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Durham vs Sheffield

I’m looking to study MEng General Engineering with a year in industry at either uni. Does anybody have any experience with either course and would they recommend it? I’ve also read the University of Sheffield has some serious financial issues that could affect the engineering department, should this put me off?
Original post by applicant_2025
I’m looking to study MEng General Engineering with a year in industry at either uni. Does anybody have any experience with either course and would they recommend it? I’ve also read the University of Sheffield has some serious financial issues that could affect the engineering department, should this put me off?

No direct experience, but certainly met graduates from both departments in industry. I don’t know if Sheffield has financial issues, but almost all British universities have faced financial squeeze. Rising costs with inflation, simultaneously with fees not rising in line with inflation for a decade and a reduction in international student appetite due to factors such as Brexit, this means universities are in part pushing the stories to get through to the government (which is ignoring the problem).

I personally wouldn’t be particularly worried about Sheffield engineering considering there strong ties with the aerospace sector & longstanding research partnerships. Id probably guess Sheffield engineering budget is significantly larger then Durhams, although of course more research & staff costs.
No direct experience, but certainly met graduates from both departments in industry. I don’t know if Sheffield has financial issues, but almost all British universities have faced financial squeeze. Rising costs with inflation, simultaneously with fees not rising in line with inflation for a decade and a reduction in international student appetite due to factors such as Brexit, this means universities are in part pushing the stories to get through to the government (which is ignoring the problem).
I personally wouldn’t be particularly worried about Sheffield engineering considering there strong ties with the aerospace sector & longstanding research partnerships. Id probably guess Sheffield engineering budget is significantly larger then Durhams, although of course more research & staff costs.

Thank you for the reply. Did any of the graduates mention anything major about either course that made their experience bad or good?
Original post by applicant_2025
Thank you for the reply. Did any of the graduates mention anything major about either course that made their experience bad or good?

Nothing that jumps out, Sheffield grads certainly talk more about there student life then Durham, id say if you want the traditional city university experience Sheffield is the better route if you’re after the smaller city colleges community then perhaps Durham.
Nothing that jumps out, Sheffield grads certainly talk more about there student life then Durham, id say if you want the traditional city university experience Sheffield is the better route if you’re after the smaller city colleges community then perhaps Durham.

Thank you for your help
Nothing that jumps out, Sheffield grads certainly talk more about there student life then Durham, id say if you want the traditional city university experience Sheffield is the better route if you’re after the smaller city colleges community then perhaps Durham.

Hi there :wavey:
I'm currently in my second year of studying at the University of Sheffield. Here's a link to more info on the engineering department if you're interested. https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/engineering
In terms of more general student life, I love Sheffield. It is a city campus which means the university is really a part of the city. It is also a very green city and only a short bus journey from the peaks, so personally I think it has the best of both worlds.
There's also lots of extra-curriculars and societies at Sheffield, with the students union being voted the best students union for the past 7 years running, and also received an award for best student life in the Student Choice Awards.
Hope this helps a little bit about what the University of Sheffield is like and let me know if you have anymore questions!
Trudie - Second year BA Sociology with Social Policy student :h:
Original post by applicant_2025
I’m looking to study MEng General Engineering with a year in industry at either uni. Does anybody have any experience with either course and would they recommend it? I’ve also read the University of Sheffield has some serious financial issues that could affect the engineering department, should this put me off?

Hey there , I'm in a similar situation I've applied to do my masters at both of those schools and also wasn't sure. My current lecturers advised me to pick the higher ranking university as long as I didn't mind which city I would live in and Durham ranks higher on most league tables.
I hope this helps .
Cece
Engineering student
Reply 7
I was friends with a lot of General Engineering MEng students and they all absolutely loved their time doing it. I rarely heard anything negative and if I did it was just small issues that all courses will inevitably have

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