Durham vs Bath vs Nottingham... Totally confused .. Please help
I have got the following offers:
Durham Business School - MSc Economics and Finance
Bath - MSc Economics and Finance
Nottingham - Msc Economics and Financial Economics
The league tables all seem to be showing Bath and Durham about the same (and possibly Bath a shade better). However, from all that I read at the student room, it seems Durham is far superior.
Heard that Durham comes right after Oxbridge? That seems quite contrary to what I had heard before and many people here in India say that Bath is better than Durham.
Another thing that bothers me is that Durham has 6-7 courses related to Finance whereas Bath has only one (Accounting & Finance) and even the Economics & Finance course is quite new (starting in 2006).
I cant figure out what to do, although I am a little more certain that Nottingham is my third choice. Its course content is not too great either.
The thing is that I need to accept/reject Durham within 24 hours as my offer time is about to lapse and I'm in a real dilemma.
Would really appreciate your suggestions about which university is better or is it that the difference is not significant between these? Another thing with Durham is that their conditions are much harder to meet than Bath's. Am sure of meeting Bath's but not so sure about Durham.
Also, Durham seems to have a "collegiate" system. I have gotten into Ustinov College. I don't really care about the nightlife and all, but is the faculty that teaches different from college to college? Because then the internal rankings of colleges would also matter.
please help !!
Durham Business School - MSc Economics and Finance
Bath - MSc Economics and Finance
Nottingham - Msc Economics and Financial Economics
The league tables all seem to be showing Bath and Durham about the same (and possibly Bath a shade better). However, from all that I read at the student room, it seems Durham is far superior.
Heard that Durham comes right after Oxbridge? That seems quite contrary to what I had heard before and many people here in India say that Bath is better than Durham. Another thing that bothers me is that Durham has 6-7 courses related to Finance whereas Bath has only one (Accounting & Finance) and even the Economics & Finance course is quite new (starting in 2006).
I cant figure out what to do, although I am a little more certain that Nottingham is my third choice. Its course content is not too great either.
The thing is that I need to accept/reject Durham within 24 hours as my offer time is about to lapse and I'm in a real dilemma.
Would really appreciate your suggestions about which university is better or is it that the difference is not significant between these? Another thing with Durham is that their conditions are much harder to meet than Bath's. Am sure of meeting Bath's but not so sure about Durham.
Also, Durham seems to have a "collegiate" system. I have gotten into Ustinov College. I don't really care about the nightlife and all, but is the faculty that teaches different from college to college? Because then the internal rankings of colleges would also matter.
please help !!
winns_d
Also, Durham seems to have a "collegiate" system. I have gotten into Ustinov College. I don't really care about the nightlife and all, but is the faculty that teaches different from college to college? Because then the internal rankings of colleges would also matter.
Also, Durham seems to have a "collegiate" system. I have gotten into Ustinov College. I don't really care about the nightlife and all, but is the faculty that teaches different from college to college? Because then the internal rankings of colleges would also matter.
No teaching takes place in college, it's just a community in which to live and socialise.
There isnt that much difference. bath's rep specifically for economics is better than durhams, though durham's reputation as a university overall is better than bath. All in all, the difference in standing between these two is SO TINY as to be completely negligible. Go for the one that you think you'll enjoy more.
I prefer Durham. Although, Bath is a beautiful place, the University is not that nice in terms of looks. In terms of academics, Durham would be the overall higher ranked University. That being said, both courses are very strong and you should chose on where you would prefer to live.
And for God's sake do not listen to what people say in India. I am originally from India too and my Dad's family lives there. The common people or people who have no idea about English Universities will just say something for the sake of it. For example, I was at a Party at Delhi and this guy comes up to me, who may I mention I had never met in my life, and says: "You look like you're not from here. Where are you/going to study?. I said Durham University or Imperial. He was like: "Surely, Imperial isn't that good for Science. They're only really good for English." Ha. If you want anyone's general opinion, then ask employers there. They are the ones who know best.
And for God's sake do not listen to what people say in India. I am originally from India too and my Dad's family lives there. The common people or people who have no idea about English Universities will just say something for the sake of it. For example, I was at a Party at Delhi and this guy comes up to me, who may I mention I had never met in my life, and says: "You look like you're not from here. Where are you/going to study?. I said Durham University or Imperial. He was like: "Surely, Imperial isn't that good for Science. They're only really good for English." Ha. If you want anyone's general opinion, then ask employers there. They are the ones who know best.
Bath has n appalling nightlife and isn't a particulalr student freindly town and because it doesn't do such a wide choice of subjects you don't get to meet such a diverse mix of students.
