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SOAS vs. Bristol degrees
Hey all,
I have narrowed my options down to SOAS and Bristol for my LLB and even though I know the major differences between the two I am finding it really weired that while in Bristol a regular LLB has 18 units (including 12 compulsory, 1 research project and 5 optional units), in SOAS I only have to complete a total of 12 units over the three years with only 7 being compulsory. What bothers me even more is that SOAS is often ranked higher than Bristol.
So if anyone has anything to say about this I would greatly appreciate it. Why is there so much of a difference between the two? Where do you advise me to go? Anything else would also be appreciated.
Thanks,
Ramtheman
I have narrowed my options down to SOAS and Bristol for my LLB and even though I know the major differences between the two I am finding it really weired that while in Bristol a regular LLB has 18 units (including 12 compulsory, 1 research project and 5 optional units), in SOAS I only have to complete a total of 12 units over the three years with only 7 being compulsory. What bothers me even more is that SOAS is often ranked higher than Bristol.
So if anyone has anything to say about this I would greatly appreciate it. Why is there so much of a difference between the two? Where do you advise me to go? Anything else would also be appreciated.
Thanks,
Ramtheman
Scroll to see replies
Reply 1
Bristol.
Reply 2
Might be worth talking to "The Rugger Bugger" (ha ha, yes really). I know he lives in Bristol but is going to SOAS, so he may well offer some insight.
Reply 4
Ramtheman
Hey all,
I have narrowed my options down to SOAS and Bristol for my LLB and even though I know the major differences between the two I am finding it really weired that while in Bristol a regular LLB has 18 units (including 12 compulsory, 1 research project and 5 optional units), in SOAS I only have to complete a total of 12 units over the three years with only 7 being compulsory. What bothers me even more is that SOAS is often ranked higher than Bristol.
So if anyone has anything to say about this I would greatly appreciate it. Why is there so much of a difference between the two? Where do you advise me to go? Anything else would also be appreciated.
Thanks,
Ramtheman
I have narrowed my options down to SOAS and Bristol for my LLB and even though I know the major differences between the two I am finding it really weired that while in Bristol a regular LLB has 18 units (including 12 compulsory, 1 research project and 5 optional units), in SOAS I only have to complete a total of 12 units over the three years with only 7 being compulsory. What bothers me even more is that SOAS is often ranked higher than Bristol.
So if anyone has anything to say about this I would greatly appreciate it. Why is there so much of a difference between the two? Where do you advise me to go? Anything else would also be appreciated.
Thanks,
Ramtheman
i would say unless you specifically want to specialise in any of the optional modules only available at SOAS, then Bristol (it's a better campus and is significantly cheaper to live in whilst still having a gr8 rep)
Reply 6
I will not say either is better for SOAS is my first choice, but, I am in a position to help to an extent because I have held offers from both. I chose to decline Bristol's offer mainly because I live here, I chose SOAS because I loved the place and atmosphere, there are also roughly 60 students doing the LLB which leads to a close knit group also specifically SOAS is going to be helpful for my future career. I have enclosed an attachment showing exactly what units are offered in 07'
Mtbab is right, some QLD units are not compulsory and are bot be chosen out of optionals. I do not think either is significantly better than the other.
Bristol university as a whole does not really have a better campus, but the Willis building which holds the law dept is, well, the Willis building. Damn sexy
Op you have mentioned that SOAS has different units, one thing you should bear in mind is that in your third year at SOAS you could with the dept's permission study modules at LSE, Kings, UCL, QMUL or Birkbeck or modules of other courses i.e a floater in a language etc. This allows variation in study and you can experience the law departments of other UoL colleges if only for 1year which is quite unique.
Forgive me as my post seems to have leaned towards SOAS, in favour of Bristol is OBVS cost, also the city is a bit spanking if you stick to the right parts. Excellent nightlife and Bristol university has pedigree. Feel free to ask me any question about either, I should be able to answer most.
My advice is go visit both!
Mtbab is right, some QLD units are not compulsory and are bot be chosen out of optionals. I do not think either is significantly better than the other.
