UEA or Cardiff University for Accounting and Finance?

Lots of TSR advice here : https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/university/apply/firm-and-insurance-choices

Reply 2

Both are great unis. For me, Cardiff edges it because:

(a) it's a Russell Group uni
(b) Cardiff is the capital of Wales so will be a lot more lively. e.g. Six Nations Rugby - Wales vs Ireland on Feb 7th was held in Cardiff.

Reply 3

Original post by vra768

Both unis are asking a minimum requirement of ABB and in Cardiff's case ABB requirement is only applicable if I put them as firm choice.

Which is the better university?

There isnt a better university. It is the one that is right for you. Cardiff is a city university. The university is 5 minutes walk from a very busy city. UEA is an out of time campus university. Where do you live and how far from either do you want to be. Have you looked at the course modules. Which interest you more. Ignore the fact that one is a Russell Group as that is a meaningless self marketing body and will do nothing to know if you will be happy somewhere

Reply 4

Original post by mike23mike

it's a Russell Group uni

Meaningless in the real world. It's just an invented bit of marketing by a bunch of 'older' Universities.
School leavers obsess about this, but the majority of employers and even Universities just ignore it.
'RG' certainly doent mean that you will enjoy the course, or like being at that Uni any more than any other.

Reply 5

Original post by McGinger

Meaningless in the real world. It's just an invented bit of marketing by a bunch of 'older' Universities.
School leavers obsess about this, but the majority of employers and even Universities just ignore it.
'RG' certainly doent mean that you will enjoy the course, or like being at that Uni any more than any other.

@McGinger you are so wrong regarding Russell Group universities. Do some research before making your false statements. I speak from a position of knowledge. I worked in HR for BP and we absolutely targetted RG universities - both to recruit graduates and for research funding. A company simply cannot go to 121 universities when recruiting so target the better universities. The better unis attract stronger students academically and the students are more likely to have had better technical training. Thus, recruiting a chemist from Manchester university was a safer bet than recruiting a chemist from the University of Bognor Regis

As the Russell Group website states, "They produce more than two-thirds of the world-leading research produced in UK universities". The logic is that if these 24 universities are responsible for circa 70% of the research of UK universities then it stands to reason that they (a) attract the cleverest minds (b) attract the bulk of the research grants.

- Click HERE to read about In BP Chemicals and its $100m research grant. Read which unis they approached in the UK - Manchester and Cambridge (both RG unis).
- Click HERE to read about Unilever's tie-up with Liverpool and Manchester University (both RG unis)

Absolutely there are universities that are not on the RG list who are outstanding - Strathclyde, Lancaster, Loughborough & Bath to name a few - but for a student trying to decide between UEA or Cardiff then opting for the RG uni is a safe bet.

Reply 6

'BP and Unilever' are not 'the majority of employers'.
And, you are highly presumptive in your assessment of my knowledge of graduate recruitment.

Reply 7

Original post by mike23mike

@McGinger you are so wrong regarding Russell Group universities. Do some research before making your false statements. I speak from a position of knowledge. I worked in HR for BP and we absolutely targetted RG universities - both to recruit graduates and for research funding. A company simply cannot go to 121 universities when recruiting so target the better universities. The better unis attract stronger students academically and the students are more likely to have had better technical training. Thus, recruiting a chemist from Manchester university was a safer bet than recruiting a chemist from the University of Bognor Regis

As the Russell Group website states, "They produce more than two-thirds of the world-leading research produced in UK universities". The logic is that if these 24 universities are responsible for circa 70% of the research of UK universities then it stands to reason that they (a) attract the cleverest minds (b) attract the bulk of the research grants.

- Click HERE to read about In BP Chemicals and its $100m research grant. Read which unis they approached in the UK - Manchester and Cambridge (both RG unis).
- Click HERE to read about Unilever's tie-up with Liverpool and Manchester University (both RG unis)

Absolutely there are universities that are not on the RG list who are outstanding - Strathclyde, Lancaster, Loughborough & Bath to name a few - but for a student trying to decide between UEA or Cardiff then opting for the RG uni is a safe bet.

