Help! SOAS or Edinburgh?
Hello!
I got an offer from SOAS and Edinburgh (both ABB) to study Arabic and Politics. However, I don't know which one to choose! I know that at some point in the future I would like to work in/on the Middle East and SOAS definitely has the reputation for studying that area. But, it also has a reputation for having bad administration and a bad social life. Edinburgh is better in these areas and it is definitely has a better reputation in the UK (as a whole) than SOAS. Although, I have heard that SOAS has a great reputation for people working in the field of diplomacy/international relations/security.
I would really, really appreciate it if anyone could offer their opinion or advice.
Thank you!
I got an offer from SOAS and Edinburgh (both ABB) to study Arabic and Politics. However, I don't know which one to choose! I know that at some point in the future I would like to work in/on the Middle East and SOAS definitely has the reputation for studying that area. But, it also has a reputation for having bad administration and a bad social life. Edinburgh is better in these areas and it is definitely has a better reputation in the UK (as a whole) than SOAS. Although, I have heard that SOAS has a great reputation for people working in the field of diplomacy/international relations/security.
I would really, really appreciate it if anyone could offer their opinion or advice.
Thank you!
Reply 1
20
Edinburgh would be an interesting city to live in - and certainly cheaper than living in London. But, you do need to check the content of each course and look at the optional units in every year of each course - what would you actually choose if you went there? And look at what extras are on offer at each Uni - study abroad (where) or work placements, optional units in other subjects etc.
Social life is what you make of it at any uni - if you can't find "social life" at SOAS in the heart of London, you're not going to find it anywhere.
As for the administration side of things, I can confirm from experience it's pretty poor. While it did in fact cause some problems for me, I would on reflection note that for most students they won't need to deal with the admin side of the uni and thus will pass by unaffected. While it is unfortunate that it is/was so bad for those who do need to deal with administrative issues (particularly because usually the issues requiring assistance are quite significant and impactful), if you don't require that it's basically fine. I'll even contend that up until the point I did need to deal with some stuff in that vein, I had no issues at all. So...maybe not as big of an issue as it could be realistically. Plus who knows, maybe they've improved somewhat in the last couple years.
Plus the lecturers in my subject area (granted not either area you're looking at) at SOAS were all super engaged and not only knowledgeable in their fields but genuinely seemed to really enjoy teaching (which I assure you, is not a given...).
As for the administration side of things, I can confirm from experience it's pretty poor. While it did in fact cause some problems for me, I would on reflection note that for most students they won't need to deal with the admin side of the uni and thus will pass by unaffected. While it is unfortunate that it is/was so bad for those who do need to deal with administrative issues (particularly because usually the issues requiring assistance are quite significant and impactful), if you don't require that it's basically fine. I'll even contend that up until the point I did need to deal with some stuff in that vein, I had no issues at all. So...maybe not as big of an issue as it could be realistically. Plus who knows, maybe they've improved somewhat in the last couple years.
Plus the lecturers in my subject area (granted not either area you're looking at) at SOAS were all super engaged and not only knowledgeable in their fields but genuinely seemed to really enjoy teaching (which I assure you, is not a given...).
Reply 3
Edinburgh University is one of the most prestigious universities in the world.
SOAS isn't in the same league.
Then, as McGinger commented, Edinburgh will be cheaper to live in than London.
My experence is the student social community is greatly superior in Edinburgh than London, thanks to the much smaller size of the city. I've studied at Edinburgh University and one of the University of London institutions, but with the disclaimer than my London experience is postgraduate.
SOAS isn't in the same league.
Then, as McGinger commented, Edinburgh will be cheaper to live in than London.
My experence is the student social community is greatly superior in Edinburgh than London, thanks to the much smaller size of the city. I've studied at Edinburgh University and one of the University of London institutions, but with the disclaimer than my London experience is postgraduate.
Original post
by London LondonEdinburgh University is one of the most prestigious universities in the world.
SOAS isn't in the same league.