The Times Education Guide puts Bath as the 9th best UK university, Durham as the 10th best and Nottingham as the 14th best.
It lists Nottingham as 6th best in the UK for economics, Bath 7th best and Durham equal 10th best.
Durham has the highest entry standards for that subject at the moment according to the Times closely followed by Nottingham and then Bath.
--
The Guardian puts Durham as the 10th best UK university for finance including 8/10 for entry requirements and teaching.
Bath is put in 12th place despite being given only 4/10 for teaching by them and entry requirements of 8/10.
Nottingham is put in 18th place with another 4/10 for teaching but a large 9/10 for entry requirements.
--
So make of all that what you will - it seems slightly contradictory to me.
I strongly suggest you visit them all- in fact visit at least 6 UK universities that look interesting to you if you can before you decide.
---
Nottingham University is essentially a Victorian/early 20th Century university by origins.
Bath University is a 1960s university.
Durham University is a collegiate university split around the city of Durham in relatively small departments. As it dates from 1832, it is often called England's third oldest university after Oxford and Cambridge and is sometimes classed, like St Andrews, as the place where Oxbridge rejects go although that is unfair to some students who make it their first choice, no doubt partly influenced by the spectacular location, including cathedral and castle that is arguably unrivalled in its sense of drama in the UK.
It lists Nottingham as 6th best in the UK for economics, Bath 7th best and Durham equal 10th best.
Durham has the highest entry standards for that subject at the moment according to the Times closely followed by Nottingham and then Bath.
--
The Guardian puts Durham as the 10th best UK university for finance including 8/10 for entry requirements and teaching.
Bath is put in 12th place despite being given only 4/10 for teaching by them and entry requirements of 8/10.
Nottingham is put in 18th place with another 4/10 for teaching but a large 9/10 for entry requirements.
--
So make of all that what you will - it seems slightly contradictory to me.
I strongly suggest you visit them all- in fact visit at least 6 UK universities that look interesting to you if you can before you decide.
---
Nottingham University is essentially a Victorian/early 20th Century university by origins.
Bath University is a 1960s university.
Durham University is a collegiate university split around the city of Durham in relatively small departments. As it dates from 1832, it is often called England's third oldest university after Oxford and Cambridge and is sometimes classed, like St Andrews, as the place where Oxbridge rejects go although that is unfair to some students who make it their first choice, no doubt partly influenced by the spectacular location, including cathedral and castle that is arguably unrivalled in its sense of drama in the UK.
Really want to thank you all for all the replies. Really helped clear my doubts.
I have decided to go for Bath in the end. I had a slight preference for Bath and then their conditions are way easier to meet as compared to Durhams. And then while I was in the middle of deciding all this, I got an offer from York, which has always been my first preference. The conditions of the offer are somewhere between Bath's and Durham's so I was sure that I wouldn't be going to Durham.
Now I just have to see if I can meet York's condition. If not I am pretty sure of meeting Bath's.
@Picnico
I had checked the tables - as you point out, its all quite contradictory and does not point one way or another.
@Cic
I had actually asked a consultant at Chopra consultants and my statistics professor, whose son is in the UK and works in finance, about Durham and Bath. They didn't say extremely outrageous things for sure but neither were too positive about either Bath or Durham but were slightly more inclined towards Bath. The average Joe here, of course, has some of those silly remarks to pass :-)
@TKR
> All in all, the difference in standing between these two is
>SO TINY as to be completely negligible. Go for the one that you think you'll
>enjoy more.
TKR, thanks a lot for your post. I really needed somebody to say that :-) To know that I am not make a horrendous mistake by choosing one over the other. It really doesn't bother me if one is a shade better than the other in some ranking or another. I had a slight preference for Bath (for some reason that I cannot seem to put my finger on), it has easier conditions and it is closer to London. And now that I have York's offer, I am praying that I meet the conditions of the offer. Just wondering about Nottingham vs Bath because both have the same acceptance conditions, though I am pretty much in favour of Bath as a backup to York. :-)
Thanks a lot everybody ! I really appreciate your having taken out the time to help me.
I have decided to go for Bath in the end. I had a slight preference for Bath and then their conditions are way easier to meet as compared to Durhams. And then while I was in the middle of deciding all this, I got an offer from York, which has always been my first preference. The conditions of the offer are somewhere between Bath's and Durham's so I was sure that I wouldn't be going to Durham.
Now I just have to see if I can meet York's condition. If not I am pretty sure of meeting Bath's.
@Picnico
I had checked the tables - as you point out, its all quite contradictory and does not point one way or another.
