Is a degree from Birmingham University perceived as better than a degree from University College Birmingham, for example, by employers?

[billieblue]

Sorry, new to this.

I presume there's a hierarchy? We've looked at the Uni rankings and they seem to focus on student satisfaction, but that doesn't tell us much about how they are perceived.

Thanks

[Sevendown]

Russell group ones do tend to have a better reputation.

[Haffdonga]

Rightly or wrongly, yes. Basically the Russel Group unis (and some others) do more academic research and so tend to market themselves as prestigious in terms of brains required.

[WanderingWavelet]

What are the typical A levels required for the University College? Generally, such places are lower in standards with less well-qualified staff.

[senua]

As a sweeping generalisation: in education the older the institution, the better it is regarded. UoB has 118 years' of reputation behind it, UCB has only 4. If something has survived 118 years then it must be doing something right, like Oxford (a millennium) or Cambridge (a mere eight centuries).
In education, if in doubt go for tried&tested.

What rankings have you been looking at? Have a look at this wiki page

[billieblue]

Actually, it's 2 similar courses offered by UCB that DD is looking at, one is accredited by UCB, and the other accredited by University of Birmingham and delivered by UCB (it says the degree will be issued by UOB).

I think she might be better considering the accredited one - obviously as long as the modules interest her. It's 96 UCAS points for the BSc for both, or 56 for a FdSc which can be converted to a BSc.

UOB don't seem to offer the course on their own campus?

[LadyLance]

People on MN will tell you the RG is the be all and end all of everything but it's not that simple.

For a very traditional career like law, yes it does help to go to a traditional uni. RG is not necessarily better, Bath or Lancaster may be a better option than QMUL, for example.

For a less traditional career, your DD is better off looking at subject specific league tables- industry leaders will recognise degrees that are very respected in their field.

She should also consider where she would be happiest and the opportunities on offer. A placement year, for example, can make a huge difference to employability.

[Biologifemini]

Yes.
Just look at the league tables.
Doesn’t mean UCB is bad though.
It is just a simple way for employers to filter so many CVs.

[ErrolTheDragon]

The good uni rankings should include stats on employment... that may help answer your question to some extent.

[nNina22]

The majic circle legal profession probably look for applicants from top ranking universities but remember that many, many university admissions tutors working at the top unid actually have degrees from lesser ranking unis so are far less prejudiced than you might think. As someone upthread commented, you need to look at subject specific ranking

[senua]

Actually, it's 2 similar courses offered by UCB that DD is looking at, one is accredited by UCB, and the other accredited by University of Birmingham and delivered by UCB (it says the degree will be issued by UOB).

I think you need to be really careful about 'promises' from Universities. They tend to describe how things happen now, with an implication that life will carry on like that, but they can't guarantee eg that module that you really like in Year 3 that is delivered by Prof XX may no longer happen when you get to Year 3 because Prof XX has retired / gone on maternity / is off on sabbatical / gone to another University.

Read the small print: will the UoB-awarded degree still be awarded by UoB by the time you get to the end of Year 3? I know that some institutions (eg School of Food IIRC) in the past have offered UoB-awarded degrees when the institution wasn't part of a University set up. But UCB (which has taken over things like the School of Food) has recently become its own awarding body so I don't see why UoB would want to continue to award degrees to UCB students.
Check the small print. Maybe speak to UoB rather than UCB.

[LOliver123]

Yes it would be considered better

[billieblue]

Thank you everyone.

That is interesting senua - it's food science she's looking at.

[bellinisurge]

Old gimmers like me might spend a moment or two noting one is the old polytechnic. But then we'd start acting our age and get over it. My sis went to the polytechnic.

[ChipInTheSugar]

I have a feeling that this sort of collaboration is so that places like UOB get a tick in their box for reaching a certain demographic of students who would perhaps more likely be found at UCB rather than UOB.

I know that a friend of mine who began teaching at UCB, and failed some students' assignments was told to find enough marks to pass them. I would hope that UOB would be rather more rigorous.

[Peakypolly]

I am an employer in the Midlands and would see a degree from Birmingham Uni as ‘better’ than one from UCB. However I know of 2 friends of my DC who graduated last year from UCB who have embarked on careers in elite companies on fabulous graduate schemes, so my thinking may be behind the times.

[OrcinusOrca]

I know plenty of people on top grad programmes who didn't go to RG. I went to a poly and got on one of the best grad schemes in the country (I did get a first but from my perspective going to uni and getting a degree was just a tick box to get on the scheme).