BA or Bsc for Econ job prospects?

Apparently more employers go to Manchester to pick out graduates than any other university. And at St Andrews you'd be there for four years getting the BSc which on the surface looks just like the BA for an extra year. But you could get an MA at St Andrews for the same length of time. And Manchester has a BSc in Economic Science. Economics has a high maths content anyway so I'm not sure if it makes too much difference if you have BA or BSc. I'm going to Manchester hopefully so I'd advise you to go for that. And consider the BSc Economic Science.

Reply 2

OP

ZJuwelH

Apparently more employers go to Manchester to pick out graduates than any other university. And at St Andrews you'd be there for four years getting the BSc which on the surface looks just like the BA for an extra year. But you could get an MA at St Andrews for the same length of time. And Manchester has a BSc in Economic Science. Economics has a high maths content anyway so I'm not sure if it makes too much difference if you have BA or BSc. I'm going to Manchester hopefully so I'd advise you to go for that. And consider the BSc Economic Science.

So you think overall Manchester offers the best job prospects for something like investment banking and on an individual basis the MA is better than the Bsc in St Andrews and the Economic Science is best for Manchester? Do you know if i would be able to change onto those courses once at either university?

Reply 3

need_help

So you think overall Manchester offers the best job prospects for something like investment banking and on an individual basis the MA is better than the Bsc in St Andrews and the Economic Science is best for Manchester? Do you know if i would be able to change onto those courses once at either university?

I think you should quite easily be able to change course as it's the same subject. May be a problem at St Andrews as you were admitted by the Faculty of Science and you'd have to transfer to the Faculty of Arts...

I'd rather go to Manchester because the weather's worse in Scotland and Manchester is more fun, but I don't think your job prospects should be any different if you went to either.

Reply 4

*boo*

1

need_help

So you think overall Manchester offers the best job prospects for something like investment banking and on an individual basis the MA is better than the Bsc in St Andrews and the Economic Science is best for Manchester? Do you know if i would be able to change onto those courses once at either university?

You need Alevel Maths for the BSc Economics course at Manchester and the entry grades are different I think. I would think a BSc in Economics would be better than a BA for future job prospects.
They probably will let you change courses but the BSc course is harder to get into than the BA one.

I think you should pick Manchester too.

Reply 5

AT82

Manchester apparantly produces some the highest earning graduates in the country.

Reply 6

amazingtrade

Manchester apparantly produces some the highest earning graduates in the country.

A lot of universities do. It's the proportion from Manchester we should analyse.

Reply 7

AT82

ZJuwelH

A lot of universities do. It's the proportion from Manchester we should analyse.

Yeah that is what I meant but I didn't want to say Manchester has the highest in case I was wrong but I know its one of the highest amounts in the country, at least top 5.

Reply 8

OP

So everyone thinks Manchester is better in terms of job prospects through an Economics degree? Is that even if it's the BA??

Does it make a difference that i'm hopefully wanting to get into the financial sector such as investment banking. Does Manchester still have the better reputation for this line of work?

Reply 9

need_help

So everyone thinks Manchester is better in terms of job prospects through an Economics degree? Is that even if it's the BA??

Does it make a difference that i'm hopefully wanting to get into the financial sector such as investment banking. Does Manchester still have the better reputation for this line of work?

I don't think the universities should be too different in the job market (apart from my first comment), maybe the consideration needs to be where you'd prefer spending three or four years of your life.

Reply 10

fishpaste

I might be out of my mind here, but would it be mad to consider the fact that maybe more people at St. Andrews are likely to be of the errr, social type to go and work in the city? And so to be an investment banker, you might meet people who could help you out later in your career? Bearing in mind I have absolutely no clue what I'm talking about.

Reply 11

I thought that for the Scottish unis you did a 4 yr course and ended up with a masters?
Its the case at Edinburgh anyway.

Reply 12

OP

viviki

I thought that for the Scottish unis you did a 4 yr course and ended up with a masters?
Its the case at Edinburgh anyway.

You get the choice of MA or Bsc with Economics - Is the MA better?? than a standard 3 year BA or Bsc in other universities?

Reply 13

need_help

You get the choice of MA or Bsc with Economics - Is the MA better?? than a standard 3 year BA or Bsc in other universities?

Well an MA is a step up from a BA so yes. I personally would rather have a Bsc than a BA because a batchelor of science sounds more academic. How long is the MA course?

Reply 14

OP

viviki

Well an MA is a step up from a BA so yes. I personally would rather have a Bsc than a BA because a batchelor of science sounds more academic. How long is the MA course?

They're both 4 years. So what's better: A Bsc from St Andrews or a MA from St Andrews. I gather that they're both better than a BA from Manchester?

Reply 15

need_help

They're both 4 years. So what's better: A Bsc from St Andrews or a MA from St Andrews. I gather that they're both better than a BA from Manchester?

I'd get the MA, it always looks more impressive to have a masters. But if I had to choose between man and st andrews I'd say it depends what you want. Social life and good employment are a feature of manc but
st andrews has good rep and a good opportunity to network. Either way you will be going to a great uni. I think I'd be swayed by the masters but maybe its worth seeing them both again first stay overnight to get a good feel of both places.

Reply 16

ruthie

the reason the scottish degrees are longer is the level of scotish highers, they are equal just about to AS not A2 and so the first year is fairly basic if you have an Alevel in a subject apparently! Hence they offer second year entry to (st andrews do definatly not sur ebout all of them)

i would have personally said st-andrews was more prestigous than manchester, but dont take my word for it! many people see st andrews as the oxford/cambridge of scotland!

Reply 17

what subjects are you studying now?
Judging by looking at the courses if your strengths are science based I'd go for the Bsc if not then the MA
http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/economics/prospective/undergrad/faq.shtml#BSc

Reply 18

OP

viviki

what subjects are you studying now?
Judging by looking at the courses if your strengths are science based I'd go for the Bsc if not then the MA
http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/economics/prospective/undergrad/faq.shtml#BSc

I study Physics, Geography and Business Studies at A'level and took Maths Stats at AS (grade A) - mixed science and arts - not the best subjects for Economics.

From what everyone has said it seems i have made the wrong choices at both universities in terms of career prospects. I've applied to BA Econ in Manchester which would be better as the EconSc. In St Andrews i have applied for the Bsc and it seems i would be better off with the MA. Am i now right in thinking this? If so i now have two problems instead of one.

Firstly, will i be able to change to the better course in each university?? I don't have A'level maths but have AS - does this mean i have no chance of changing to the EconSC in Manchester? Can i change faculty in St Andrews?

Secondly, If i can change then i'm still left with the question of which is better, the MA in St Andrews or the EconSC in Manchester.

Please post your opinions - i need some help - these universities were not my first choice so i now need to make the best of the situation.

Reply 19