The Student Room Group

MsC Management Bath vs Lancaster vs Manchester vs Strathclyde vs Durham vs Exeter

Hi,

I am an italian student and I want to apply to a MSc in Management in one of these universities (I classify them from the one that convince me the most to the least):

- MSc International Management at the University of Bath (the one I like the most because of the campus environmental, the safety and the beauty of the city)
- MSc International Management at the University of Strathclyde
- MSc International Business and Management at the University of Manchester (it does not convince me much because statistically Manchester is one of the least safe cities in UK, right?)
- MSc Management at the University of Lancaster
- MSc Management (International Business) at the University of Durham (it is really in the middle of nowhere)

Can you tell me which of these are the best in terms of international prestigious, employability and postgraduate acknowledgment.

I've already seen all the rankings but they are all different, so i couldn't find my answer.
I didn't consider Warwick, LSE, UCL etc. because I have a low final mark (italian bachelor's degree with 102/110)
(edited 4 years ago)

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1
Anyone? Up!
Original post by paolo11
Hi,

I am an italian student and I want to apply to a MsC in Management in one of these universities (I classify them from the one that convince me the most to the least):

- MsC International Management at the University of Bath (the one I like the most because of the campus environmental, the safety and the beauty of the city)
- MsC International Management at the University of Strathclyde
- MsC International Business and Management at the University of Manchester (it does not convince me much because statistically Manchester is one of the least safe cities in UK, right?)
- MsC Management at the University of Lancaster
- MsC Management (International Business) at the University of Durham (it is really in the middle of nowhere)

Can you tell me which of these are the best in terms of international prestigious, employability and postgraduate acknowledgment.

I've already seen all the rankings but they are all different, so i couldn't find my answer.
I didn't consider Warwick, LSE, UCL etc. because I have a low final mark (italian bachelor's degree with 102/110)

Its MSc not MsC

Durham is best rep but is in the middle of nowhere
Bath/Manchester good rep (but not as good as Durham), Manchester is a big city, Bath is very small
Then Lancaster
worst rep is Strathclyde
Reply 3
Edited! Thank you for the answer

Original post by mnot
Its MSc not MsC

Durham is best rep but is in the middle of nowhere
Bath/Manchester good rep (but not as good as Durham), Manchester is a big city, Bath is very small
Then Lancaster
worst rep is Strathclyde
Reply 4
Overall reputation
Manchester= Durham > Bath > Exeter > Lancaster >>>> Strathclyde

Prestige in Management subject
Manchester = Bath > Durham > Lancaster > Exeter >>>> Strathclyde

Also please have a look at following choices as I think you should be able to get in and one of them might be appealing to you regarding course choices :smile:

CASS
KCL
Edinburgh
Nottingham
Cranfield
Leeds
Hi @paolo11

I am a student at Cranfield and I can imagine the difficulty in making your choice at the moment, as I went through same too! I choose Cranfield and it has been an excellent choice and decision for me.
We are a postgraduate-only University. This means our work involves teaching and cutting-edge research. It means as well that we may not be seen in the traditional ranking websites, as these rankings are done based on undergraduate courses. However, our courses are ranked highly on Forbes, Financial Times, etc. You can take a look at them here: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/sho....php?t=5722372
Also, Cranfield is ranked No. 1 by the Economist for MiM course which can be found at: https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/som/pres...best-in-the-uk

I would suggest before making any final decisions on your offers, try and network with the alumni on LinkedIn as they will help you clarify your doubts better because they hold real time experiences.

Let me know if you have more questions. You can reach out to a Cranfield alumni on LinkedIn; they are normally quite happy to spare some minutes to potential students .
All the best!

