The Student Room Group

Two questions about Permanent Private Halls

Hi, I'm an American and trying to understand how this works. I just had two questions about PPHs please. From what I understand, PPHs are the same as regular Colleges, except that they are self-governing, don't have to follow the University in every regard, and they tend to be religious in character. However at the end of the day, one still gets the same education at a PPH as at any regular College of Oxford. Hopefully that's more or less correct?

1. That said, my question is about how PPHs are viewed by most people in the UK. I understnad PPHs are comparable educationally to Colleges at Oxford, but I wonder what the public perception is of them as opposed to regular Colleges? Do most people view PPHs slightly unfavorably? Or slightly favorably? Or do most people not care at all whether one attends a PPH as opposed to a regular College? Just wondering what the perception was amongst people in the UK, especially by people hiring uni grads such as corporations or people in education?

2. Does Cambridge have anything comparable to Oxford's PPHs, or are PPHs only exclusive to Oxford?

Many thanks in advance! :smile:
Reply 1
Your college doesn't generally matter to potential employers. Your degree is conferred on you by the University, not any individual college (or PPH), so there shouldn't be any difference in perception (you don't need to put your college on your CV). If anything, for theology degrees it might be preferable to study at a PPH, although I can't speak with any sort of authority on that; otherwise there's no difference as far as I know.

PPHs are essentially the same thing as colleges, at least as far as students are concerned. The environment is obviously a bit different, considering that they're much smaller than colleges and also they tend to offer only a very limited range of subjects. But if you think you'd like to live in what is probably a more 'cosy' environment, then PPHs are certainly an option. There's no difference in reputation.

Don't know about Cambridge, sorry.
Reply 2
nwhilk
Hi, I'm an American and trying to understand how this works. I just had two questions about PPHs please. From what I understand, PPHs are the same as regular Colleges, except that they are self-governing, don't have to follow the University in every regard, and they tend to be religious in character. However at the end of the day, one still gets the same education at a PPH as at any regular College of Oxford. Hopefully that's more or less correct?

1. That said, my question is about how PPHs are viewed by most people in the UK. I understnad PPHs are comparable educationally to Colleges at Oxford, but I wonder what the public perception is of them as opposed to regular Colleges? Do most people view PPHs slightly unfavorably? Or slightly favorably? Or do most people not care at all whether one attends a PPH as opposed to a regular College? Just wondering what the perception was amongst people in the UK, especially by people hiring uni grads such as corporations or people in education?

2. Does Cambridge have anything comparable to Oxford's PPHs, or are PPHs only exclusive to Oxford?

Many thanks in advance! :smile:


The courses are exactly the same whichever College/Hall you are at, so employers couldn't care as far as I know. Whichever College you're at, there are other rivalries (for example, I believe there's some friction (OK, but not serious) between Balliol and Trinity, and lots of people joke about single sex Colleges, so there's always some of that, but it's essentially for fun.

PPHs are a lot smaller, but, for example, there are many American students who come to Greyfriars each year, so you might like that more. It's really a personal thing.

Cambridge has no PPH equivalent.
Reply 3
PPHs offer a much smaller selection of courses than other colleges do, and typically they don't have in-house tutors apart from for theology. If you intend to study any other subject, you'll have tutorials at other colleges. This means that there won't necessarily be as much continuity, in the sense that you'll probably have lots of different tutors at different places during your university career rather than a few in one college overseeing what you do. This may be a good or a bad thing depending on the quality of teaching that is arranged for you, and on how organized the PPH is.

Most people haven't heard of PPHs, and the typical perception is that they are solely religious places which do not teach lay students. Think carefully about whether you are sure you'd like to attend a PPH. You will have a different experience, academically if not socially, if you do.

