Would it be stupid to turn down a place at Uni of Sheffield for Oxford Brookes?

5

Hear me out on this one, I am currently on a gap year and didn't get into Sheffield last year so have been advised to reapply as during my A-levels I had some personal circumstances that affected my grades and exam performance specifically my Mum's diagnosis and treatment for breast cancer which I have been told are exceptional circumstances and could be considered on my reapplication. I live in Midlands and want to study Korean but because of my circumstances I'm not too keen on doing a year abroad as I want to be as close to my family as possible so I would have to switch my choice of course at Sheffield to East Asian Studies anyway, which is what leads me to Oxford Brookes. Oxford Brookes have recently added Korean as one of the languages able to be studied as a part of their degree in translation, with an optional year abroad and entry requirements being the exact grades I achieved at A-level meaning I wouldn't have to have any type of special consideration and would still be able to learn the language. My best friend currently studies journalism there and is really enjoying herself and says she recommends it as a uni, and all I really need for the career I want to go into is to be able to speak the language but as uni fees are increasing and with my reluctancy to spend time away from home I just don't want to make such a big decision and for it be the wrong choice especially since Oxford is a lot more expensive than Sheffield in terms of cost of living

Reply 1

artful_lounger

Universities Forum Helper

21

I think there's a couple things to consider here.

Firstly, in general my impression is for East Asian languages, due to the difficulty of those languages you really want to go somewhere with a well-established course and track record of teaching it. Going to a uni which has just introduced the language might be a bit of a gamble.

Secondly, the year abroad is considered to the key point in a language degree (particularly for East Asian languages I gather) where your language skills really develop by leaps and bounds. Without doing a year abroad your language skills are going to be significantly capped below others, which may limit the utility of the degree for certain options in future - especially if the career you want to go into actually requires professional working capability in the language (which realistically - you may not achieve without an extended immersion experience i.e. the year abroad).

It's worth bearing in mind the year abroad is just a single year, it's not the first year of the course so you'll have time to prepare for that, and as I understand you can still go back to the UK during holiday periods in the Korean university's academic year. So realistically it might be at most two ish months here and there away from home, which is probably what you'd have anywhere in the UK.

In any event, if you've not yet applied you may be getting ahead of yourself - as there's no reason you can't apply to both courses (in fact you could conceivably also apply to all three courses i.e. both courses at Sheffield plus the course at Oxford Brookes) and then mull over your options when you get offers, considering the above factors along with the other relevant factors (e.g. costs in Oxford etc).

Reply 2

mike23mike

16

new course at Oxford-Brookes rings warning bells. there are always teething problems with new courses so steer clear. Go to sheffield, and established Korean studies dept there.

Reply 3

username7106664

4

Original post

by egofltr

Hear me out on this one, I am currently on a gap year and didn't get into Sheffield last year so have been advised to reapply as during my A-levels I had some personal circumstances that affected my grades and exam performance specifically my Mum's diagnosis and treatment for breast cancer which I have been told are exceptional circumstances and could be considered on my reapplication. I live in Midlands and want to study Korean but because of my circumstances I'm not too keen on doing a year abroad as I want to be as close to my family as possible so I would have to switch my choice of course at Sheffield to East Asian Studies anyway, which is what leads me to Oxford Brookes. Oxford Brookes have recently added Korean as one of the languages able to be studied as a part of their degree in translation, with an optional year abroad and entry requirements being the exact grades I achieved at A-level meaning I wouldn't have to have any type of special consideration and would still be able to learn the language. My best friend currently studies journalism there and is really enjoying herself and says she recommends it as a uni, and all I really need for the career I want to go into is to be able to speak the language but as uni fees are increasing and with my reluctancy to spend time away from home I just don't want to make such a big decision and for it be the wrong choice especially since Oxford is a lot more expensive than Sheffield in terms of cost of living

Bro I’m kinda in the same position, idc about Russel groups anymore or anything like that it’s just the course rankings specifically and the general specs of the uni… brooks is rlly going well esp for business and journalism. Just the risk you’ve got to take for a new course, that would be the same for any uni…
Overall Brooke’s is a rlly good uni and considering it’s a former poly, I think people just can’t accept it’s doing rlly well and in a lot of subjects better than many top 20 unis in the uk.

Hope this helped and hope your mum made a speedy recovery 🙏

Reply 4

OxfordBrookesRep

Official Rep

11

Original post

by egofltr

Hear me out on this one, I am currently on a gap year and didn't get into Sheffield last year so have been advised to reapply as during my A-levels I had some personal circumstances that affected my grades and exam performance specifically my Mum's diagnosis and treatment for breast cancer which I have been told are exceptional circumstances and could be considered on my reapplication. I live in Midlands and want to study Korean but because of my circumstances I'm not too keen on doing a year abroad as I want to be as close to my family as possible so I would have to switch my choice of course at Sheffield to East Asian Studies anyway, which is what leads me to Oxford Brookes. Oxford Brookes have recently added Korean as one of the languages able to be studied as a part of their degree in translation, with an optional year abroad and entry requirements being the exact grades I achieved at A-level meaning I wouldn't have to have any type of special consideration and would still be able to learn the language. My best friend currently studies journalism there and is really enjoying herself and says she recommends it as a uni, and all I really need for the career I want to go into is to be able to speak the language but as uni fees are increasing and with my reluctancy to spend time away from home I just don't want to make such a big decision and for it be the wrong choice especially since Oxford is a lot more expensive than Sheffield in terms of cost of living

Hi egofltr,

We hope you are well, it's great to hear that your best friend is enjoying their time at Oxford Brookes and we just wanted to share some information from the programme team with regards to the new Korean programme. Brookes’ Korean programme is totally new and innovative. It will include a brand new textbook series based on real-world and K-Culture materials, with QR codes throughout for access to free professionally recorded online audiovisual content in Korean. Also, there may be opportunities for a summer programme in Seoul, as an alternative to a full-year abroad too. If you would like to discuss this or further specificis of the programme, you may wish to email our senior lecturer, Dr Laurence Mann, on this too.

Best wishes,
Courtney

(edited 10 months ago)

Reply 5

OxfordBrookesDan

Official Rep

5

Original post

by egofltr

Hear me out on this one, I am currently on a gap year and didn't get into Sheffield last year so have been advised to reapply as during my A-levels I had some personal circumstances that affected my grades and exam performance specifically my Mum's diagnosis and treatment for breast cancer which I have been told are exceptional circumstances and could be considered on my reapplication. I live in Midlands and want to study Korean but because of my circumstances I'm not too keen on doing a year abroad as I want to be as close to my family as possible so I would have to switch my choice of course at Sheffield to East Asian Studies anyway, which is what leads me to Oxford Brookes. Oxford Brookes have recently added Korean as one of the languages able to be studied as a part of their degree in translation, with an optional year abroad and entry requirements being the exact grades I achieved at A-level meaning I wouldn't have to have any type of special consideration and would still be able to learn the language. My best friend currently studies journalism there and is really enjoying herself and says she recommends it as a uni, and all I really need for the career I want to go into is to be able to speak the language but as uni fees are increasing and with my reluctancy to spend time away from home I just don't want to make such a big decision and for it be the wrong choice especially since Oxford is a lot more expensive than Sheffield in terms of cost of living

Hi egofltr,

Thank you for sharing your story, I completely understand how personal circumstances can make such a big decision even more challenging. My grandad’s health was a factor for me when choosing a university, and I wanted to stay close to my family who live in and around Oxford, Reading, and London. I believe Oxford Brookes is the best of my local universities for Biological Sciences, which ultimately guided my decision.

It’s great that you’re considering Oxford Brookes. Having studied here for five years (BSc, MBiol and now PhD), I can say it’s a fantastic university with a welcoming community and supportive staff. It’s especially exciting that Korean is now offered as part of the Translation Studies degree, giving you the flexibility to learn the language you’re passionate about without the requirement to study abroad.

Studying a new course pathway can be perceived as a risk, but it’s not a new degree as the Translation Studies Degree is well-established and Oxford Brookes is known for its innovative and high-quality teaching. University courses are commonly updated and assessed on a 3-5 year basis and it’s commonplace for a degree to be changed dramatically in a short period. A new course being set up and assessed recently is likely less of a gamble than a similar course that has not been assessed in a few years. While Oxford is more expensive than Sheffield, Oxford Brookes does offer several options to help manage costs, such as:

•

Affordable accommodation, particularly in halls outside the city centre that are just a short bus ride away.

•

Free or discounted public transport for students in Oxford, particularly the BrookesBusKey.

•

Scholarships and bursaries you may be eligible for can be found here.

It’s worth checking what financial support is available through Brookes or other funding bodies, especially given your circumstances. The south of England is more expensive than the Midlands, but the benefit is there are more networking and graduate work opportunities, and Oxford has great transport options to the Loxbridge Triangle and the Midlands.

Why Oxford Brookes Could Be a Good Fit

•

Supportive Community: The staff at Brookes are known for being approachable, understanding, caring about their students, and making adjustments to ensure all experience a high quality of teaching. If you discuss your situation with them, they’ll do their best to accommodate your needs and there is always the option for additional support to be provided.

•

Flexibility: The Translation Studies degree gives you control over your experience, with the option to focus on your language skills without committing to time abroad. As @OxfordBrookesRep mentioned, there may be options for a summer programme in Seoul as an alternative to a year abroad.

•

Career Focus: You’ve already identified that learning Korean is key to the career you want, and Brookes can help you achieve that in a supportive and resource-rich environment.

It sounds like you’re carefully weighing your options and to help you make the best decision you can, I’d suggest:

•

Visiting Oxford Brookes’ next Open Day on 15th Feb to see the campus, meet lecturers, and get a feel for the atmosphere.

•

Reaching out to the admissions team at the University of Sheffield and comparing it to Oxford Brookes.

•

Speaking with your friend who’s already at Brookes to hear more about their experience - it’s great to have someone who knows the uni from a student’s perspective.

Ultimately, choosing the right university comes down to what feels best for you and your circumstances. Whatever you decide, I’m sure you’ll make the choice that works best for both your career and your personal situation.
If you have any more questions about Oxford Brookes, feel free to ask—I’d be happy to help.

Wishing you and your mum all the best,
Dan

Reply 6

moopyxo

10

I'm considering these two as options also, I think it's great that Brookes have added Korean, and it's closer to home for me, but Sheffield seems to have a well-established course and its further from home for me. I'm gonna visit Brookes as I haven't been there yet so that should help me decide better. Let me know what you decide!

Would it be stupid to turn down a place at Uni of Sheffield for Oxford Brookes?

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