@Cic
I had actually asked a consultant at Chopra consultants and my statistics professor, whose son is in the UK and works in finance, about Durham and Bath. They didn't say extremely outrageous things for sure but neither were too positive about either Bath or Durham but were slightly more inclined towards Bath. The average Joe here, of course, has some of those silly remarks to pass :-)
@TKR
> All in all, the difference in standing between these two is
>SO TINY as to be completely negligible. Go for the one that you think you'll
>enjoy more.
TKR, thanks a lot for your post. I really needed somebody to say that :-) To know that I am not make a horrendous mistake by choosing one over the other. It really doesn't bother me if one is a shade better than the other in some ranking or another. I had a slight preference for Bath (for some reason that I cannot seem to put my finger on), it has easier conditions and it is closer to London. And now that I have York's offer, I am praying that I meet the conditions of the offer. Just wondering about Nottingham vs Bath because both have the same acceptance conditions, though I am pretty much in favour of Bath as a backup to York. :-)
Thanks a lot everybody ! I really appreciate your having taken out the time to help me.
York is a stunning ancient walled city with about as much history as Durham and it seems to attract many more visitors than Durham partly due to its location further south. Thankfully, York still manages to totally avoid that tacky tourist feel of some other picturesque places in the UK- it is modern, vibrant, has a huge and excellent range of restaurants/pubs/bars and is still a well preserved city.
York University is a 1960s university and, having studied there (and not always had a good time), I suggest visiting first rather than relying on carefully selected photos from a prospectus. The accommodation is not the best in the UK, some of the interiors are very 1960s, but, on the other hand, Heslington Hall (and Heslington) are beautiful, Central Hall does look striking, the huge lake is a marvel, the Computer Science building is beautiful (the department has been classed before as 2nd in the UK after Cambridge) and a huge expansion plan, starting this year with the university tecahing law for the first time, and then Film and Media and dentistry, should hopefully revitalise the university and give it the range of some other 1960s universities such as Warwick.
Still, if you want the truth of all these 4 universities, no matter how similarly they may score overall in league tables generally, Durham University still has an aura around it in quite a few people's imaginations- if you visit Durham you will get an idea why.
York University is a 1960s university and, having studied there (and not always had a good time), I suggest visiting first rather than relying on carefully selected photos from a prospectus. The accommodation is not the best in the UK, some of the interiors are very 1960s, but, on the other hand, Heslington Hall (and Heslington) are beautiful, Central Hall does look striking, the huge lake is a marvel, the Computer Science building is beautiful (the department has been classed before as 2nd in the UK after Cambridge) and a huge expansion plan, starting this year with the university tecahing law for the first time, and then Film and Media and dentistry, should hopefully revitalise the university and give it the range of some other 1960s universities such as Warwick.
Still, if you want the truth of all these 4 universities, no matter how similarly they may score overall in league tables generally, Durham University still has an aura around it in quite a few people's imaginations- if you visit Durham you will get an idea why.
Stop the Press!
I just remember having read this on York University's Nouse newspaper site yesterday:
http://www.nouse.co.uk/2007/06/20/sheldon-admits-faculty-in-crisis/
That would rule out York University for management studies for me.
I just remember having read this on York University's Nouse newspaper site yesterday:
http://www.nouse.co.uk/2007/06/20/sheldon-admits-faculty-in-crisis/
That would rule out York University for management studies for me.
I accepted offer from Durham due to their MSc covering CFA syllabus + if you wish to take the exam, ability to organise the exam through the University (although the exam will not physically take place in Durham).
Furthermore, as I contacted their career service, majority of the major investment banks and major companies from banking sector, as well as other sectors visited them last year.
Furthermore, as I contacted their career service, majority of the major investment banks and major companies from banking sector, as well as other sectors visited them last year.
help i am in the same position i am not sure which one is better for employment bath or Manchester
Original post by dina halawani
help i am in the same position i am not sure which one is better for employment bath or Manchester
Mmm i may be wrong but not sureif a 12 year old thread would be much help!
hahah i didn't check the timing of the thread
Original post by dina halawani
hahah i didn't check the timing of the thread
Just for general info i live outside manchester and its booming job opportunities wise however the city is not as nice as Bath it pains me to say as it is quite dirty and has a fairly high crime rate. Nightlife and shopping wise its hard to beat though.
what about employment
what about durham
Durham is a small city but beautiful my daughter is starting university there in Sept. I think most people once they have graduated move to other cities for employment as there is not much locally.
i really like bath, but it is not a very reputable university.
Original post by dina halawani
i really like bath, but it is not a very reputable university.
Lovely city but i know nothing about the university. The course content is the most important thing as you dont want to be stuck studying modules you dont enjoy for three to four years. The reat will fall into place.
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