Unfortunately you have fallen for thr RG propoganda machine. Do you realise why it was set up. Because it feared losing research funding to supposedly lesser universities. Were Exeter, Durham and York better universities for joining the Russell Group. Did Bath, East Anglia and St Andrews get any worse because they didnt join at the same time.

The truth is the RG is a marketing body and a very good one at that which self promotes its members and people like you fall for it. Entry standards isnt even representative. Scottish universities do particularly well as the Scottish system gives rise to higher ucas points since schools no longer use the AS system. Not a good measure to base things on.

Reply 8

Original post by swanseajack1

Unfortunately you have fallen for thr RG propoganda machine. Do you realise why it was set up. Because it feared losing research funding to supposedly lesser universities. Were Exeter, Durham and York better universities for joining the Russell Group. Did Bath, East Anglia and St Andrews get any worse because they didnt join at the same time.

The truth is the RG is a marketing body and a very good one at that which self promotes its members and people like you fall for it. Entry standards isnt even representative. Scottish universities do particularly well as the Scottish system gives rise to higher ucas points since schools no longer use the AS system. Not a good measure to base things on.

I don't know if you have worked for any large organisation? I am not sure what experience you are drawing on to make your comments?

I have worked for BP and GE and both companies actively filter which unis they want to form links with. Companies simply cannot give the same level of commitment to all 121 unis in the UK. Click HERE to see the companies affiliated with Birmingham Uni for example; Cap Gemini, IBM, Lloyds Bank, PwC etc. Note I did not study at Birmingham nor have any ties with the uni so I am not plugging the uni, just using them as an example.

I worked in HR for GE and was actively involved in graduate recruitment for several years. There were 30-40 unis in Europe that we wanted to have ties with so not even all the RG unis 'made the cut'. We would then ask a manager who was an alumnus of that university (Oxford, Milan etc) to work with the uni and actively position ourselves in that uni - offer student prizes for the best pupil, offer to give guest lectures, get involved with careers days, fund PhD positions etc.

All of these efforts take up time and money so companies are very selective about which unis they bother to form links with. Unfortunately - speaking from a position of having 'been there, done that' - things like uni rankings, whether they are Ivy league schools in the US, Grand Ecoles in France or RG unis in the UK do come into the mix. Regardless of how much you want to deny it.

(edited 3 years ago)

Reply 9

Original post by McGinger

'BP and Unilever' are not 'the majority of employers'.
And, you are highly presumptive in your assessment of my knowledge of graduate recruitment.

Sorry, I am presenting you with links to hard data and real first-person knowledge. If you have hard data and first-person knowledge that contradicts my position then I am happy to stand corrected. Please produce some research evidence to back your statements. Otherwise please stop commenting on my comments from a position of - what I deem to be - ignorance.

Reply 10

Original post by mike23mike

Sorry, I am presenting you with links to hard data and real first-person knowledge. If you have hard data and first-person knowledge that contradicts my position then I am happy to stand corrected. Please produce some research evidence to back your statements. Otherwise please stop commenting on my comments from a position of - what I deem to be - ignorance.

It wasnt me who told students they needed certain points because the Guardian said so. No leading university uses points but you tried to tell people they do. Here are some more entry requirements from your beloved RG universities.

Bristol Law
A-level
Standard offer A*AA or A*A*B
A-level
Contextual offer
What is a contextual offer? AAB

At Bristol we want to attract students from all backgrounds because we believe a student community that reflects our society will benefit everyone.

Our contextual offer is a grade reduction of up to two grades below the standard entry requirements and is made to those from backgrounds who, generally, are less likely to come here. Once here, data shows that our contextual offer students achieve above average academically.

Details of our standard and contextual offer entry requirements are available on course pages. Use our course search tool to search our courses.

Exeter university Politics
Entry requirements
Qualification Required grades Required subjects
A-Level AAA n/a
Contextual Offer
A-Level: BBB
IB: 30
BTEC: DDM

Specific requirements must still be achieved, therefore where a grade A is required, offers will be ABC or ACC.

