The Student Room Group

Corporate Finance, Banking. (University of Southampton)

Hi i have decided to accept University of Southampton as my firm choice. I just wanted to know by doing a degree in Economics and Finance Bsc from University of Southampton would it hold me in good stead for a job in the desired area with good earning power. How would the university of Southampton be looked at by employers and Banks. This years ranking show its the 7th best for Economics 14th Best in the Country Overall and part of the Russell Group. I would say its in a group of universities just below or on par the likes of Bristol, Warwick, Manchester etc.

I would like to hear you views? Thank you

I have heard an front office job in IB would be out of the question, but what about middle and back office and other good banking fields.

THANKS

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Reply 1
NKS
Hi i have decided to accept University of Southampton as my firm choice. I just wanted to know by doing a degree in Economics and Finance Bsc from University of Southampton would it hold me in good stead for a job in the desired area with good earning power. How would the university of Southampton be looked at by employers and Banks. This years ranking show its the 7th best for Economics 14th Best in the Country Overall and part of the Russell Group. I would say its in a group of universities just below or on par the likes of Bristol, Warwick, Manchester etc.

I would like to hear you views? Thank you

I have heard an front office job in IB would be out of the question, but what about middle and back office and other good banking fields.

THANKS


No and no. Southampton is around 4/5 tier. Even middle would be tough, although you'd stand a good chance at back office at 2-4 tier banks.
NKS
This years ranking show its the 7th best for Economics 14th Best in the Country Overall and part of the Russell Group. I would say its in a group of universities just below or on par the likes of Bristol, Warwick, Manchester etc.
Really?
Reply 3
Mustard-man
Really?


probably according to Guardian. people believe anything these days:p:

Bristol,Cambridge,LSE,Nottingham,Oxford,UCl,Warwick

already we have 7 top Economics schools. and then you have places such as Bath, York,Manchester, Durham...i dont see how Southhampton would finish 7th :s-smilie:
Uni tables are rubbish though.
Reply 5
True, I saw brunel ranked over UCL for something, can't remember what
It's definitely not the guardian, nor the times, so I don't know where they got that ranking from :laugh:
Reply 7
supernova2

Uni tables are rubbish though.

Seems to be the popular trend of common belief, yet the times guide is fairly accurate.
Reply 8
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/displayPopup/0,,13406,00.html

Manchester is nowhere to be seen on the top economics schools and i know you have to take league table with great caution but they dont always reflect the truth and sorry about 7th i got mixed up with the fact that southampton is the 7th best research intensive uni in the country. What i want to know there is the top university no doubt, LSE, Cambridge, UCL, Nottingham, Bristol , Durham, Warwick, Oxford but in my opinion the so called second tier universities is topped by the likes of bath, southampton and manchester.

Its not a university vs university contest all i want to know is that by going to university of southampton does it give me a good opportunity to work in areas of corporate finance earning a good salary?
Reply 9
NKS
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/displayPopup/0,,13406,00.html

Manchester is nowhere to be seen on the top economics schools and i know you have to take league table with great caution but they dont always reflect the truth and sorry about 7th i got mixed up with the fact that southampton is the 7th best research intensive uni in the country. What i want to know there is the top university no doubt, LSE, Cambridge, UCL, Nottingham, Bristol , Durham, Warwick, Oxford but in my opinion the so called second tier universities is topped by the likes of bath, southampton and manchester.

Its not a university vs university contest all i want to know is that by going to university of southampton does it give me a good opportunity to work in areas of corporate finance earning a good salary?


Of course it is. How else does one judge and calculate an answer to a question like yours? And it depends on many factors such as your GCSE/A levels and any EC you have + contacts etc.
NKS
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/displayPopup/0,,13406,00.html

Manchester is nowhere to be seen on the top economics schools and i know you have to take league table with great caution but they dont always reflect the truth and sorry about 7th i got mixed up with the fact that southampton is the 7th best research intensive uni in the country. What i want to know there is the top university no doubt, LSE, Cambridge, UCL, Nottingham, Bristol , Durham, Warwick, Oxford but in my opinion the so called second tier universities is topped by the likes of bath, southampton and manchester.

Its not a university vs university contest all i want to know is that by going to university of southampton does it give me a good opportunity to work in areas of corporate finance earning a good salary?
You said it yourself. Even if Southampton was really that highly regarded for Economics (13th), it wouldn't make much significant difference anyway. Unfortunately, uni reputation does matter an awful lot, and Southampton is not a target uni. That's not to say that none ever get in, there have been a few who have landed F.O. But you'd have to be like superman or something. I suspect M.O. is usually taken up by Notts/King's/Durham/Bath. I'm not sure about second tier banks... If you're that determined and don't land a placement, make sure you get a 1:1, then do a masters.
Get a first class and then do Mphil finance at Cambridge or something. That will work... i think....

I'll be going to Lancaster to do accounting, heh it looks like IB is out for me unless I do some sort of masters at top 3 unis as well... oh well... it looks like i'll be aiming for the big4....
Reply 12
verticalforce
Get a first class and then do Mphil finance at Cambridge or something. That will work... i think....

I'll be going to Lancaster to do accounting, heh it looks like IB is out for me unless I do some sort of masters at top 3 unis as well... oh well... it looks like i'll be aiming for the big4....

As will the original poster. You have no hope of a decent IB job with a Southampton degree. Toddle off to the Big 4 along with other inferior calibre people.
Reply 13
rajeev
As will the original poster. You have no hope of a decent IB job with a Southampton degree. Toddle off to the Big 4 along with other inferior calibre people.


lol?
Reply 14
Corporate finance at the big 4 is achievable from Southampton - i know of several people in CF at Deloitte.
Reply 15
LSE thought my Economics training at Soton was good enough to get on the MSc Econ here, so it can't be that bad
You may be able to do Corp Fin at Big 4 then transfer to an IB if you're very very lucky. But I think the route is normally into M&A, and for most IBs they require stunning academics even if you have the accounting qualifications.

Or maybe, Corp Fin / Accountancy > Product Control / Finance Department > Trading????? Perhaps. Think it would be very dodgy though!! :s-smilie:
Reply 17
Take a year out, resit A-levels if they aint up to the mark, and reapply. It can change your life (if you are definitely set on banking - because from Southampton, theres almost no chance in hell you will get a FO position). Nottingham is the "lowest" (which is still pretty high), that you should be going to (in terms of Economics)
Reply 18
barton
No and no. Southampton is around 4/5 tier.
That's rubbish. Soton is clearly not that far below the typical Bristol, Durham, etc. ranks. A little below, but not a huge gap.

I agree, it means you need to be truly exceptional to get anything front office, but that's more because those from Bristol, Durham, etc. have to be pretty special to get FO roles. Soton's easily a high top 20 school, even if just outside the top 10.

So to the OP: No, it doesn't really hold you in good stead, but then it's hard to get into front office from any university. It'll make it an uphill struggle, and probably front office isn't really feasible, but it's not entirely impossible, and back office is still feasible. Corporate finance at an accountancy firm or somesuch might be possible.
Reply 19
abrp
probably according to Guardian. people believe anything these days:p:

Bristol,Cambridge,LSE,Nottingham,Oxford,UCl,Warwick

already we have 7 top Economics schools. and then you have places such as Bath, York,Manchester, Durham...i dont see how Southhampton would finish 7th :s-smilie:

Oxford doesn't have straight econ, and I reckon Soton's better than Durham, Manchester and York for undergrad economics. 7th sounds a little high, but I'd consider it a top 10 economics school.