Which university to choose?

Hi all, I am stuck as to wether I should go to Birmingham City University or University of Kent? I have offers from both, but don't know which is the better choice. Any advice?

Look at the modules each uni offers for your course. Visit both during an offer holder day and get a feel for the location and surrounding area.

Which course?

For the vast majority of courses Kent. However the key is where you prefer the course and surroundings. BCU is in a huge city. Kent is in a small historic one. Another factor is Canterbury is more expensive than Birmingham.

Distance learning MSc Psychology

Hi, its for a distance learning for MSc Psychology.🌸

Probably the biggest question then is what you want to do afterwards - if you want to go into a professional psychologist role (e.g. clinical psychologist, forensic psychologist, educational psychologist etc) then you the graduate basis for chartered membership (GBC) from the BPS.

If you have a BPS accredited undergraduate degree then you have this already, and so the decision will probably be based on the course content/module options offered and research interests of staff aligning to your own. Particularly if the course is distance learning, this is really the major consideration - the other major consideration being cost and funding.

If your degree was in another (non-psychology) subject, or if it was not BPS accredited, then you will still need the BPS accredited degree so would want to see if the masters degree is BPS accredited as providing GBC. So this may be a deciding factor. If they are both BPS accredited then the considerations highlighted above would then be the thing to consider.

Thank you so much for your help. Both are BPS accredited conversion courses🌸

In that case the courses are probably pretty similar in terms of content. So major factors to consider would be optional modules (if any) available, tuition costs and funding availability for each (if they differ), teaching and assessment formats (e.g. are they mainly assessed by exam or coursework, if a mix are the ratios different, and how are they mainly taught- prerecorded lectures, online materials, live lectures, tutorials/seminars etc) and you could also look at student satisfaction ratings for those specific courses if the data is available (and similarly testimonials and such if they are available).

In that case the courses are probably pretty similar in terms of content. So major factors to consider would be optional modules (if any) available, tuition costs and funding availability for each (if they differ), teaching and assessment formats (e.g. are they mainly assessed by exam or coursework, if a mix are the ratios different, and how are they mainly taught- prerecorded lectures, online materials, live lectures, tutorials/seminars etc) and you could also look at student satisfaction ratings for those specific courses if the data is available (and similarly testimonials and such if they are available).

Thank you so so much. You have been a big help. I have checked a few of those things but hadn't thought of some. Thanks so much🌸

Hi @tarrynknelson,

I think the advice you've been offered by @artful_lounger and others on this thread is very useful

Just wanted to add that, even though you are interested in distance learning, I studied the MSc Psychology course at Kent so if you have any specific course-related questions, let me know and I'll try my best to offer some information/insight into my experience with the course and any specific modules/other info!

Natalie
- University of Kent Student Rep