Manil- MSc in Management student
Cranfield University TSR Rep
Original post by paolo11
Hi,

I am an italian student and I want to apply to a MSc in Management in one of these universities (I classify them from the one that convince me the most to the least):

- MSc International Management at the University of Bath (the one I like the most because of the campus environmental, the safety and the beauty of the city)
- MSc International Management at the University of Strathclyde
- MSc International Business and Management at the University of Manchester (it does not convince me much because statistically Manchester is one of the least safe cities in UK, right?)
- MSc Management at the University of Lancaster
- MSc Management (International Business) at the University of Durham (it is really in the middle of nowhere)

Can you tell me which of these are the best in terms of international prestigious, employability and postgraduate acknowledgment.

I've already seen all the rankings but they are all different, so i couldn't find my answer.
I didn't consider Warwick, LSE, UCL etc. because I have a low final mark (italian bachelor's degree with 102/110)
Reply 6
Original post by jpt4749
Overall reputation
Manchester= Durham > Bath > Exeter > Lancaster >>>> Strathclyde

Prestige in Management subject
Manchester = Bath > Durham > Lancaster > Exeter >>>> Strathclyde

Also please have a look at following choices as I think you should be able to get in and one of them might be appealing to you regarding course choices :smile:

CASS
KCL
Edinburgh
Nottingham
Cranfield
Leeds

Thank you for the answer!
Can you confirm that Manchester is a dangerous city to live in?
Also why Strathclyde is so low on rankings? I thought his business/management school was good

Anyway the other universities you mentioned don't convince me because my degree's final mark doesn't meet the minimum requirements
Nottingham is very low on rankings as I saw
Leeds seems a very bad city to live in, even for just one year
Reply 7
Original post by Cranfield University
Hi @paolo11

I am a student at Cranfield and I can imagine the difficulty in making your choice at the moment, as I went through same too! I choose Cranfield and it has been an excellent choice and decision for me.
We are a postgraduate-only University. This means our work involves teaching and cutting-edge research. It means as well that we may not be seen in the traditional ranking websites, as these rankings are done based on undergraduate courses. However, our courses are ranked highly on Forbes, Financial Times, etc. You can take a look at them here: https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/sho....php?t=5722372
Also, Cranfield is ranked No. 1 by the Economist for MiM course which can be found at: https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/som/pres...best-in-the-uk

I would suggest before making any final decisions on your offers, try and network with the alumni on LinkedIn as they will help you clarify your doubts better because they hold real time experiences.

Let me know if you have more questions. You can reach out to a Cranfield alumni on LinkedIn; they are normally quite happy to spare some minutes to potential students .
All the best!

Manil- MSc in Management student
Cranfield University TSR Rep


Thank you for your answer. Your links are not available.
How is the international reputation of Cranfield University? Is it well known outside of UK?

And also, how would you put Cranfield in relation to Bath/Manchester/Durham/Lancaster/Strathclyde?
Original post by paolo11
Thank you for the answer!
Can you confirm that Manchester is a dangerous city to live in?
Also why Strathclyde is so low on rankings? I thought his business/management school was good

Anyway the other universities you mentioned don't convince me because my degree's final mark doesn't meet the minimum requirements
Nottingham is very low on rankings as I saw
Leeds seems a very bad city to live in, even for just one year

I think you lack understanding of UK universities.

Manchester has crime (as any city does), if you look after yourself and make sensible decisions you will be fine.

Strathclyde has never been prestigious, its distinctly average Uni, so it's no surprise their rankings are low, i have no idea why you think its a good/prestigious school.

Leeds, is known as a very fun and lively city, its not a bad city to live in (it just depends what you want)

I haven't checked the latest guardian rankings to see Notts position, but it has a very strong reputation particularly in economics & is well respected in business & management, either way the Uni doesn't need to play to rankings as it is one of the few Unis routinely targeted by top employers (obviously not in the same bracket as Oxbridge, Imp, UCL tho)
Original post by paolo11
Thank you for your answer. Your links are not available.
How is the international reputation of Cranfield University? Is it well known outside of UK?

And also, how would you put Cranfield in relation to Bath/Manchester/Durham/Lancaster/Strathclyde?

Cranfield is well respected in certain fields by those who know about it, but it's not a prestigious Uni.
It is a small Uni and is only post-grad. It's not somewhere you'd go to become a suit in the city, its mostly known for their research, and does attract some top researchers. Its based in a town called Milton Keynes, tiny place with no student culture.

It doesn't really compare well to other Unis, the academics their are considered decent but i don't think they are known attract the big employers for grad jobs. If your looking to move into a job after your MSc i would go to Manchester, leeds, Notts etc.
If a MPhil/PhD is something you want then cranfield might be alright.
(edited 4 years ago)
Reply 10
Strathclyde would probably have the best business school in Scotland so for Scottish students it would have a pretty good reputation and for its individual business subjects it performs well in rankings. To quote wiki its "Executive MBA and Master's program in Finance was ranked 41st and 33rd worldwide by Financial Times in 2016" so clearly has a good international reputation. English students might view scottish universities (apart from St Andrew and maybe edinburgh) as less reputable because they lower their entry requirements for English undergraduate students as they pay fees whereas Scottish students dont. If you're set on working in England it might give you a bigger advantage to study there but if not all five would give similar career results. All hold a triple accreditation apart from Bath so you can be sure that the courses are of high standard. Bath performing well in rankings probably compensates for it lacking triple accreditation.
Reply 11
Original post by mnot
I think you lack understanding of UK universities.

Manchester has crime (as any city does), if you look after yourself and make sensible decisions you will be fine.

Strathclyde has never been prestigious, its distinctly average Uni, so it's no surprise their rankings are low, i have no idea why you think its a good/prestigious school.

Leeds, is known as a very fun and lively city, its not a bad city to live in (it just depends what you want)

I haven't checked the latest guardian rankings to see Notts position, but it has a very strong reputation particularly in economics & is well respected in business & management, either way the Uni doesn't need to play to rankings as it is one of the few Unis routinely targeted by top employers (obviously not in the same bracket as Oxbridge, Imp, UCL tho)


I come from Italy, so I don't know UK universities very well. Everything I know comes from topics or rankings, this is why I am asking here.

I'm not looking for the nightlife of a big city, so a campus life is fine for me.
I would stay there for one year only, I'm interested in studying at the best(most prestigious) university that my grades(not so high) can guarantee me.
Reply 12
Original post by mnot
Cranfield is well respected in certain fields by those who know about it, but it's not a prestigious Uni.
It is a small Uni and is only post-grad. It's not somewhere you'd go to become a suit in the city, its mostly known for their research, and does attract some top researchers. Its based in a town called Milton Keynes, tiny place with no student culture.

It doesn't really compare well to other Unis, the academics their are considered decent but i don't think they are known attract the big employers for grad jobs. If your looking to move into a job after your MSc i would go to Manchester, leeds, Notts etc.
If a MPhil/PhD is something you want then cranfield might be alright.


Since I'm looking for a job after my MSc, I think Cranfield is not the ideal university for me.
The campus seems so poor and empty compared to other universities like Bath, Manchester, etc.
Reply 13
Original post by aleml
Strathclyde would probably have the best business school in Scotland so for Scottish students it would have a pretty good reputation and for its individual business subjects it performs well in rankings. To quote wiki its "Executive MBA and Master's program in Finance was ranked 41st and 33rd worldwide by Financial Times in 2016" so clearly has a good international reputation. English students might view scottish universities (apart from St Andrew and maybe edinburgh) as less reputable because they lower their entry requirements for English undergraduate students as they pay fees whereas Scottish students dont. If you're set on working in England it might give you a bigger advantage to study there but if not all five would give similar career results. All hold a triple accreditation apart from Bath so you can be sure that the courses are of high standard. Bath performing well in rankings probably compensates for it lacking triple accreditation.

Thank you for your answer.
Why doesn't Bath have triple accreditation? It is my main choice currently.

Also, how do you consider Bath compared to Strathclyde? Talking about management studies.
Reply 14
Hi, sorry for the late reply.

