Which MSc HCI programme is the best: Newcastle or Nottingham

I have applied and been accepted to both programmes. I have a psychology background. In terms of campus they seem really similar and they also rank super similarly. Is there any specific reason you would pick one over the other? I am really struggling to pick. Nottingham’s programme has existed for longer and they have a leader in the AR/VR research area (i.e. many alumni members and possibly longer reputation?) but Newcastle’s programme is led by a former Microsoft employee (i.e. industry knowledge and connections?). Honestly, I’m so torn…any tips on how to pick?

Reply 1

shreyabasa

Hey, I have applied to both these programmes and I come from a psychology background as well. I received an offer from Nottingham and I'm waiting for a decision from Newcastle. May I ask how long Newcastle took to respond to your application? I applied at the end of Feb 2023 and haven't received any response as of May 2023. I'm worried I might not get into Newcastle :frown:

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With regards to picking a university, the advice I usually get is to choose based on which modules will best support you in your career aspiration. For example, I want to become a user researcher, so I would need to pick a uni whose modules focus on UX research concepts. What do you plan to do after your degree?

Reply 2

StellaLw

Hi there, I applied to Newcastle in early January and they gave me the offer mid March, so a bit over 2 months after I applied. My long term research and career interests align more with Nottingham so ultimately that is who I decided to go with between the two (although I am also waiting for a response from UCL but I know competition is super tough). I ideally want to go into research/academia and/or possibly UX consulting.

Hope you get that response from Newcastle soon! You can always call Newcastle postgraduate admissions and confirm they have your application under assessment if you wait much longer. I called for something unrelated and they were very kind, reassuring and helpful.

Reply 3

shreyabasa

That's good to hear! I will try contacting Newcastle. If I don't get an offer from them, I plan to attend Nottingham too. It would be great to connect with you in case we end up as batchmates :smile: