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University of Westminster

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University of Westminster

Basically, I'm thinking about Westminster as a university choice..pretty much any good university in London! I'm in my lower sixth year, next years my last however we start applying to universities next year so I'm starting to consider my options now.
I'm thinking about either fashion merchandising management as a course at this uni, or else public relations (mass media, etc). However, I've heard it's incredibly hard to get into the university..so if anyone has any helpful advice, questions or information, fire away. Thanks!

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Reply 1

Dionysus

Is this a serious thread? Without any offence to Westminster, it is most definitely not a good university and you'd get in with virtually nothing.

University of Westminster

London

Reply 2

eDDeboo

^ wow.
Its sixth-form is notorious for its Oxbridge links..

Reply 3

FyreFight

eDDeboo

^ wow.
Its sixth-form is notorious for its Oxbridge links..

Are you sure you're not thinking of the private school? Westminster School has a great reputation, but the University of Westminster is terrible.

Reply 4

NDGAARONDI

I had an opportunity to study law at Westminster. Ended up retaking my "A" levels and took some time out to work full time. I now have an opportunity to go to Durham. But that's because, unfortunately, law at Westminster wasn't good enough for me for my career plans but may be good enough for other people.

I know someone who went to Westminster School.

Reply 5

Democracy

StotheL

Basically, I'm thinking about Westminster as a university choice..pretty much any good university in London!

Exclude the uni of westminster then. Of course I guess it depends on your definition of good. What are your grades like?

Reply 6

Typhoon

It depends on the course you want to do, not just the uni in general. Westminster may not be the best uni for everything, but it has the best media courses in the country; hence me putting it as my firm.

Reply 7

lazza

law isn't fashion merch

westminster is one of the top places in the country to study fashion design. i don't know much about the merch course (we're in different buildings and don't really mix) but the fashion department is as follows...

Alumni-
Christopher Bailey- Creative Director of Burberry
Stuart Vevers- Creative Director of Loewe, ex Mulberry CD
Vivienne Westwood
Michael Herz-Creative Director of Aquascutum
Carrie Munden- Cassetteplaya
Katie Hillier- Creative Director of her brand, ex. accessory designer for luella, marc jacobs and hogan (and possibly new CD of Mulberry)

guest lecturers include...
Aitor Throup - Menswear Designer
Andrew Davis - Fashion Editor Arena Homme Plus
Antonio Berardi - Designer
Basso & Brooke - Designers
Carrie Mundane - Designer, Cassetteplaya
Ebru Ercon - Designer
Jens Laugesen - Designer
John Galliano - Designer
Julian MacDonald - Designer
Katie Grand - Stylist
Maria Paschal Chen - Designer
Mark Maidment - Creative Director Ben Sherman
Preen - Designers
Professor Julian Roberts - Designer
Richard Gray - Illustrator
Ross Phillips - Head of Interactive SHOWstudio
Sally Turner - Designer Mulberry
Shelley Fox - Designer
Sophie Dean - Fashion Editor Wallpaper* Magazine
Tamsin Blanchard - Journalist
Tracy Mulligan - Designer
Tristan Webber - Designer
Winni Lok - Designer

and placements at...

Alexander McQueen
Ann Sophie Back
Anne Valerie Hash
Aquascutum
Arena magazine
Ben de Lisi
Ben Sherman
Ben Maher
Beverley cable pr
Blow PR
Bora aksu
Boudicca
Burberry
Cassetteplaya
Christopher Kane
Clements Ribeiro
Ebru Ercon
Giles Deacon
Frost French
Fred Perry
Harper's Bazaar, NY
Jens Laugessen
Jimmy Choo
Jonathan Saunders
Julien Macdonald
La Petite Salope
Luella
Madame V
Moschino
Mulberry
Peter Jensen
Peter Som
Preen
Rebecca Taylor
Sophia Malig
Stella McCartney
Tank magazine
Tata Naka
Todd Lynn
Top Shop
TopMan
Tristan Webber
Versace
Vivienne Westwood
Vogue

so far this year we've been taught by aithor, carrie, richard grey and had chances to work at LFW

i also know people on the PR course who are loving it and the campus feel to the uni is an added bonus

DONT SLAG OFF UNIS BEFORE YOU KNOW THE FACTS

Reply 8

MediterraneanX

Westminster is actually quite up and coming. I know loads of people that went there are all of them are working in the city on good money.

Reply 9

star888

I dont get it? Ive applied for both fashion merchandise management and fashion buying management and have been accepted for both.....i must admit, after visiting the uni, it wasnt what i expected but i felt that the people were so much more friendly compared to the other universities i visited. I think that actually liking the uni just as important as its reputation but what i dont understand is why westminster 'supposedly' has such a bad reputation??

I mean, from what i know so far, it has excellent industry links. Just because its not known to be as 'prestigious', does not make it such a bad university.. surely?

Reply 10

Paeony

A lot of universities have a 'bad/poor' general reputation but actually offer some of the best courses available in particular subjects and areas. If you're wanting to go into a certain area, then it's worth looking at what professionals in that field think of particular courses. I don't know Westminster, but if it's got a lot of industry links then it looks like the course is pretty well thought of.

Also remember that there are a lot of people on this site who subscribe to the 'Russell Group/Oxbridge or nothing' philosophy ... forgetting that there are LOTS of courses, particularly more vocational ones, that you can't actually study in these places. And, a lot of the ideas about 'reputation' come from the various league tables which all measure different things and often look at the quality of research, rather than the quality of the undergrad experience - academics might be brilliant researchers but crap teachers, which isn't great for most undergrads. If YOU like a uni and YOU think you'll be happy there, if it offers the course YOU want to take and offers you reasonable industry links, then go off the way YOU feel and not what other people say.

Reply 11

lazza

westminster was the first polytechnic. the russel group/oxbridgers don't really like polys. the harrow campus is really friendly (that's where merch is? i think i stood outside the merch tutor's office while trying to find my design tutors office...)

i don't know much about the fashion buisinesses courses but with the rep of our fashion course it'll probably be a good place to study

Reply 12

lazza

alumni

Sir Alexander Fleming, The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, 1945
Carlos the Jackal, self-proclaimed leftist revolutionary and mercenary, terrorist
Christopher Bailey Design Director, Burberry
Arnis Balcus, photography and video artist
Luke Busby, producer/songwriter
Charlie Brooker, Commentator
Sir Anthony Caro, OM, CBE,sculptor
Wilfred Cass, CBE, businessman and philanthropist
Caroline Cox, Baroness Cox of Queensbury, lobbyist
Rob Diament, singer/songwriter
Sam Dodwell, Cornish artist
Mladen Dolar, Slovenian philosopher
Emmy the Great, (Aka Emma Lee Moss) UK anti-folk artist
John Fleming, writer and TV producer
David Gascoyne, poet
Jono Grant and Paavo Siljamäki, two-thirds of trance group Above & Beyond.
Trisha Goddard, TV presenter/Chat show host
Alan Heath - publisher and historian.
Stephen Hesford, Labour politician
Michael Jackson, Chairman, Universal Television Group USA
Denis Jenkinson, motor racing journalist, Continental Correspondent of Motor Sport magazine and world champion sidecar passenger
Asif Kapadia, director/screenwriter
Irrfan Khan,Indian Bollywood actor
Barry Laden, fashion entrepreneur and writer
Markus Lupfer, fashion designer
Dale Mills, Australian human rights activist and journalist
Trevor Miller, author and screenwriter
Jake Nava, music video and commercial director
Scarlet Page, photographer and daughter of Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page
Ian Ritchie, CBE
Jon Ronson, journalist
William Shields, aka Jehst, UK rapper and poet
Owen Spencer-Thomas, MBE, television journalist, Anglican clergyman and first president of the Students' Union
Mousir Syed, actor/director
Manish Sahi, radio broadcaster and columnist
Stuart Vevers, fashion designer
Danny Wallace, TV presenter and author
Roger Waters, Richard Wright and Nick Mason of the rock group Pink Floyd studied architecture in the 1960s but did not graduate.
Jamie Willcox, Jon Courtney and Chloe Alper of British Rock Group Pure Reason Revolution
Vivienne Westwood, fashion designer
Samit Basu, writer

my fave is definitly trisha. and we can't forget the feeling can we

Reply 13

star888

lazza

I take it your're still there? Whats the design course like anyway? Im also interested in design :smile:

