New College of the Humanities

[shockthemonkey]

Does anyone know much about this new university in London?

I don't think it features in any rankings (something that people here really focus on)... does anyone have any idea of the quality of its degrees, teaching, reputation in the UK and further afield?

Thanks!

I remember when it was set up. It had some quite interesting famous people involved in some of the lectures from memory. I could not realy see why it would be a useful option for most students as employers would not have heard of it or may not have and it offers a limited range of subjects.

I don't know what A level grades people have who go there but that might be a good thing to start with asking about. From memory it was reasonably high originally.

Quality of degrees: awarded by Southampton Solent.....(so crap)
Teaching: probably very good actually.
Reputation: None - employers haven't heard of it. Academics will have heard of it though if going elsewhere for post grad is the plan.

Basically it's a vanity project.

Thank you titchy and xenia!

Pretty much as I thought. I think the staff to student ratio is very high, with teaching delivered in very small groups. But the problems for the people I advise are pretty much as titchy points out if you're hoping to get hired straight away.

Useful info, thanks again

I know someone who worked there a number of years ago. She said the students were all unusually stupid (having taught elsewhere previously) and she had to dumb down tutorials as a result. However they used to have some very interesting lectures, not sure whether this is still the case.

Thanks fruitbowl! Offputting for a student I'm advising who wants to study PPE, in London at all costs, is very academic so is going for LSE, UCL, King's and then... hmm

I'm trying to get her to consider Warwick and Durham but she's very very obstinate about London after her sister had a bad experience in another RG uni outside London.

I don't think NCH will work for her. She would not appreciate dumbed-down tutorials (though would appreciate small teaching groups in principle).

According to wiki it was bought by Northeastern University earlier this year.

Are NCH students eligible for undergrad student loans? I'm assuming if their degrees are awarded by a 'normal' U.K. uni they would be, is that correct?

I'd also want to know how much the original 'big names' are still involved.

I don't know much other than noticed that some of my DC's contemporaries , or the older siblings have gone there.

Nice kids. I assume there are reasons why they want to stay close to home. I suspect they are not quite up to UCL/KCL standards, don't want London Met, want to study humanities rather go to one of the private accountancy Universities (BPP etc that others have gone to), and have the means to pay.

But hey ho, in MN terms that means crap stupid and the other adjectives that people seem to feel can be hurled at other people's DC.

A bit further out, but Royal Holloway is another University that works for those who aren't keen on the typical English student experience. We know bright kids who did not enjoy the social scene at places like Exeter, dropped out but then went onto love RH.

Academics will have heard of it though if going elsewhere for post grad is the plan.

Barely, though, I think? I mean, I remember the publicity about Grayling, what, 10 years ago, but I've not heard anything about it since. If a student applied for postgrad, I'd have to do some digging and wouldn't feel very confident I'd know what kind or quality of education they'd had.

Obviously you can to some extent figure this out, but for postgrads where you don't interview, I think it could be an issue TBH.

Queen Mary? SOAS? Goldsmiths? Royal Holloway? These are all member institutions of the University of London.

If the NewChum course of study leads to a non-London degree award, it's not exactly a London degree, is it. I know they used to follow the London extramural syllabus and so the students were awarded ULon degrees, but it seems it isn't the case any more.

There is some info on whatuni.com inc

'As a general guide, most undergraduate applicants obtain between AAA and AAB at A-level, 38 to 36 points in the IB, orinternational equivalents. However, the college does not make strict rules about this, and looks at the potential of each applicant to flourish studying the college’s unique liberal arts-inspired curriculum.'

Which for a non-STEM uni doesn't sound shabby.

Also, if she’s set on London she can apply for 2 courses at the same university

What about Politics and Economics at Queen Mary? (although that would assume the student isn't that interested in philosophy!)

What was the type of problem with the dsis' out of London experience? It might help identify a non London university which would avoid that difficulty?

SOAS might be an interesting option for an overseas student?

Be warned that both Goldsmiths and SOAS can be quite political environment. Poor Goldsmiths has a mixed reputation of both being very PC/Woke and posh. (I think one of Prince Andrews daughter's went there.) SOAS can be a remarkable envigorating experience but, perhaps more than LSE or Imperial, it can be quite tricky for UGs. It attracts quite a lot of post grads from all over the world who are studying language culture politics law or humanities. Brilliant but not for every 18 year old.

and as others have said, royal holloway - full ppe available!

Thank you very much again! I'm thinking RH might be a good safety for her although she would prefer to be really central.

Thanks for everyone's replies as there are some elements I had not considered, and all comments have been helpful.

The problem for the sister was she found it all too tame and boring. As I said, RG uni but hardly in a backwater. For some of my charges, it really is London or nothing. Others I manage to persuade to venture out to Bristol, Bath, Exeter, Durham, Southampton sometimes.

I had ruled out Goldsmiths and SOAS for either no suitable course or culture shock, for the reasons sleep outlines.

Oh yes, she'll be applying to more than one course at either King's or UCL, but not at LSE as they are extremely particular there about the PS needing to fit like a glove... needing to fit so well that you couldn't possibly apply to two courses there even if there is significant overlap.