better uni or course for engineering?

8

Does a higher ranking for the uni overall or the course itself matter when it comes to engineering? For example, I applied to the universities of Southampton and Warwick for electrical and electronic engineering. Now most people would say that Warwick has a better overall reputation, but their engineering department isn't as good as Southampton's one from what I've heard. What is the best thing to look for when picking a uni for engineering?

Reply 1

LJMUStudentReps

Official Rep

19

Hi

There are plenty of different factors to take into consideration. You can also look into the modules of each unis course, the employment rate, rankings from different sources and most importantly where you think you would fit in best based on the city, open days and any information you can soak up from going to visit / searching online 🙂

Jad, LJMU rep

Reply 2

mnot

Universities Forum Helper

20

Original post

by intended-ineptit

Does a higher ranking for the uni overall or the course itself matter when it comes to engineering? For example, I applied to the universities of Southampton and Warwick for electrical and electronic engineering. Now most people would say that Warwick has a better overall reputation, but their engineering department isn't as good as Southampton's one from what I've heard. What is the best thing to look for when picking a uni for engineering?

Rankings have some fundamental flaws. In general for engineering both of these faculties are excellent, id probably agree that general reputation edges Soton for engineering but it is very marginal.

Both are great institutions, both courses have excellent reputations, both will give you broadly equivalent graduate prospects. When it comes to reputation and employment I would consider them on a par with each other for engineering and focus on the other factors:

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industry specific specialisms

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Location

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University environment

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Hobbies and interests (do they have societies youre keen on trying)

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General feeling and excitement on campus

Reply 3

Uni of Southampton Students

Official Rep

17

Original post

by intended-ineptit

Does a higher ranking for the uni overall or the course itself matter when it comes to engineering? For example, I applied to the universities of Southampton and Warwick for electrical and electronic engineering. Now most people would say that Warwick has a better overall reputation, but their engineering department isn't as good as Southampton's one from what I've heard. What is the best thing to look for when picking a uni for engineering?

Hi there @intended-ineptit ,

League tables are a useful starting point when it comes to choosing universities but do not give a full picture when it comes to the student experience. It might be more beneficial to look at what employers want - which universities/degrees are professionally accredited. What connections does the university have with employers, what professional accreditation does the course offer, what industrial experience/internship opportunities are offered? Is the university physically located in or near the geographic cluster for the industry?

Outside of careers and academics, it would be useful to try and speak to students studying your course or even just studying at universities you are considering, here on The Student Room or on Unibuddy to try and gauge their experiences, thoughts and feelings. You could also try and find YouTube videos to actually see campuses/facilities, etc.

Obviously, a higher ranking makes one more inclined to prefer that university, but it is more important -especially when looking at similarly ranked courses - to consider which course and university suits you best, in terms of things like location, activities, opportunities, safety, ...

I hope that this helps and that you get accepted into the univ you pick!

Rehman, 2nd Year Accounting and Finance
Student Ambassador

Reply 4

UoW Haiming

Official Rep

8

Original post

by intended-ineptit

Does a higher ranking for the uni overall or the course itself matter when it comes to engineering? For example, I applied to the universities of Southampton and Warwick for electrical and electronic engineering. Now most people would say that Warwick has a better overall reputation, but their engineering department isn't as good as Southampton's one from what I've heard. What is the best thing to look for when picking a uni for engineering?

Honestly, for engineering, people often look at the course itself rather than just overall rankings. But a university like Warwick, which has a strong overall reputation, can still carry weight when it comes to internships and graduate roles.

In engineering, what you actually do during the degree, like projects and placements, often matters more than small ranking differences. Warwick’s overall academic reputation does give a sense of stability.

So instead of focusing only on which one ranks slightly higher, it’s probably better to look at module options, placement opportunities, and where you feel you’d fit better.

Reply 5

LSBU

Official Rep

11

Original post

by intended-ineptit

Does a higher ranking for the uni overall or the course itself matter when it comes to engineering? For example, I applied to the universities of Southampton and Warwick for electrical and electronic engineering. Now most people would say that Warwick has a better overall reputation, but their engineering department isn't as good as Southampton's one from what I've heard. What is the best thing to look for when picking a uni for engineering?

Hi there,

That’s a very sensible question, and when it comes to Engineering, especially Electrical and Electronic Engineering, overall university ranking is not always the most important factor. What really matters is course quality, accreditation, facilities, industry links, and employability outcomes.

At LSBU, the focus is strongly career-driven. The Electrical and Electronic Engineering - BEng (Hons) programme is designed with practical application at its core. Rather than being purely theoretical, the course integrates lab work, real-world engineering problems, and industry-relevant software and systems from early on. Employers in engineering care far more about what you can do, your technical competence, project experience, and understanding of systems, than just the overall university ranking.

One of the most important things to look for when choosing an engineering university is professional accreditation. Accredited courses are aligned with industry standards and help you progress toward Chartered Engineer (CEng) status in the future.

You should also look at:

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Access to modern labs and specialist equipment

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Placement opportunities and employer partnerships

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Graduate employment rates

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Support from lecturers and academic staff

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The balance between theory and hands-on engineering

LSBU stands out because of its strong industry links in London, which gives students exposure to engineering firms, infrastructure projects, and networking opportunities. Being based in central London also means access to major engineering employers and professional events throughout your degree.

Another key factor is student support. Engineering is demanding, and having approachable lecturers and structured academic support makes a huge difference. At LSBU, the teaching style is supportive and applied, helping students build both confidence and competence.

If you’re weighing up your options, I’d strongly recommend attending the Open Day on 21st March. It’s the best way to judge for yourself, you can tour the engineering labs, speak directly with course leaders, ask about accreditation, placements, and graduate outcomes, and get a feel for the learning environment.

LSBU Open Day.

So instead of focusing purely on overall rankings, focus on:
Course accreditation
Practical facilities
Industry links
Location advantages
Student support

Those factors will shape your engineering career far more than a headline ranking.

better uni or course for engineering?

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