Lol thought i would take the safer route though......as long as its still fashion based.

Reply 14

StotheL

Dionysus

Is this a serious thread? Without any offence to Westminster, it is most definitely not a good university and you'd get in with virtually nothing.

No, I decided to write up the thread for a bit of banter. You know, no purpose really.

Of course this is a serious thread you moron. I can understand the prejudice towards polytechs, where I'm from, grammar schools are valued higher than high schools. A lot of people assume students from high schools generally don't care about careers and only associate with others from grammar schools (I'm currently at a grammar school). So, yeah.

Anyway, I was talking about the University of Westminster. The fact I want to do a fashion merchandising/buying management course limits what unis I can go to, for example if I wanted to do law, or something I would have plenty more universities to choose from.

At my school a lot of pupils tend to go to Newcastle/Northumbria, that's all I ever hear about! I don't want to go there though, no desire to whatsoever. So yeah, I want to study within London, at a reputable university. Sitting on AS level B grades, I've experience though, I go buying for my dads company, so I guess I'm learning already. Anyway, any help whatsoever will be highly apprecited.

For those who assume fashion based courses are "micky mouse" subjects for those who lack desire to do anything academic, please do not bother replying with any petty insults. Also, I've heard the london college of fashion isn't all it's cracked up to be? I fancy going to a university with an all round feel, I don't want to be stuck with a bunch of girls obsessed with dieting, I want to meet people from many areas. HELP! thanks.

Reply 15

Dionysus

StotheL

For those who assume fashion based courses are "micky mouse" subjects for those who lack desire to do anything academic

How can anybody really argue otherwise? In what way is a 'fashion' course useful in its own right? You could do plenty of more serious degrees and pursue the same careers.

Also, I've heard the london college of fashion isn't all it's cracked up to be?

The ability to use punctuation correctly is also a bonus when applying for Universities.

Reply 16

StotheL

In regards to your post Dionysus, I can safely say your reply has benefited me in no way. Apart from informing me of your generaly 'snootyness'. Let's see, I want to secure a job as a fashion merchandiser/buyer. I highly doubt taking a degree in law would help me. Also, incase you haven't noticed. This is NOT my university application form, therefore I really don't care for my punctuation skills. Lovely chap you are!

Reply 17

Dionysus

I'm not contesting your decision to go to this type of establishment or do this course, but am just astounded by the number of people who do so under the illusion that it will significantly enhance their job prospects when they graduate.

Reply 18

woody1989

Okay, I can't remember how you do it but I wanna give you some advice before you actually apply for certain ones.

All of UoW halls of residence are awesome, but I'm currently living at Furnival House. And I must say there's not a better place to live.

You're in zone 2 and campus is - at fastest - 20 mins away and there is always a nightbus back from central (N20).

The surronding area is lovely; and upper class with lots of nice little pubs and up the road is an awesome celeb bar/pub hangout - The Boogaloo.

The house itself is absolutely brilliant. Security guard is actually helpful AND Babrara the receptionist is a legend. It has a common room that never shuts and has a placement scheme with those in America - and other countries such as Mexico, Sweden, Denmark and Spain - whereby you mee so many different people - it is amazing!

Any questions; message me.

Reply 19

StotheL

Ah thank you for the advice! I've just added you to message you, so excuse my sketchy email address, it was created when I was about 10 and now I cannot be bothered to change it! Thanks.

University of Westminster

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