a similar course (such as Accounting).

When I come to apply I am likely to apply to Durham and Newcastle, just through their locality, and then Northumbria as you say would be a good backup. After that, purely on the strength of courses/Unis, where would be the best to look (within the Northern criteria, so including Manchester etc)?

On other threads I've seen Lancaster, York and Manchester mentioned.

Reply 3

River85

Durham are 30th, I think, in the Times ranking. Quite different to their other departments which are largely ranked anything from top three to top 10. Yes there's York also but like Durham (and UCL) it's one of the top ten university that aren't fantastic in business (although still certainly worth looking at).

Newcastle have built a new business school, it's a modern glass building by St James' Park and Chinatown. I don't think this is necessarily a sign that they are concentrating on any specific area. Most universities are investing a great deal in buildings and facilities at the moment.

So outside those three then Lancaster (definately), Leeds and possibly Sheffield and York.

But could I ask, why don't you want to look out of the north? London really isn't all that far away. I don't know where you live but travelling to London may not be as difficult as you think. In fact, if you live in the north east then it will be as quick travelling to London by train as Manchester or Lancaster.

Reply 4

Juustuburger

I live in the North East, I guess my ignoring London in my thoughts has been a combination of cost and distance. I suppose I could consider others beyond the North - do you have any recommendations?

I'd always thought Lancaster was a fairly weak Uni, or is there more than one there?

(Edit: Never mind last point, was mixing Lancaster up with Central Lancashire.)

Reply 5

davidbristol

Lancaster is probably the best in the NW with Manchester second. Should get in to both with AAB. Manchester's department is bigger though - so might be more courses / modules on offer.

Midlands - Aston is arguably the best, Warwick is excellent too. Warwick might be slightly harder to get into though.

Durham is pretty pathetic for business as is Newcastle.

Reply 6

Alchemy

I live in Durham and study at Aston. The trains to Brum are cheap (booked in adv, with railcard), regular and doesn't take long at all.

And Aston is a helluva lot better than Durham, Newcastle and Northy.

Reply 7

River85

Juustuburger

I live in the North East, I guess my ignoring London in my thoughts has been a combination of cost and distance.

If you are within easy distance of the east coast mainline Alnmouth, Newcastle, Durham, Darlington, York) it is simple enough travelling to London and is as quick as going to Manchester (and probably cheaper). I can get to London and back for £15 (booking in advance with a railcard).

As for others than, like I (think) I said earlier, there's Aston and Warwick in the midlands. Strathclyde, in Glasgow, is strong in business.

Alchemy

And Aston is a helluva lot better than Durham, Newcastle and Northy.

Lol, it took me ages figuring out what you meant by "Northy" :redface:

Let me make it clear that I was only suggesting Northumbria as a possible back up. It's always been amongst the stronger of the ex-polys and I really respect it but I'm not suggesting that Manchester or even Durham and York were stronger. Certainly not Lancaster and Aston.

davidbristol

Durham is pretty pathetic for business as is Newcastle.

Well, yes, I admitted before I think they are quite weak (just the strongest in the region). Newcastle is the redbrick and strong in sciences and engineering, Durham is pretty much the best you can get in the arts and holds its own at the top in the sciences. But business isn't a strength of either (well, Durham's MBAs are excellent but, for an undergrad, the department's weak). I wouldn't say Newcastle was "pathetic" in business though, that's going a little far. I suppose it is, but only in comparison to most of its other departments.

Reply 8

jkyng1

Warwick Loughborough Lancaster Nottingham Manchester Leicester..

Reply 9

River85

jkyng1

Warwick Loughborough Lancaster Nottingham,
ManchesterLeicester..

North?

Anyway, to suggest another couple of nothern (Scottsh) universities then, as well as Strathclyde there's also St Andrews (but I'm guessing this is probably too far?) and Edinburgh. Although Edinburgh, like Durham, UCL and York, is one of those top universities that doesn't have a great business school/department.

Reply 10

Juustuburger

I'm not too good regarding Scottish geography (in terms of where St. Andrews - which I only know as being a golf course - is located), but really it's just places that are within reasonable distance.

From this thread, I'm picking up that the best are Lancaster, Manchester, Aston and Warwick. I know Warwick require an A at GCSE or a qualficiation in A-level Maths and as I didn't achieve that, that would write them off.

From that list I guess I'll be looking at the courses they offer to see if any of those are options, which I guess is an entirely new thread but generally speaking the Accounting and Finance side of things is not something that's ever interested me.

Really, my criteria is just a University good for the subject that offers a good Business degree that is then valued and gives all the skills that'd be needed, without a huge focus on accounting and the mathematical side of things. Do you know of any that meet those extended criteria?

Reply 11

jkyng1

is NOttingham too far for you?

Reply 12

Juustuburger

Nottingham's not too much further than same of the other suggestions (like Aston, for example), I think I'd go further than the North for the ideal University and Business course. It's preferable to stay within travelling distance of the North East, though.