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Dilemma! Royal Holloway, Birmingham or Sheffield for International Relations

Well, it would be very nice if we could get some dialogue going about which would be the best place to start a BA in international Relations? what do y'all think? Royal Holloway University of London, Sheffield or Birmingham?

Reply 1

Apocryp

OP

Also what are your thoughts on Durhamfor politics? Iä've heard that their pol departement is not that good!

Reply 2

martynwilliams

7

What aspect of IR are you most interested in? IR theory, political economy/globalisation, area studies (Middle East, East Asia, Europe etc), strategic studies, security studies??

Not every IR department specialise in every aspect (not in equal measure anyway) so you should first of all think about what aspect interests you most, and decide on a department that offers the best options for you.

Reply 3

fishcandyguo

I'll go for Sheffield. It has good reputation of teaching politics and a wide range of courses specialising in many aspects of IR.

Reply 4

Xanthe

1

Sheffield.

Reply 5

simeon125

10

Sheffield. No question, the only why I might choose Royal Holloway is because it is a pretty uni, bu Sheffield is not bad either.

Reply 6

c0co

12

Yeah defo down to Sheffield or Royal Holloway. They both are equally prestigious so I'd probs make the choice on whether u need a big night life or not. Royal Holloway is on the outskirts of London (Egham) whereas Sheffield is quite central to a big town with a lot of clubs and bars.

Reply 7

martynwilliams

7

You guys are asking totally the wrong questions….the first consideration should be whether or not the course is the right one for you. Prestige and all the rest of it should be secondary in your thoughts about where to go. If you don’t enjoy the course, you won’t enjoy your time at university. It’s as simple as that.

What university teaches the issues you are most interested in? It would be rather pointless going to a university which doesn’t specialise in the politics of East Asia, for example, if that’s what you’re most interested in…..just because that university happens to be a prestigious one.

Reply 8

simeon125

10

I understand what your saying. But for international relations, Sheffield is definently up there, I mean has a great politics department. Compare the rankings of how good the RAE score with Birmingham and Royal Holloway and you'll understand. Plus, Sheffield is not tucked away like Royal Holloway.

Reply 9

martynwilliams

7

simeon125

I understand what your saying. But for international relations, Sheffield is definently up there, I mean has a great politics department. Compare the rankings of how good the RAE score with Birmingham and Royal Holloway and you'll understand. Plus, Sheffield is not tucked away like Royal Holloway.

If you go by RAE scores, you could pick out Aberystwyth or Essex above any of the other departments in the UK.

You should be picking a university based on its research strengths (do they teach what YOU want to specialise in?). The university could have a 5* RAE in fields that you have absolutely no interest in. what do Sheffield and Birmingham specialise in? Do they teach all aspects of IR? Do they have a particular strength? Do they teach modules in the second and third years that you’re interested in?

Don’t pick universities on league table and RAE scores alone! you need to do thorough research on the departments, the staff the modules before you decide where to go!

Reply 10

simeon125

10

''If you go by RAE scores, you could pick out Aberystwyth or Essex above any of the other departments in the UK''

Good advice, but we're talking about Royall Holloway, Birmingham or Sheffield not Essex or Aberystwyth. It is a well known fact that Sheffield does have a better politics and international department compared to all 3 and at the day, you want to go to the best uni for your course.

Reply 11

Apocryp

OP

I picked Birmingham Uni. I know that sheffield is a good university. Now on one side, when I look at league tables (that I do not consider very seriously, Birmingham comes 7th for politics, just after the LSE(guardian league tables) and sheffiled 10+ (guardian league tables). The times league tables place Birmingham 9th, and Sheffield 5th (but on the other hand, times places LSE like 15th, so I put my little trust for league tables in the guardian ones. And they do not place sheffield between the first 10.

On the other hand, Birmingham offers pure BA in International relations, not like Sheffield and warwick that offer politics and international relations/studies. The modules at birmingham suit me best beacuse they focus on international crisis and crisis management, and security studies and south america studies (which i am mostly interested in btw).

I talked to some admissions officers at UCL, the LSE and Oxford about what they think chances are for gaining admission for an MA at these unis if I get a 1st class at Birmingham. They all say that they reccomend Birmingham above Royal Holloway (they claim that the politcs department there commands no strong reputation), but make no destniction between Sheffield and Birmingham!

So birmingham it is!
Any thoughts!?

chill y'all, its only a game!
/9mm

Reply 12

yeung3939

1

.....

Reply 13

goody

I applied to Royal Holloway, and loved the place, but the department isn't as reputable. although I have to mention some of the modules that they offered at years 2 and 3 were really interesting (although the lecturer said that they change annually). I visited sheffield and couldnt understand why it is one of the most popular uni's - I like it personally. Yup so out of the 3, B'gham seems to be the best choice

Reply 14

pol_student

8

Apocryp

I picked Birmingham Uni.

The modules at birmingham suit me best beacuse they focus on international crisis and crisis management, and security studies and south america studies (which i am mostly interested in btw).

I talked to some admissions officers at UCL, the LSE and Oxford about what they think chances are for gaining admission for an MA at these unis if I get a 1st class at Birmingham. They all say that they reccomend Birmingham... but make no destniction between Sheffield and Birmingham!

So birmingham it is!
Any thoughts!?

I don't think that you could have gone wrong whichever you picked... Birmingham or Sheffield.

I think that it does matter about your interests though and I think that given those, you have made the better choice with Birmingham, as that'll probably be a better course for you based on your interests. I'm currently at Sheffield and hopefully, will be going to Birmingham in September because I want to focus on security studies and for that Birmingham is better than Sheffield, as it has more academics focusing on that area and thus more interest and modules, etc for that than Sheffield does.

Reply 15

Apocryp

OP

Jupp, I feel very secure and comfortable with my choice at the moment. I cose Bham over Warwick (that focuses very MUCH on regional analysis and regionalisation and world politics - that I think is one of the most god forsaken and boaring areas of study.). And Durham, that do not have a good pol deparment but have a year abroad that is obligatory.

well, its only a game. Both Shefflied and Birmingham are very good schools.

/9mm

Dilemma! Royal Holloway, Birmingham or Sheffield for International Relations

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