Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

To go to a more prestigious uni for course I'm not as interested in?

63 replies

nomannocry · 15/03/2022 21:53

I have been accepted onto two postgrad courses.

Course 1 - will result in an MSc - 2 year course - guaranteed a job in a field I have always been interested in, entirely sure it's the career I want, always been a passion - low ranking university - same university I have my undergraduate degree from.

Course 2 - will result in a MEd - 1 year course - not something I have always been interested in but could become more so upon doing the course, jobs aplenty, not sure it is the right career for me and certainly not a passion - RGU and top 10 university in the world.

I am torn. Any advice?

OP posts:

PleaseBeSeated · 15/03/2022 22:14

Definitely not course 2. I’d hold off a year and find course 1 at another university.

SevenWaystoLeave · 15/03/2022 22:21

Course 1 no question.

timetokill · 15/03/2022 22:25

Depends on your industry and how fast you want to progress. I am a recruiter (clients are banks, management consultants, big tech companies etc), hiring managers do not want to hire those who have an undergraduate or post-graduate from a non-Russell group / Ivy League uni, this hasn't changed in the last 20 years.

Original poster

nomannocry · 15/03/2022 22:31

Course 1 and 2 are both social care type of career rather than anything competitive like mentioned up thread

OP posts:

Bellalastrasse · 15/03/2022 22:40

@timetokill

What about u/g from non Russell and p/g from RG?

BambinaJAS · 15/03/2022 22:44

I would do course 2.

This gives you options if you ever decide to change careers later on.

You may feel differently about your career in 10 or 20 years. Passion does fade. RG University will then open more doors via their alumni network.

Savvysix1984 · 15/03/2022 22:52

Why would you do 2 years when you can do one? Do you end up with the same type of qualification?

Icenii · 15/03/2022 22:58

I disagree with previous poster and I believe blanking out what uni you went to will become common practise.

NewYearSoon · 15/03/2022 22:58

I did course 2, probably not the same university but in the top ten in the world rankings.

I hadn’t realised, but it was intended for people going on to do PhDs and focused on Educational Research Methods. It wouldn’t help you learn much about being a good teacher. I’ve just looked at the current description of the course and I can see it’s the same now.

The only advantages I can see for you of course 2 would be (i) a year at a great university (ii) you can say forever after that you went there, which might help in your career.

It depends on what you want to get out of your Masters.

BambinaJAS · 15/03/2022 23:13

@Icenii

I disagree with previous poster and I believe blanking out what uni you went to will become common practise.

You are neglecting to mention that blanking would only apply at the application stage.

At the interview stage, it would absolutely come up.

And yes, these things do carry some weight.

Saltyquiche · 15/03/2022 23:16

Go with your genuine interests, long term this will lead you to a fulfilling career.

Original poster

nomannocry · 15/03/2022 23:16

So course 1 is Social work.

Course 2 is adult education, community development and youth work.

OP posts:

Original poster

nomannocry · 15/03/2022 23:17

If you see what I mean, I don't think they are too focused on the unis for those type of careers? However, I could be wrong?

OP posts:

Savvysix1984 · 15/03/2022 23:19

I looked into social work many years ago. Are you aware of the step up to social work courses? They're called different things in different areas, but basically on the job training.

Original poster

nomannocry · 15/03/2022 23:22

@Savvysix1984

I looked into social work many years ago. Are you aware of the step up to social work courses? They're called different things in different areas, but basically on the job training.

Yeah I'm aware of it but unfortunately that's only available in England and I'm not there

OP posts:

Incognito32 · 15/03/2022 23:29

OP can you tell us which Uni's? Doubt you'll be identifiable.

I've got quite a good handle on how universities are viewed.

My advice would be different if you were talking Luton/Bedfordshire uni vs Harvard (definitely take Harvard), compared to say Sheffield Hallam vs Durham (do the course you love).

Icenii · 16/03/2022 07:20

*Icenii

I disagree with previous poster and I believe blanking out what uni you went to will become common practise.

You are neglecting to mention that blanking would only apply at the application stage.

At the interview stage, it would absolutely come up.

And yes, these things do carry some weight.*

Terrible practice.

Bunnycat101 · 16/03/2022 07:40

For vocational degrees with a route straight into work it matters less. If it was an arts subject with the desire to go for a competitive grad scheme afterwards I’d go for the best possible university. I’d absolutely do course 1 in the situation you’ve described.

PiccoloMaud · 16/03/2022 07:45

If you want to be a social worker, do the social work course. Having a professional accreditation is more useful in that sense than having a masters from a more prestigious university. I did a nursing MSc at a low ranking uni, but the point was to become qualified to do the job I wanted to do. There will be lots of opportunity for further study and development once you qualify too.

RedHelenB · 16/03/2022 07:53

@Icenii

We blank out universities on applications. It's to help with social mobility.

Do you look at A level and GCSE greades?

WomanStanleyWoman · 16/03/2022 07:55

Absolutely course #1. At post-grad level, the relevance of the course will be more attractive to employers than the name of the university.

timetokill · 16/03/2022 08:48

[quote Bellalastrasse]@timetokill

What about u/g from non Russell and p/g from RG?[/quote]
Excluding field work careers (labs, engineering, teaching, social workers, logistics, research etc), I recruit desk/office jobs for large corporates (executives, board, treasury, marketing, strategy, business / product development, IT etc) and for example if the prospective candidate doesn't meet 75% of the job requirement (which is mostly the case) then I lead with their educational profile to compensate that. Definitely a post-grad from a top tier uni / business school definitely overshadows a undergrads at a non-RG uni.

GreenWheat · 16/03/2022 08:53

@Dazedandconfused10

No recruiter cares about what uni you went to.

They do in the field I work in. I would go for the better uni.

StarMouse879 · 16/03/2022 08:58

"You are neglecting to mention that blanking would only apply at the application stage.
At the interview stage, it would absolutely come up.
And yes, these things do carry some weight."

Just been through a recruitment process and the university I attended absolutely never came up. Four stage selection process for a high profile professional role. Educational institutions not to be named in the application and there was no point at which it became relevant. My interviewers hadn't even been told my current job - it was 100% based on demonstrating competency in the role I was applying for.

They'll probably be really disappointed when they find out I went to Cambridge .

Baaaa · 16/03/2022 08:59

Course 1

Flip

1 2 3

Swipe left for the next trending thread