Stealth-Pred@r
i would say unless you specifically want to specialise in any of the optional modules only available at SOAS, then Bristol (it's a better campus and is significantly cheaper to live in whilst still having a gr8 rep)
Bristol university as a whole does not really have a better campus, but the Willis building which holds the law dept is, well, the Willis building. Damn sexy
Op you have mentioned that SOAS has different units, one thing you should bear in mind is that in your third year at SOAS you could with the dept's permission study modules at LSE, Kings, UCL, QMUL or Birkbeck or modules of other courses i.e a floater in a language etc. This allows variation in study and you can experience the law departments of other UoL colleges if only for 1year which is quite unique.
Forgive me as my post seems to have leaned towards SOAS, in favour of Bristol is OBVS cost, also the city is a bit spanking if you stick to the right parts. Excellent nightlife and Bristol university has pedigree. Feel free to ask me any question about either, I should be able to answer most.
My advice is go visit both!
Reply 7
does anyone think that studying in london is an advantage in and of itself. ie. in terms of building connections, contacts and stuff like that. I am afraid that Bristol is sort of cut off from the business world. Is that true?? I would appreciate any comments from anyone who has anything to say about and other Bristol vs SOAS differences.
Thanks a lot
Thanks a lot
Reply 8
I happen to know someone who studied an LLM at SOAS and now holds a pupillage at one of the most competitive chambers in the UK. And the person got a 2:1 in undergrad as well. So I think that speaks to the quality/reputation of the SOAS law department.
(I'd be more specific but it would be obvious who the person is because the chambers has a very small number of pupils!)
(I'd be more specific but it would be obvious who the person is because the chambers has a very small number of pupils!)
Reply 9
I don't think working in London is any more of an advantage. Purely because so many great universities (for law) are situated far from London, and the capital's legal recruitment has no problem fishing from: Nottingham, Warwick, Oxbridge, Bristol (!), Durham, etc.
Reply 10
Thank Goodness for this thread!
I'm in the same predicament as you Ramtheman, I'm still hesitating between SOAS and Bristol and simply can't seem to make my mind up. Had it not been for the fact that I'd be living at home, I'd have already chosen SOAS though I think. The first-year modules look very, very tempting and I'm quite excited about the possibility of taking modules in other UoL campuses (are these reserved for the top academic achievers by the way The Rugger Bugger?). I know Bristol probably has the better reputation academically, but I really think SOAS has got the edge.
I'm in the same predicament as you Ramtheman, I'm still hesitating between SOAS and Bristol and simply can't seem to make my mind up. Had it not been for the fact that I'd be living at home, I'd have already chosen SOAS though I think. The first-year modules look very, very tempting and I'm quite excited about the possibility of taking modules in other UoL campuses (are these reserved for the top academic achievers by the way The Rugger Bugger?). I know Bristol probably has the better reputation academically, but I really think SOAS has got the edge.
Reply 11
Yeah the SOAS modules are some of the most interesting in all of the law courses I'd say (hehe mentioned that in a debate the other day).
Reply 12
Hey MLM,
but why do you think that you would have already picked SOAS had it not been that you already live in London. Do you think it is better for any future career? Do you plan to work with the NGO/gov. type of job or a city firm / banks etc. Do you feel (given that you live in london and probably know more about what people in the business say) that a SOAS degree is more oriented towards those than want to work for international human rights groups etc.. as opposed to the business world (where I probably want to end up in). Also, how are the SOAS buildings, facilities, the area around it, dorms etc? could you shed some light on that please.
Thanks
but why do you think that you would have already picked SOAS had it not been that you already live in London. Do you think it is better for any future career? Do you plan to work with the NGO/gov. type of job or a city firm / banks etc. Do you feel (given that you live in london and probably know more about what people in the business say) that a SOAS degree is more oriented towards those than want to work for international human rights groups etc.. as opposed to the business world (where I probably want to end up in). Also, how are the SOAS buildings, facilities, the area around it, dorms etc? could you shed some light on that please.
Thanks
shady lane
I happen to know someone who studied an LLM at SOAS and now holds a pupillage at one of the most competitive chambers in the UK. And the person got a 2:1 in undergrad as well. So I think that speaks to the quality/reputation of the SOAS law department.
