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<a https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7467335'> Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>
<a https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7467335'> Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>
<a https://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=7467335'> Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

Birmingham or Manchester for undergrad English Literature?

I've received offers from the Universities of Birmingham and Manchester but am having real difficulty deciding which I would be best going to.

My main issue is simply the difference between the rankings given to each university: Birmingham is ranked 8th for English by thecompleteuniversityguide.co.uk, and Manchester at 27th. The main cause of this disparity, from the factors the website used to determine these values, is graduate prospects: Birmingham was ranked at 86.5% and Manchester at 78.4%. Student satisfaction at Birmingham was also slightly higher, but the research quality at UoM was very slightly higher than at UoB.
In other ranking tables, there are similar differences between each uni: The Guardian ranked UoB and UoM at 6th and 27th respectively, with UoB ranking with 89.9 for student satisfaction and 96.1 for satisfaction with teaching, and UoM with 85.2 and 92.7.

Despite this difference, all of the people I have talked to about this issue consider Manchester to be a better choice. Generally, they cite the good reputation of UoM, and the significance of me getting an offer when the UoM is frequently highly over-subscribed. In contrast, the UoB is considered to have a less academic reputation by those I have talked to, and my offer from Manchester is slightly higher than my offer from Birmingham, but this has no weight on my decision. I also can't really base my decision based on which course's content I prefer: I am interested by both relatively equally.

I am having difficulty determining the actual significance of this difference in rankings. I understand that league tables are not meant to be taken to be the most significant factor, but I feel I can't ignore the size of the difference between the two universities. Although Manchester may be considered a better university overall than Birmingham, and to have a better reputation, would I be put at a disadvantage in the individual subject by attending it rather than if I attended Birmingham? Does the reputation of the university or the reputation of the course take precedence? And, if the reputation of the course does - can these rankings be considered reliably indicative of the quality of the degree I would end with?

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