Then, as McGinger commented, Edinburgh will be cheaper to live in than London.
My experence is the student social community is greatly superior in Edinburgh than London, thanks to the much smaller size of the city. I've studied at Edinburgh University and one of the University of London institutions, but with the disclaimer than my London experience is postgraduate.
SOAS isn't in the same league.
Then, as McGinger commented, Edinburgh will be cheaper to live in than London.
My experence is the student social community is greatly superior in Edinburgh than London, thanks to the much smaller size of the city. I've studied at Edinburgh University and one of the University of London institutions, but with the disclaimer than my London experience is postgraduate.
SOAS is one of the strongest universities in the UK for non-European languages and has an extraordinary reputation abroad in countries that speak the language it specialises in due to its long history and reputation in those areas. It's generally the best or second best university in the UK for the languages it teaches.
Don't assume that entry criteria correspond to quality (the entry criteria reflect the fact the languages SOAS teaches are generally less popular) and don't assume that the UK "reputation" of a university is an absolute indicator of anything - when looking in a global perspective things can be much different.
Reply 5
Original post
by emmie876Hello!
I got an offer from SOAS and Edinburgh (both ABB) to study Arabic and Politics. However, I don't know which one to choose! I know that at some point in the future I would like to work in/on the Middle East and SOAS definitely has the reputation for studying that area. But, it also has a reputation for having bad administration and a bad social life. Edinburgh is better in these areas and it is definitely has a better reputation in the UK (as a whole) than SOAS. Although, I have heard that SOAS has a great reputation for people working in the field of diplomacy/international relations/security.
I would really, really appreciate it if anyone could offer their opinion or advice.
Thank you!
I got an offer from SOAS and Edinburgh (both ABB) to study Arabic and Politics. However, I don't know which one to choose! I know that at some point in the future I would like to work in/on the Middle East and SOAS definitely has the reputation for studying that area. But, it also has a reputation for having bad administration and a bad social life. Edinburgh is better in these areas and it is definitely has a better reputation in the UK (as a whole) than SOAS. Although, I have heard that SOAS has a great reputation for people working in the field of diplomacy/international relations/security.
I would really, really appreciate it if anyone could offer their opinion or advice.
Thank you!
Hi,
Both SOAS and Edinburgh offer strong options for Arabic and Politics so it will take some weighing out of different options to make a decision.
SOAS is globally recognised as a specialist institution for Middle Eastern studies, Arabic and regional politics so if this is something you are interested in pursuing, then SOAS is a strong option. SOAS focuses on the Middle East, Africa and Asia, whereas politics elsewhere, including Edinburgh, is likely to focus on the Western world and follow a Eurocentric curriculum. Edinburgh has a strong prestige within the UK and has a notable reputation amongst many industries, however SOAS specialises in the exact degrees and focus that you're interested in. In regards to Arabic, SOAS is arguable the best place in the UK for it as the language teaching is super immersive and introduces you to many dialects. Edinburgh still offers good Arabic teaching but it is unlikely to be as deep or comprehensive as SOAS.
In terms of social life, SOAS is quite small but a very politically engaged and active university. If you like global political discussions and social justice, then the vibe at SOAS would be a good fit. SOAS also attracts many international students, particularly from the Middle East region, so it's a great opportunity to connect and make friends with people from the region you're interested in working on. Edinburgh's social life will perhaps be more of a traditional university social experience as it is much bigger and will have a more classic campus feel compared to SOAS. The MENA community may be smaller at Edinburgh so you may not find the same niche academic environment as you would at SOAS.
I would suggest having a look at the different modules both courses offer across the two universities as it may help your decision. Also, weigh out whether you rather live in London or Edinburgh. London is the a global hub for many organisations and different people and is quite fast-paced with constant activities and things to do. Edinburgh is very scenic and peaceful with lower living costs compared to London and may offer a more student vibe.
2 very strong universities - you have to weigh out each contributing factor and which ones mean more to you.
Best of luck!
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