(I'd be more specific but it would be obvious who the person is because the chambers has a very small number of pupils!)
(I'd be more specific but it would be obvious who the person is because the chambers has a very small number of pupils!)
What nonsense! No one example ever proves a generalisation and you should know that. There was supposedly some student from South Bank who scored an interview at a MC firm (on of the best firms on the planet) - I suppose that speaks volumes for the law dept over at South Bank.
Sorry for the condescending tone but advice like that could be uber misleading, especially when people aren't aware of the generalisation rule thing.
Reply 15
Well it's not really a generalization given that the one most competitive chambers in the UK (according to my friends on LLM at LSE) has 5 pupils and 1 is a SOAS graduate. SOAS has a niche--highly respected academically and loads of courses on human rights, which would go nicely with any kind of legal defense for marginalized people. Bristol may be a good law school but having a lot of lawyer friends and relatives in London, I don't think it has a better reputation than SOAS.
SOAS is a brilliant university and doesn't get the credit it deserves on TSR to be honest. It's one school that consistently, professionals and academics in law, politics, linguistics, etc. consider to be one of the best in the UK and on an internationally-prestigious level as well.
SOAS is a brilliant university and doesn't get the credit it deserves on TSR to be honest. It's one school that consistently, professionals and academics in law, politics, linguistics, etc. consider to be one of the best in the UK and on an internationally-prestigious level as well.
YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT LAW. DO NOT TRY AND ARGUE A POINT ON WHICH YOU HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO EXPERTISE WHATSOVEVER!
YOU ABSOLUTELY BUM SOAS, OR INDEED ANY OTHER LONDON COLLEGE PURELY BECAUSE YOU ARE AMERICAN. WHY CAN YOU NOT ACCEPT THE GENERAL CONSENSUS ON THIS BOARD THAT UNLESS YOU ARE INTERESTED IN A PARTICULAR TYPE OF JOB IN A PARTICULAR PLACE (I.E. NOT THE U.K.) BRISTOL WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH BETTER PROSPECTS.
I AM SURE IF YOU LOOK AT THE WEBSITES OF CHAMBERS THEN YOU WILL FIND THAT THERE ARE MORE BRISTOL GRADS AT TOP CHAMBERS THAN THERE ARE SOAS GRADS. ONE SODDING PIECE OF ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE DOES NOT MAKE A SHRED OF DIFFERENCE.
God, I feel better now.
YOU ABSOLUTELY BUM SOAS, OR INDEED ANY OTHER LONDON COLLEGE PURELY BECAUSE YOU ARE AMERICAN. WHY CAN YOU NOT ACCEPT THE GENERAL CONSENSUS ON THIS BOARD THAT UNLESS YOU ARE INTERESTED IN A PARTICULAR TYPE OF JOB IN A PARTICULAR PLACE (I.E. NOT THE U.K.) BRISTOL WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH BETTER PROSPECTS.
I AM SURE IF YOU LOOK AT THE WEBSITES OF CHAMBERS THEN YOU WILL FIND THAT THERE ARE MORE BRISTOL GRADS AT TOP CHAMBERS THAN THERE ARE SOAS GRADS. ONE SODDING PIECE OF ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE DOES NOT MAKE A SHRED OF DIFFERENCE.
God, I feel better now.
Reply 17
lol, chill people! there both great uni's with great reps. Going to either of them will give you a decent shot at anything you wanna do.
Beazz
A) I have had enough of this political correctness, i.e. all universities to an extent will offer you equal/good prospects. This is not the case.
B) It's not the inherent point which shady makes which caused me to get annoyed. It's the fact that despite the fact she is a politics student with seemingly no legal ambitions, she makes assertions (which are quite often incorrect) and presents them as absolute gospel. She should stick to politics and investment banking.
A) I have had enough of this political correctness, i.e. all universities to an extent will offer you equal/good prospects. This is not the case.
B) It's not the inherent point which shady makes which caused me to get annoyed. It's the fact that despite the fact she is a politics student with seemingly no legal ambitions, she makes assertions (which are quite often incorrect) and presents them as absolute gospel. She should stick to politics and investment banking.
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