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LSE or Cambridge?

Good answer, Waltzvwendt. It's peculiar how most people who answer in these threads:
-are not even talking about the specific programme the topic starter is interested in
-don't make a distinction between undergrad and postgrad study
-don't have a clue what they are talking about and couldn't possibly judge the criteria important to potential (academic as well as non-academic) employers, yet still desperately want to spout the clichés everyone knows already.

Reply 41

Plemab

@OP:
-Whether you have the particular brand name LSE or Cam attached to your degree, will not really matter as a Gender Studies graduate, so what you are looking for is the programme that accommodates and complements your academic interests. Therefore you should take a look at the programme content at both unis: which modules do they offer, what's the focus of each module, who are the lecturers, what are their research interests, what course material do they use, ...

-Another factor that might (or might not) be of importance is: where do you want to live? Think about the positives/negatives of London/Cambridge life and how much that might matter to you for the duration of a postgrad course.

Reply 42

pornstarz

2

Plemab

@OP:
-Whether you have the particular brand name LSE or Cam attached to your degree, will not really matter as a Gender Studies graduate, so what you are looking for is the programme that accommodates and complements your academic interests. Therefore you should take a look at the programme content at both unis: which modules do they offer, what's the focus of each module, who are the lecturers, what are their research interests, what course material do they use, ...

-Another factor that might (or might not) be of importance is: where do you want to live? Think about the positives/negatives of London/Cambridge life and how much that might matter to you for the duration of a postgrad course.

Thinking about where you would like to live for 1 year is overrated imo.

Reply 43

Plemab

pornstarz

Thinking about where you would like to live for 1 year is overrated imo.

Depends. For some (and that's important: some) people, the place where they live makes the difference between optimistic vigour and utter misery.
And while the green lawns and limewood libraries of Cambridge are obviously a plus, not everyone will be too fond of all the other aspects of the place. Same goes, mutatis mutandis, for LSE of course.

Reply 44

jjarvis

14

WaltzvWendt

On the practical side, you live in London, you will have to succeed academically in a chaotic urban mess where the tube and transport breaks down at will. It is expensive so you will have to budget. Life can be gruelling but you will turn out a very competent person in the end. No butterflies and green fields and boating races like Cambridge.

Nice chip on your shoulder, there! (Great name, though. Which do you lean towards? I'm more inclined towards Wendt...)

Reply 45

Pink Sparkles

13

Cambridge. No question about it.

Reply 46

RespectAll

Cambridge. Defo. Its a great cosy city too :smile:

Reply 47

username396452

10

jjarvis

Nice chip on your shoulder, there! (Great name, though. Which do you lean towards? I'm more inclined towards Wendt...)

Admittedly it's more jealousy towards the beauty of the Cambridge campus and my friend rubbing his socials in my face throughout the year whilst I'm dying in the library :p:

. About my name, let's put it this way: Wendt was practically a permanent citation on my essays. But this sort of thing could get you in trouble with a few lecturers at LSE, my supervisor amongst them :rolleyes:

Reply 48

jjarvis

14

WaltzvWendt

Admittedly it's more jealousy towards the beauty of the Cambridge campus and my friend rubbing his socials in my face throughout the year whilst I'm dying in the library :p:

. About my name, let's put it this way: Wendt was practically a permanent citation on my essays. But this sort of thing could get you in trouble with a few lecturers at LSE, my supervisor amongst them :rolleyes:

Hahaha, I leaned realist for about six weeks at the beginning of university. Never since.

You do have London, though...While I'm going from Edinburgh to Cambridge. :/

Reply 49

Craghyrax

17

flugestuge

Cambridge of course.
LSE is for people who cannot get into Oxford or Cambridge.
LSE is a decent university, but it simply is not in the same league as Oxford or Cambridge.
You will have a far better experience at Cambridge and the Cambridge name on your CV will help you enormously.

pornstarz

Cam Ftw

If I see this kind of offhand, ignorant, uninformed advice from either of you two again on TSR I will neg you both.

Reply 50

Craghyrax

17

eschect

I am an international student and have received offers from both LSE and Cambridge and having a very difficult time deciding where to go. My focus is Gender Studies and I am not sure whether I will continue on to get my PhD or if I will enter the workforce after receiving the Master's degree. Any suggestions anybody has would be greatly appreciated! Thank you.

I'm sorry, but which course at Cambridge are you considering? I couldn't find it on our prospectus. I'm guessing you'd be applying to my faculty, though (PPSIS)

I would ignore 99% of the feedback you've had on this thread. I can vouch for my department. I think its fantastic, and the staff are amazing. I would be very surprised if we weren't one of the best for gender studies (contra some comments on this thread), as we're excellent at social sciences. I also think Cambridge is a great place to live. You've heard from a student from LSE though - I think that your options will serve you equally well in terms of career prospects and academic opportunities. You really need to make up your mind based on where you want to live (London is COMPLETELY different to Cambridge) and on finer details like course structure and the people in the department.

Reply 51

Kane_Is_Able

1

Yeah, just to put my two cents in...

I'm at LSE right now based in the anthropology department. LSE is very hit or miss in terms of personal experience. I personally adore my department -- it's small, cosy, lecturers teach our seminars, 2 person tutorials bi-weekly... etc etc. I've met a ton of people and really have no complaints about my time here. However, you will hear (much deserved) grumbles from some of the likes of econ or finance students stuck in 300 person lectures, etc.

Don't let bitter LSE'ers (or people who didn't get in/never have studied there) put you off. Cambridge is wonderful from my short time there (no bias here, I'm applying to Cam for my PhD) but LSE has its perks too! London is... well, London. Not much you can't do here. The city is expensive but nothing that can't be managed with a bit of budgeting. I only hear FABULOUS things about the Gender Institute, a good friend of mine is doing an MSc now there. She adores it, and I know, similar to anthro, it's a very small, tightknit group.

Echoing what a few people have said, it really does go down to personal preference in living styles. AND do not forget to really scrutinize the courses! I've found MSc's in the same course can vary greatly uni to uni. Make sure you are going to the school that offers you what you are most interested in. Yeah, Cambridge has a certain WOW factor but really, an LSE degree is in no way going to hinder you.

Congrats btw :smile:

Reply 52

Craghyrax

17

Heh, LSE and SOAS would have more than enough appeal for me if they weren't in London :grumble:

(I find London wonderful to visit, but not attractive to live in) And I heard that they assess through exams, which is one aspect of undergraduate education I can't wait to permanently leave in a cloud of dust!

Reply 53

eschect

OP

Craghyrax, the program at Cambridge is an MPhil in Multi-Disciplinary Gender Studies.

And thank you for your congratulations Kane_is_Able.

Reply 54

Craghyrax

17

eschect

Craghyrax, the program at Cambridge is an MPhil in Multi-Disciplinary Gender Studies.

Geography department, it appears... I'm not in the know about that course, but I'll ask my Geography friends.

Reply 55

Craghyrax

17

eschect

Craghyrax, the program at Cambridge is an MPhil in Multi-Disciplinary Gender Studies.

And thank you for your congratulations Kane_is_Able.

Chatted to Geography friends about the course, they say its fairly new but that its got great teachers drawn from a range of departments around the University. So sounds good.

Reply 56

pornstarz

2

Congrats Kane_is_able!! :biggrin:

Reply 57

Urban Scholar

Obviously Cambridge is more prestigious than LSE as a whole but LSE is more prestigious when it comes to social sciences!

Gender studies would probably have more expertise at LSE.

So look at the overall aspects of the course structure and Location: ancient buildings vs a capital metropolis!

either way u can't really lose! depends on ur career goals too, e.g if ur trying to impress the average layman or employer than Cambridge will have that extra wow factor but if ur intent to work in social research, academia or impress an actual social scientist then LSE will edge it.

Either way there's no difference really!

I have notice that ur an international at that may be an additional factor as to why ur asking LSE or Cambridge form my experience LSE and Oxbridge have an equal international reputation but in the UK, as a whole, Oxbridge is almost untouchable, bar economic and politics at LSE.

Its a historical and cultural things that reminds us British of when Britain was the superpower in the world more than an actual reflections of the current reality. (those for example that still think Oxbridge can match Harvard Yale and Stanford)

So have this in mind to, back in ur own country LSE Cambridge will not be that different in the UK, except for social scientists, it will be.

i think u should factor these variables into ur decision! and also which one is cheaper

Reply 58

cpl.fir

Urban Scholar

and also which one is cheaper

Think like you do when you go shopping at a supermarket - we've glanced at the brands; pick 2 of the best now; read the nutrition facts; choose the cheaper one per pound.

LSE or Cambridge?

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