Goldsmiths or UCL for Phd in European Literature

Hello,
Been accepted to both and have positive reviews of both with regard to this subject. Obviously, UCL is the choice if I just want to go by ranking and prestige but I'd like to get more opinions, preferrably, from people who have studied at either university. My feeling is, by what I observed so far through my contact with both departments, is that Goldsmiths is more professional and gives u more personalized treatment which is highly important when your whole degree depends on a dissertation. Needless to say that given UCL's reputation of academic excellence, I feel that it would be a crime to just turn it down based on gut feeling and general feeling of ease towards goldsmiths.
Also, I will be a non-residentail student so I would be going bcak and forth between where I live and London and staying there like a couple of weeks for each visit, so things like student life does not weigh on my decision that much. I really care about professionalism and rapport with professor.

So please give me your feedback.

Thanks

Reply 1

nameIess

5

I had a friend who went to Goldsmiths. I didn't like the area where the University is located and I hated the area where she was staying (which is just behind the University). Her friends were getting robbed almost weekly, many of them lost their laptops.

I doubt that a University would give you a more 'personalized treatment' than another... okay so maybe they have less students and more free time for you. but the treatment you get depends on the effort you put.

frankly, i don't know about the ranking of Goldsmiths, i know it was part of the university of london... however i do recognize UCL. and if i was ever given the choice i'd go to UCL.

Reply 2

username396452

10

No matter what your overall notions of professionalism and rapport is when looking at a Department as a whole, it would mean little when considering Supervisors as first and foremost, individuals. The personality and supervision style of academic staff members are varied and can not be molded and shaped by whatever administration or Department head tells them how to act towards their supervisees . They are highly autonomous beings. (This comic is somewhat related: http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive.php?comicid=1060).

My suggestion is to ask (if you don't already have the information) who your prospective Supervisors are going to be. And then take your time to introduce yourself to them and have a bit of a chat. If you can get the information, find out who their current PhD students are and see if you can get any statements from them. People don't think enough about it, but personalities between Supervisors and Supervisees can matter a lot in healthy academic relationships!

Reply 3

WoWZa

14

The course and any associated training should be considered the most important thing.

Reply 4

Litlover

OP

2

Hello all and thanks for the replies,
Well there is no course load in this PhD programme just the dissertation and since both universities are part of UOL the research training is similar or even the same. I have heard that the resources of UCL are much better and also its physical location gives you close access to British Library and academic lectures that are held in British museum, library, Bloomsbury etc. Having said that, UCL has not told me who will be my advisor, given that they just accepted me two days ago after five months of my application, I guess it will take them a while to answer that. On the other hand, Goldsmiths gave me all the info and the advisor emailed me and we see eye to eye on things which makes me very comfortable.

Still I am sure the fact that the UCL's overall rank 4 worldwide and 2nd in English must mean something.

Oh well. :confused:

Reply 5

Litlover

OP

2

Thanks for the great suggestions and the comic, it's very funny :biggrin:

.

Original post by WaltzvWendt

No matter what your overall notions of professionalism and rapport is when looking at a Department as a whole, it would mean little when considering Supervisors as first and foremost, individuals. The personality and supervision style of academic staff members are varied and can not be molded and shaped by whatever administration or Department head tells them how to act towards their supervisees . They are highly autonomous beings. (This comic is somewhat related: http://www.phdcomics.com/comics/archive.php?comicid=1060).

My suggestion is to ask (if you don't already have the information) who your prospective Supervisors are going to be. And then take your time to introduce yourself to them and have a bit of a chat. If you can get the information, find out who their current PhD students are and see if you can get any statements from them. People don't think enough about it, but personalities between Supervisors and Supervisees can matter a lot in healthy academic relationships!

Goldsmiths or UCL for Phd in European Literature

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