As far as universities here are some links Swansea has for placements. It is not an RG but has close links to Tata, Rolls Royce and Fijitsu amongst others.

YEAR IN INDUSTRY STUDENTS AND PLACEMENTS
AUNGSHU RAHMAN, GE AVIATION
Aungshu at MINI BMW
"My course involved a Year in Industry and for me, it was an excellent opportunity. I enjoyed my work thoroughly. It not only gave me very valuable experience, it also helped me to realise where I want to go in the future.

A Year in Industry provides a very important bullet point for my CV. Nowadays it is not only necessary to have a very good result, but you will definitely go to top of the list if you have practical experience with a good grade.

My Year in Industry was a good break from studying and helped me financially as all placements are well paid."

ANDY DODD, MERCEDES AMG
Andy Dodd at MIRA
"I chose to integrate a year in industry into my course so that I could develop skills and experience in industry.

I worked with the Electronics team, designing and developing trackside equipment and testing circuit boards in the Energy Recovery and Energy Storage systems in the Mercedes F1 Power Units.

The Year In Industry gave me the chance to develop transferable skills such as organisation, communication and report writing, as well as practical electronics. I also used a range of professional software that i wouldn't have had the chance to use otherwise."

OLIVER BROOKS, LAING O'ROURKE
Ollie Brooks sitting in a white room
"My placement year was extraordinary as I had the chance to work on two large scale infrastructure projects on opposite sides of the world. The first of which was a $500m+ water treatment plant in regional Queensland, Australia. After 10 months on that project I moved back to the UK to work on Bond Street Station upgrade in London.

Throughout the year I was challenged with different roles and I always felt like an important part of the team. When I was in Australia, I was involved with managing the in-situ concrete package of works on site. At the end of my 10 months on the project, I had wide reaching responsibilities from interfacing with the client, subcontractors and suppliers to planning works and quality assurance.

I am now a scholar of the company I worked for during my Year in Industry and I am looking forward to continuing my development with them after graduation."

ANNABELLE BOARDMAN, ZIMMER BIOMET
Annabelle Boardman
"For my Year in Industry, I was a Student Development Engineer at Zimmer Biomet, designing and developing hip replacements and surgical instrumentation. When I graduate, I will return to the same company as a Development Engineer.

My advice to others looking for a placement would be to just keep trying and don’t be afraid of emailing small companies that don’t advertise a Year in Industry—many companies have never even heard of the scheme before. And the Employability Team will also be able to give you advice when searching for placements/jobs. They are always there to offer support.

My favourite memories of my time in Swansea University have been my Year in Industry, being Treasurer of the Medical Engineering Society and making lots of great friendships."

JOHAN YAP, PY KONSEP
Man sat at a desk with a large document in his hands
"I would highly recommend [doing a Year in Industry in your home country] especially in light of a pandemic. I was able to do a placement endorsed by the university without travelling far from home. It is a win-win situation and I haven’t regretted making this decision since then.

Moreover, studying in UK but taking placement in Malaysia makes you aware of global trends and issues, giving you the tools to solve problems using the other country’s approach.

These placements help students to build professional networks in their home country even before they graduate. If students do well in their placement, it is no doubt that they will have increased their chances of getting a competitive graduate job upon returning to their hometown."

UEA is a highly reputed university and a former member of the 1994 group. It will have close links with industry along with the likes of Bath, Exeter, Lancaster, Loughborough, Durham, York and others who were members. It is every bit as good as RG universities whose name doesnt make them any better. Look into why the Russell Group was set up in the first place. This was because it feared losing research funding as a result of the opening up of universities.

Reply 11

Original post by swanseajack1

UEA is a highly reputed university and a former member of the 1994 group. It will have close links with industry along with the likes of Bath, Exeter, Lancaster, Loughborough, Durham, York and others who were members. It is every bit as good as RG universities whose name doesnt make them any better. Look into why the Russell Group was set up in the first place. This was because it feared losing research funding as a result of the opening up of universities.

Thanks Jack!

Reply 12