Which one

provista_2

If you could go to any uni which would you choose to do an English Language degree.
DD wants to do English language and Linguistics before doing a teaching degree. She will be going next year and college was trying to push her towards Oxbridge but they don't do the exact course she wants.
She is looking at Durham, York Edinburgh and maybe a couple of others.

Voyager2002

A degree from Oxford or Cambridge would give her a lifelong advantage. The study skills she would learn there would enable her to read up on any areas of interest not covered in her course.

Edinburgh is a great university in a wonderful city, but it is often difficult for students from England to get into Scots universities.

Durham has a large and very strong English department, but unfortunately the university attracts more than its fair share of upper-class snobs (Exeter has a similar problem). Unpleasant snobbish behaviour seems to be exaggerated because they are trying to cope with not getting into Oxford or Cambridge.

MrsManda

I think the best thing for your DD is to go to the university where they do the course she wants to do, where she also feels comfortable.It is better to go to a well known university and Oxbridge does look very impressive on a CV, however all of the universities you have listed are well known for being good universities..
But the most important thing is for your DD to be happy with the course and the feeling of the university. If oxbridge don't do a course she is interested in, she is more likely to drop out - university is hard, oxbridge more so if only because of the short terms so if your DD is going to be spending time regretting not doing the course she wanted to do she's not going to do very well.

I'd suggest going to open days, having a wander round each university and speaking to people on the courses. Nottingham is one of the best universities for my course so was my top choice until I visited. Wandering around I just did not feel comfortable and knew I'd hate it whereas UCL which also has a reputation as being good for my degree programme felt perfect (despite being in London ).

Oldernotwiser

provista wrote: »

If you could go to any uni which would you choose to do an English Language degree.
DD wants to do English language and Linguistics before doing a teaching degree. She will be going next year and college was trying to push her towards Oxbridge but they don't do the exact course she wants.
She is looking at Durham, York Edinburgh and maybe a couple of others.

What age group does she want to teach? If it's secondary then she'd be better combining Language and Literature rather than Linguistics.

If she definitely know that she wants to teach then Oxbridge will be less important than some other careers, as long as she makes sure that she goes to a reputable, "older" (non poly) university.

provista_2

She would like to do early years (reception to y2).
At college at the moment she is doing English combined, Maths, French, Computing and Critical Thinking and RE, but probably looking to drop Maths for her 2nd year.

Lokolo

Maths is amazing. Slap her if she drops it. :cool:

(I am joking by the way)

Voyager2002

Lokolo wrote: »

Maths is amazing. Slap her if she drops it. :cool:

(I am joking by the way)

Her Maths would really help her get a range of teaching opportunities.

provista_2

she got agrade A in GSCE and all the teaching info says she only needs a grade C in Maths to go on to teaching.

chicacherrycola

...as long as she makes sure that she goes to a reputable, "older" (non poly) university.

Sorry but I think that is completely irrelevant.

When she goes for an interview as a teacher it will be her who is being assessed, not the type of university that she went to.

I go to an ex-poly that is more than reputable.

I would recommend that she visit the universities that she is interested in, the course might be considered the best of its kind but that doesn’t matter if it’s not the best for her and she isn't happy.

Ps.I study English Language and love it

GrammarGirl

I would really recommend York for studying English. I was desperate to go but unfortunately didn't get the grades. York is a beautiful city and ideal for students, and the university itself is amazing.

I'd also recommend Leeds, which is highly regarded for English too. Leeds is where I studied (again, not quite bright enough, on paper at least, for Leeds Uni, I settled for the Met) and it has a great student community, loads to do and is a brilliant city to live in. There are also lots of job prospects within Leeds for new graduates, so if your daughter decides she wants to stay after uni she may find it easier to get a job locally.

GrammarGirl

FYI, I also visited Sheffield, Hull and York Saint John for English courses. I liked Sheffield (my sister studies English lit with Linguistics here), wasn't taken with Hull and hated YSJ! But they are just my opinions. It definitely helps to visit a few to compare.