Bath has accreditation from 2 out of the 3 organisations. This doesn't mean that a university is better than the other just because it has triple accreditation. Bath is a fantastic uni and is better or the same as some universities with triple accreditation. Bath and Strathclyde are quite similar with both being leading universities in engineering and business. Both have good facilities and resources, Im aware Bath is planning a new school of management building but it will probably be completed after you graduate. I would recommend comparing course content on your main choices to see which one you find more interesting because reputation wise they're all fairly similar.
Original post by paolo11
Thank you for your answer.
Why doesn't Bath have triple accreditation? It is my main choice currently.

Also, how do you consider Bath compared to Strathclyde? Talking about management studies.
Reply 15
I would like to study at both universities. But maybe I prefer Bath because the course of studies is customizable

Concerning life cost, which city between Bath and Glasgow is more expensive?
Also, which city is more open to foreigners?

Thank you.
Original post by aleml
Hi, sorry for the late reply.

Bath has accreditation from 2 out of the 3 organisations. This doesn't mean that a university is better than the other just because it has triple accreditation. Bath is a fantastic uni and is better or the same as some universities with triple accreditation. Bath and Strathclyde are quite similar with both being leading universities in engineering and business. Both have good facilities and resources, Im aware Bath is planning a new school of management building but it will probably be completed after you graduate. I would recommend comparing course content on your main choices to see which one you find more interesting because reputation wise they're all fairly similar.
Original post by paolo11
I would like to study at both universities. But maybe I prefer Bath because the course of studies is customizable

Concerning life cost, which city between Bath and Glasgow is more expensive?
Also, which city is more open to foreigners?

Thank you.

Glasgow will be much cheaper
Bath is very open to foreigners (it's a very big tourist spot, due to its historical significance)
@paolo11
I am absolutely sure that you will have a job when you finish at Cranfield University. Statistics shows that 95 % of graduates from this course were employed within 3 months of graduation!!. For more, please check https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/som/masters-courses/finance-and-management utm_medium=Listing%20Site&utm_source=QS&utm_campaign=SoMIPSR_ListingSite_QS_2019_FM
Our strong alumni network contributes to an efficient networking system round the globe which could aid fresh graduates from any management related courses.
Notable alumni- https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/som/about-us/our-team/notable-alumni

Alumni for management- https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/som/cranfield-mba-programmes/mba-full-time/alumni-profiles

Cheers!
Akan- PhD student at Cranfield University
Cranfield University TSR Rep.

Original post by paolo11
Since I'm looking for a job after my MSc, I think Cranfield is not the ideal university for me.
The campus seems so poor and empty compared to other universities like Bath, Manchester, etc.
(edited 4 years ago)
Reply 18
Hi guys, thank you for your answers.

After further research, now I would like to know:

- Which is better between Bath and Nottingham for Management studies? Both campuses seem nice (I don't care about night life).
- Which has better employability? Bath is not in the RG, while Nottingham yes.

I prefer Bath's MSc International Management because Nottingham has only a generic MSc Management or MSc International Business.
But Bath is a very expensive city compared to Nottingham.

Thank you!
Bath is more expensive than Glasgow. The economy is geared towards tourism with many housing converted to B&B, AirBnb, high street are souvenir shops/coffee bars. Bath is OK for a long weekend, but a year would be a nightmare for me. the uni is modern and located outside. Bath is open to foreigners as tourists spend money and can be ripped off. People are conservative and vote Brexit, not a EU friendly city.

Nottingham has actually higher petty crime rates (burglary, theft, drug, assault, felony) in the statistics among student cities (Source: Guardian Education). Manchester is not so bad if you avoid certain areas in the evenings.

In terms of academics for MiM: Bath, Durham and Manchester are peer programmes. Though the size of uni and city varies: Durham is small and appeals to students from well to do families. Manchester is more international, urban and diverse student body. Manchester has more an industrial feel and the B-School has traditionally a close partnership with the regional industry. But MBS offers many degrees, hence the faculty and student body are larger.

Quick Reply

Latest