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Our Student Central, Northumbria University
Northumbria University, Newcastle
Newcastle-upon-Tyne

How good is Northumbria, really?

Just got an offer for a masters program, a week after I applied. Most universities I applied to told me it would take about six weeks to get a response. This makes me a bit suspicious about the quality of education. I'm an international student so I don't know much about the lower ranked universities.

Any info/opinions you could give me about the university would be great.

Thanks.
(edited 12 years ago)

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Reply 1
I go to Newcastle uni so can tell you the city is great to live in. What subject is your masters in? In most subject areas I think it is just as good as Newcastle and as far as facilities go it is better than Newcastle (Everything is newly developed and refurbished). As far as ex-polytechnics go it is one of the best, however because it is an ex-poly it will always suffer the stigma attached to that meaning many see redbrick universities as superior regardless.
Our Student Central, Northumbria University
Northumbria University, Newcastle
Newcastle-upon-Tyne
Reply 2
Masters in International Development. I'm guessing it's not a very popular course.

How expensive is Newcastle, compared to cities down south? How cold is it up there? I imagine the night life is great, but what about cultural stuff like museums and art galleries? How friendly is the city? Unfriendly cities like London intimidate me.
Reply 3
Original post by Mad4footie
Just got an offer for a masters program, a week after I applied. Most universities I applied to told me it would take about six weeks to get a response. This makes me a bit suspicious about the quality of education. I'm an international student so I don't know much about the lower ranked universities.

Any info/opinions you could give me about the university would be great.

Thanks.


http://www.thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk/single.htm?ipg=6552

Trust me, take everything said on here with a pinch of salt, don't believe everything you read.

But TSR is renowned for alot of people snubbing universities outside the top 40/30/20/10 depending on who they are ( or who they think they are more to the point). But the majority will look down on anything outside the top 30/40 and every ex-poly.

Northumbria is, as stated above, one of the best ex-polys. Newcastle is a great, student friendly city. Igrone the length of time they took to offer. Some unis are just quicker at it than others. What other unis are you applying for?
Reply 4
They got back to you quickly, so they must not be good?

Maybe they just have an efficient office?

Anyhoo, probably the best Ex-poly around.
Reply 5
Original post by bestofyou
What other unis are you applying for?


Birmingham, Bath, Leeds, UEA. Yeah, I know. Northumbria doesn't fit. It's my safety school.
Reply 6
Original post by Mad4footie
Birmingham, Bath, Leeds, UEA. Yeah, I know. Northumbria doesn't fit. It's my safety school.


Yeah, there aren't many other unis you could choose for the same entry requirements as Northumbria that are of similar standard.
Ask anyone on TSR the majority will say 'oh ex poly, heap of crap' but its not. Northumbria has a very good reputation up here.
Original post by Mad4footie
Masters in International Development. I'm guessing it's not a very popular course.

How expensive is Newcastle, compared to cities down south? How cold is it up there? I imagine the night life is great, but what about cultural stuff like museums and art galleries? How friendly is the city? Unfriendly cities like London intimidate me.


I may be biased but in my experience, Newcastle is super friendly. I've been to a fair amount of cities and Newcastle appears to be the friendliest - that doesn't mean its perfect, of course it had its unfriendly spots/people too.

Its not that cold, or at least I don't think so. Just wear a coat and some clothes :dontknow:

Nightlife is fab :yep:
Reply 9
Original post by Mann18
They got back to you quickly, so they must not be good?

Maybe they just have an efficient office?

Anyhoo, probably the best Ex-poly around.


No. More like, they got back to me quickly so a lot of people must not want to apply there. Although, now I'm starting to think it's just because the course I applied for isn't popular.
Reply 10
Well, thanks for easing my mind guys :smile:
Reply 11
Original post by Mad4footie
No. More like, they got back to me quickly so a lot of people must not want to apply there. Although, now I'm starting to think it's just because the course I applied for isn't popular.


Just efficiency. I applied to Durham and St Andrews for my masters in History and had offers within the week! :smile:
Reply 12
Original post by Mad4footie
No. More like, they got back to me quickly so a lot of people must not want to apply there. Although, now I'm starting to think it's just because the course I applied for isn't popular.


Popular=good?

Someone should go tell Accrington Stanley they won the Premiership.
Original post by CookieDoughLove
I may be biased but in my experience, Newcastle is super friendly. I've been to a fair amount of cities and Newcastle appears to be the friendliest - that doesn't mean its perfect, of course it had its unfriendly spots/people too.

Its not that cold, or at least I don't think so. Just wear a coat and some clothes :dontknow:

Nightlife is fab :yep:


lol @ the people thinking cold is a factor.

As if being 300miles closer to the artic circle than london is going to make a difference.lol

But OP, invest in some malamutes and a sled if you plan on venturing outside in late November to late January. Also Newcastle, due to it fiercely northern position, is subject to the polar night in the winter.

Original post by bestofyou
lol @ the people thinking cold is a factor.

As if being 300miles closer to the artic circle than london is going to make a difference.lol

But OP, invest in some malamutes and a sled if you plan on venturing outside in late November to late January. Also Newcastle, due to it fiercely northern position, is subject to the polar night in the winter.



I didn't think it was cold enough this winter. I spend most of it sleeping in vest top and shorts :sad: .....I miss the days where I used to curl in front of the fire with thick winter jammies on........didn't feel the need for it last winter. Shame really, tis my favourite time of year :yep:
Original post by CookieDoughLove
I didn't think it was cold enough this winter. I spend most of it sleeping in vest top and shorts :sad: .....I miss the days where I used to curl in front of the fire with thick winter jammies on........didn't feel the need for it last winter. Shame really, tis my favourite time of year :yep:


that makes two of us, though I missed the COLDEST one in ages this year as I was traveling :frown:

But I was refering to people or at least one person who mentioned it further back. I quoted you because I interpreted your comment 'as cold? what cold?' And decided to laugh at those idiots who haven't been above Oxford.
Reply 16
Original post by bestofyou
lol @ the people thinking cold is a factor.


I did my undergraduate degree in Iowa, where winters aren't friendly in the least. The lowest temperature that first winter was -35 C. It was not fun. So I just want to be prepared this time around.
Original post by Mad4footie
I did my undergraduate degree in Iowa, where winters aren't friendly in the least. The lowest temperature that first winter was -35 C. It was not fun. So I just want to be prepared this time around.


Oh, it was you who said about how cold it was,lol.

Thought it was someone else and assumed they where English.
Original post by bestofyou
that makes two of us, though I missed the COLDEST one in ages this year as I was traveling :frown:

But I was refering to people or at least one person who mentioned it further back. I quoted you because I interpreted your comment 'as cold? what cold?' And decided to laugh at those idiots who haven't been above Oxford.


Ha well, I went to visit one of my mates in Milton Keynes in March last year, it was hot and sunny so I took my jacket off and she was like OMG are you cold? Cold? Cold? Don't be stupid woman, this is like our summer! Haha, your right, people down south have no idea what is meant by cold!
Yeah, took some pre applicant people on a tour around newcastle uni campus on one of the first sunny days of the year, so obviously I was in a skirt etc, and they were like "aren't you COLD?!", erm, after all that snow? not really - you just get used to it :| Its also one of the driest cities in the uk, which is handy :P

For the record, because northumbria ia a poly I think they try harder than newcastle, who kind of lean back on there russell group position sometimes. I have friends doing the same course as me in northumbria and sometimes I sincerly wish I went there instead.

As for newcastle culture, we have some of the best vintage places, and a whole host of free musums and galleries - turner prize is at the baltic this year, you know (just across the river)?

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