On how people in education view them, see some of the comments here: http://leiterreports.typepad.com/blog/2007/05/post.html
Reply 4
fjurble
PPHs offer a much smaller selection of courses than other colleges do, and typically they don't have in-house tutors apart from for theology. If you intend to study any other subject, you'll have tutorials at other colleges. This means that there won't necessarily be as much continuity, in the sense that you'll probably have lots of different tutors at different places during your university career rather than a few in one college overseeing what you do. This may be a good or a bad thing depending on the quality of teaching that is arranged for you, and on how organized the PPH is.

Most people haven't heard of PPHs, and the typical perception is that they are solely religious places which do not teach lay students. Think carefully about whether you are sure you'd like to attend a PPH. You will have a different experience, academically if not socially, if you do.

On how people in education view them, see some of the comments here: http://leiterreports.typepad.com/blog/2007/05/post.html



Actually, that's not true re not having in house tutors, or, at least, not for Greyfriars. My Classics tutor is Nicholas Richardson, who is the Warden, and our Senior Tutor is the main English tutor. There are also in house Lawyers, Historians as well as Theologians.
Reply 5
fjurble
PPHs offer a much smaller selection of courses than other colleges do, and typically they don't have in-house tutors apart from for theology. If you intend to study any other subject, you'll have tutorials at other colleges. This means that there won't necessarily be as much continuity, in the sense that you'll probably have lots of different tutors at different places during your university career rather than a few in one college overseeing what you do. This may be a good or a bad thing depending on the quality of teaching that is arranged for you, and on how organized the PPH is.

Most people haven't heard of PPHs, and the typical perception is that they are solely religious places which do not teach lay students. Think carefully about whether you are sure you'd like to attend a PPH. You will have a different experience, academically if not socially, if you do.


I'm at a normal college, and I've had a lot of different tutors so far - I love it. And if the tutor's at another college, it's so much easier to change them if they don't suit you...
Reply 6
just to clear things us wrt. wycliffe, it's essentially a bible college for training evangelical ministers- don't take it as a reflection of the PPHs that offer standard courses.
Reply 7
thomasjtl
just to clear things us wrt. wycliffe, it's essentially a bible college for training evangelical ministers- don't take it as a reflection of the PPHs that offer standard courses.


:biggrin: Good point. Besides, when I mention Greyfriars to people, they tell me that they have a great summer garden party first of all, not "oh my god, isn't that a pph?!", so I don't think there's anything "weird" about going to one.
Reply 8
Don't get me on Wycliffe. Damn. Have you seen the article in, I think, the Guardian? Stories of perceived discrimination against homoness and all the other stereotypes...I had thought Oxford was meant to be enlightened...
Reply 9
yes i read it, but you have to remember that giles frasier is a bit of a headcase, and his piece on wycliffe carries very little complete truth.
You must know that it doesn't just stop at that one article though?
Reply 11
well yes, but they're all in a similar vein, and seem to quote each other a lot. Knowing several people in wycliffe, the reality is very much different to what the article makes out.
I wasn't just referring to the popular press but to comments made by uni members but hey if you're not one of the 'minorities/deviants' then who says you will necessarily have experienced anything negative or spoken to someone who has.
Reply 13
well, tbh, if you've never spoken to anyone who actually has anything to do with wycliffe, how on earth are you supposed to have anywhere near clear picture? Most people in oxford don't even know where it is, yet alone know anyone there or have been there; they'll have heard most about it from reading/hearing about that guardian article/those like it.
Why is it so difficult for you to consider that the reality is somewhat different to the ill-informed rumours?

I've been to wycliffe several times, my pastor did his theological training at wycliffe, several friends of mine are currently students there- i'm even travelling in Japan with one of them at the moment. I'm certain none of them would produce the diatribes against homosexuals suggested by frasier and others like him.
Reply 14
I cycle past Wycliffe Hall a lot :ninja:

Sorry, pointless comment.
blah blah who mentioned rumours?
Reply 16
You did- you said you were basing your opinions on what you read in the popular press and comments made to you by university members. Sounds like rumours to me.
Reply 17
S'pose it depends whether the university members are friends who are at wycliffe or not :wink: