What made you decide on your university?

tumbleweed261

My course was only offered at one uni in the UK, so decision made! Make sure you love the course and the place, I know I've had more than one wobble of "I just don't want to do it any more/what the heck made me choose this/at what point did this course seem like a good idea" over the past 3.5 years - only 5 months until freedom though

docij

As it's a masters course you're looking for and not an undergraduate one, I think the most important criteria should be the research reputation of the department. You want to be supervised by someone who is up to date on the subject and so is regularly involved in research projects.

The other consideration might be cost. One year taught courses in some unis are 3 times more expensive than 2 year part time ones. With part time you can also have more time for paid employment.

Definitely got to the open days if it's not too late. If you can't get there, at least contact the course leader to find out more.

Good luck.

Sarahsaver

I went to uni from 1989 to 1993 in Leicester. I chose there because they invited me up personally when I could not go to an open day, they had a good reputation for my subject and the course involved lots of literature ALso meeting a lecturer in person like that I knew I would be able to get on with them! (French was my subject btw) there was self catering acommodation available, and the people of leicester were friendly, and the market is fantastic for moneysaving people like me.
I know its a bit different now with fees and all that, but I was on a full grant Mum could not afford to support me at all, at least there are plenty of part time jobs available here. Weekends at the walkers crisp factory were the 'student shifts':)
I am still here!

djhworld

Even though graduates from Cambridge and co still will take precedence over others at job opportunities, employers are starting to expand their horizons to accepting those from other institutions, so don't take 'prestige' and 'reputation' too seriously

Voyager2002

ringo_24601 wrote:

Do you want a night life/campus?
Do you want red brick/'new uni (ex-poly)'?
Big City/Small city?
Far from home (e.g. St Andrews) or not far from London (e.g. Bristol)

An MSc is intensive, and a lot of hard work. So issues like being in a large or small town, and the availability of night life, will be completely irrelevant.

At this level, the deciding factors have to be the course itself; the quality of the study facilities; the reputation of the department (NOT the university as a whole) and convenience factors: you will not be in a position to spend a long time travelling, so don't choose a place that would involve long journeys.

My MSc was something that was only offered in two universities in Britain. I knew and liked one of the departments and the people in it, but it was at a low-status university. I then contacted the Careers services of the two universities to find out what happened to graduates from the two courses. The results from the university I did not know were far more impressive, so that was where I went, and I have never regretted that decision.

reehsetin

literally - what sounded good
i just applied saw whoeever did my course, then said wanted to stay in london
and picked what i thought off the top of my head what was good out of them

[Deleted User]

Funny, i studied MSc Biosystems and Informatics at Liverpool, it might have been intensive but it still didn't stop me going out 3 nights a week. Actually I found the first term rather easy.

Savvy_Sue

I think you HAVE to go and look. For me, I went for interview, saw the leaves, saw the mist, saw the Cathedral and thought "THIS is where I want to come ..."

Whether that was the 'best' way to make a decision or not I leave others to judge, but I never regretted it!