Politics at Glasgow vs Strathclyde

Currently I hold a conditional offer for Politics at Glasgow, and an unconditional offer for Politics at Strathclyde. These are my two top unis by far, and I know I want to study in Glasgow as I was born and raised there and love the city, however I am not sure which uni to go to. I know that Glasgow is generally ranked higher for politics, But I also know that Strathclyde has higher rates of student satisfaction. I've been to offer holder days and researched the courses and both seem very good which is making it more difficult to make a desicion. Currently I am leaning towards Glasgow as I prefer the campus and have heard student life is amazing there, however I have also heard the work is extremely difficult to the point of being overbearing and the uni itself is overcrowded. So I am still on the fence about where to go and was wondering if any former or current Politics students or anyone with knowledge of both unis could help me out?

Currently I hold a conditional offer for Politics at Glasgow, and an unconditional offer for Politics at Strathclyde. These are my two top unis by far, and I know I want to study in Glasgow as I was born and raised there and love the city, however I am not sure which uni to go to. I know that Glasgow is generally ranked higher for politics, But I also know that Strathclyde has higher rates of student satisfaction. I've been to offer holder days and researched the courses and both seem very good which is making it more difficult to make a desicion. Currently I am leaning towards Glasgow as I prefer the campus and have heard student life is amazing there, however I have also heard the work is extremely difficult to the point of being overbearing and the uni itself is overcrowded. So I am still on the fence about where to go and was wondering if any former or current Politics students or anyone with knowledge of both unis could help me out?

Yeah I’m in the exact same position in considering both unis but for a law, which is a pretty similar subject to politics- so I’m really hoping you get more answers on this thread too! Strathclyde is better for social life from what I’ve heard due to it being in the centre of the city, and along with that it’s easier to find jobs round about and cheaper too live in by far (the accommodation is also on campus which makes things A LOT easier, it’s also considered to be better than Glasgows accom, better rooms for way lower prices sorta thing). Strathclyde also (while still lower ranking than Glasgow) does, as you said, have a higher student satisfaction rate- and continues to rise in uk and global rankings each year which is why it’s constantly being funded which is great. On the other hand however most of that funding goes to the engineering and business side of the school as that’s what it’s known for, so humanitys subjects seem a little forgotten. Glasgow is beautiful of course, and has the added benefit of being a russle group uni with a global reputation and great rankings- it’s also, as of right now, a better school for both law and politics (and a better school in general)- but yeah the exams are apparently absolutely terrible and a lot of the time people drop out due to how harsh they are, which probably has a lot to do with the lower student satisfaction rates- that and the bad student support and admin there. So big pros and cons to both really 🤷*♀️

Hi @lorcan.a
Congratulations on your offers to study at Glasgow or Strathclyde! Although I didn't study Politics, I did study History and Law at Strathclyde (Same faculty and degree type as politics) so thought I might be able to share my experience plus I had close friends who did politics / and with history
In first year you get to choose 3 subjects to study (so would be politics and 2 others.) This is a good way to get a taste for your subject and confirm it is what your wanting to do. I know many who changed or continued to do a joint degree and others who solidified it was what they wanted to do. First year can be tough but that is expected at all universities and courses as you are moving up from secondary/college. Acting on feedback and finding your independence for studying is a big part of first year. Humanities in comparison to engineering does have less contact hours. What this means is there is a lot of independent study of preparation for classes, essay/long written assessments.
Student life: Strathclyde has lots of clubs and societies and I have enjoyed being a part of a few. Some I started in first year and others I joined later into my degree.
Campus: I like being right in the city centre because everything is close. Glasgow Uni also have good city centre access with the buses and subway and isn't that far out. On campus there are lots of places to study.
Best wishes for your decision and all the best for starting uni !
Catherine - University of Strathclyde Student Ambassador

I ended up going with Glasgow, mainly down to the course specifics for politics between etiher uni, which I thought Glasgow seemed better for becuase of the opportunities and modules they offered. No idea if it would be the same thing for Law becuase I never really looked into those courses. Social opportunites and clubs also seemed to be really good at Glasgow, and equal to that of Strathclyde's at least from what I was seeing. Personal recommendations also swayed me quite alot, as I talked with quite a few people who went to Glasgow in the late 2000s and 2010s (all with varying courses as well), most of whom really enjoyed their time and said the Uni was great - although I'm unsure of how much the Uni has changed given its been years since those people studied there. Honestly the rankings didnt matter to me as much, as both are ranked very well and similarly across different rankings (especially for politics), although Glasgow's reputation and status is impressive. The location did also play a big role as I just prefered the Glasgow campus and west end to Strathclyde and the city centre, although like you say the city centre has good social and job opportunities I do find it a bit too busy and active whereas I feel the west end was more quiet whilst still having a strong social and employment aspect. Your right as well about the centre being cheaper than the west end but I feel as though the transport links are good enough so that getting around the city for cheaper nights out is a viable option - although rent prices alone make me reconsider that. I have lots of friend's and family in the south side, and I was considering the centre as better for proximity to them all, but again I feel the public transport is decent enough to get around on. Ultimately I'm happy with my choice but I am still quite anxious becuase I've also heard about the poor quality of exams and student support like you mentioned. I also cant shake a negative feeling about the student satisfaction rates but I still feel as though I would prefer Glasgow overall. Let me know what you choose to do as Im curious on others decisions at this point.

Congrats on your choice! I’m sure you’ll love Glasgow and that if you feel the course there is better for you then you have chosen the right option! The west end is beautiful and is quieter, which to me sounds like a plus for you so I’m sure you’ll love the area as well! I ended up going in the opposite direction and chose Strathclyde, mostly just due to recommendations from a couple lawyers and other people I spoke to who had done law, as well as because strath law has the law clinic, and is more focused on criminal law (which I want to specialise in) which are two major plus points for my course. I also just like the busier atmosphere of the city Center and liked the open day more which I went to last week! Super exited to move to Glasgow though as it is an awesome city!

Same to you! Seems like Strathclyde is definitely the right choice for law becasue of the law clinic and specific opportunities you mentioned. Regardless of Strathclyde or Glasgow tho, Glasgow definitely is the student city to be at, and I'm sure we'll both have a great time!