Does Doxbridge exist? And not only on the sports field...

Maybe it's some sort of ironic in-joke?

Durham is a top uni? rofl

No, Durham is somewhere down in the top 20 and doesn't even touch the likes of imperial, lse and oxbridge. Strange how those going there think they are the dogs *******s when it isn't even a top uni.

never applied, just a passing comment on a highly overated uni.

In a 6 month old thread?

How do you make a passing comment in a thread you have to search for?

No, Durham is somewhere down in the top 20 and doesn't even touch the likes of imperial, lse and oxbridge. Strange how those going there think they are the dogs *******s when it isn't even a top uni.

No unis touch Oxbridge. Durham don't pretend they do. Their arts courses come close, possibly even match, but that's it. In terms of "the elite" though there's Oxbridge and that's it.

Speak for yourself. In my opinion, Durham indeed "touches" Oxford or Cambridge. We have better English and History departments than Oxford. Geography, Theology, Chemistry, Engineering, French are all in 3rd place. We have numerous other departments in the top 5.

The average Durham student has only 55 Ucas points less than the average Oxford student, and that includes our crappy departments based in Stockton.

Is Durham "elite"? Im not sure... Looking at UK league tables seem to suggest so. However, internationally Durham is really lacking.

Don't take league tables so literally.

I already admitted that in many of the arts it matches Oxbridge and in some sciences (physics, chemistry, engineering) and law it comes very close. However, Oxbridge is still Oxbridge.

Show Queen's Campus more respect. It also includes the medical school, and I'm sure medical students certainly contribute a lot in UCAS points. Still, even in places like its foundation centre, business etc. it should be valued more. At least major, formal efforts have been made at QC, opening higher education to a wider selection of students (those from non-traditional backgrounds, mature students, increasing regional participation). That's more than the other top unis can claim.

It could be argued that Stockton was one of the factors why Durham slipped to 19th (I think) in the rankings ten years ago (although there were other reasons, unis such as Nottingham improving at a greater rate, for example). It always was going to have a short-term negative effect. But that's not really the case now (I think a ranking of sixth - eighth is fair).

3. Durham, as a university, isn't elite. Its law school may be elite (though still a notch down from Oxbridge) but I think you'll find it very hard to argue it's an elite institution. I really don't think any real universities are (outside of Oxbridge). Although it may raise a few eyebrows amongst the public, if you tell them you attend there, it doesn't have the same knock out factor as Oxbridge. What's more, Oxbridge's tutorial system is second to none.

Durham's next best, however, but no different to about five other unis.

I like Durham because it's pwetty

According to the legaue tables the London unis and Bristol, Warwick ect are just as good as Durhams, if not better. Then again it depends on how much you trust the tables.

In my mind no, I'd say most people think no.

Overall, Applied Psych, Primary Education and Business are going to massively offset any rise caused by the Medical School (you are assuming that Doctors have masses of UCAS points - not always the case).

I cannot wait until they add another 2 depts there and then spin it off in a similar manner to Newcastle.

For God sakes, no one in their right mind pays TOO much attention to those pathetic league tables. They are there for an idea and not the be all and end all of academia.

I'm not assuming medical students have masses of UCAS points, I'd imagine most only have 360 or so. Some even less. But my point was it's strange thinking of a top uni that doesn't have a medical school. Even if Oxbridge aren't well known for teaching medicine, at least they do so.

I honestly believe that, without a medical school, Durham would have suffered. Then again, I don't think York really suffered, not have a medical school of its own (and not even a law department until very recently...) But then it does have mediocore grad prospects (compared to the other top unis)...

I don't understand you. You complain about the lack of diversity in Durham and, although you admit Durham do more than many other top unis, still criticise QC. I've seen the good it can do. It was created, not just to provide a medical school, but also to increase regional participation and encourage those from non-traditional backgrounds to enter HE. I know of a few talented and intelligent people from the Teesside area come to Durham and do very well for themselves (thanks to the foundation centre at QC). Having completed a year at QC they come to Durham and study alongside us "normal" students. You can't tell the difference. They wouldn't have had this opportunity otherwise.

It's something a number of other unis are now doing now, such as Exeter. How would you achieve these aims (increase the number of those with non-traditional qualifications) without QC (and therefore risking the integrity of Durham programmes)?

It should also be said that although QC does have some of Durham's weakest undergrad departments, the postgrad business school is very successful (and has been the training ground of many CEOs and MDs).

Also, I know how well Durham is respected by employers (well, those that care) and I see no evidence that QC is devaluing a Durham degree or affecting the job prospects of students who graduate from Durham itself (and I couldn't give a damn that it's not a target uni in IB, the reason for this isn't down to QC anyway).

I can't see it ever growing into its own uni. The difference with Newcastle was that they were fine departments and located in a major city. It had the resources and the pull needed to allow it to gain independence and then grow into the leading university that it is now.

QC will either stay as it is, and grow, be abandoned or Teesside take it over.