Insight on Leeds or Bristol for English lit

[Tindrum]

Hi my dd has offers for Bristol and Leeds for English literature. She likes both universities equally so I was hoping for any insight you may have on the course and the uni. Good or bad it would be great to hear any thoughts 😊

Compare accommodation availability and costs

Hi OP, can she compare module options and ways the course is assessed? Might spark something.

Otherwise they are a long way apart. Unless you live in the Midlands, one will be a lot nearer I imagine which is worth factoring I IMO and IME

What might she want to do with the degree? Is she ambitious to work in any particular job? If not, choose the location she likes best. Employers probably will not care if she has read Chaucer or Atwood but they will want to evaluate her transferable skills. Unless she teaches/lectures English of course. So check if grads get grad jobs because English isn’t the best degree for grad earnings. She might not be remotely interested in this but it made a difference to my DDs.

All good points made above. I live in Leeds and I imagine accommodation costs and availability are better here than in Bristol. As well as distance, look also at travel costs/convenience to get home.

I presume she's visited both? They are both excellent unis, with similar reputations, and both good for English so, unless she finds out something specific about how the modules are assessed, which might sway her, I think this one would cone down to the place itself, the accommodation , distance, costs : so the practicalities.

Leeds is particularly strong on medieval lit. Lots of publications from there. Bristol I think is generally well-regarded in all areas (though so is Leeds!). Think I remember reading some excellent post-colonial criticism from their English dept.

DSis and BIL are having and awful time trying to find DN accomodation for his 2nd year at Bristol. No problems for 1st year in halls. They are literally considering a travel lodge at the moment.

Thanks everyone, really helpful!!! We’re in SW London, so I guess there’s an hour difference in travel time if going on the train. I think she’s not too concerned about grad earnings, more how good the course is at this point and it sounds like they’re pretty level pegging. Accommodation availability sounds like a very important factor though! She’s waiting on UCL after being interviewed and also St Andrews, although that was a bit of a random choice because she didn’t really fancy anywhere else and thought why not put an extreme option in? She had a good go at Cambs but was rejected after interview but she’s pretty sanguine and trying to focus on the positives.

Is there a particular bit of English she is interested in?

@amylou8
Bristol students must look for housing before Christmas. Late March will be impossible. Going further out might work but is DN on his own? What happened re house share? Student accommodations office might have spare room notifications. Spareroom.co.uk might work if he holds his nerve or taking a room if someone pulls out from a house share.

She really loves Shakespeare, just reads the plays for pleasure. She also got a lot out of The Reluctant Fundamentalist. I would say she has a wide interest.

Great course knowledge, you sound much more in the know than we are. League table wise both unis don’t seem to figure in the top lot which is a bit disconcerting , but I know the tables need to be taken with a pinch of salt. Your insight is very helpful - thanks.

By road, it’s 2 hours extra driving to Leeds. I suspect more west London Dc will be at Bristol.

DS is currently in his first year doing English literature at Bristol. He loves the course but accommodation is a real issue. And depending where you are the bus service isn’t always very reliable. They organised their year two accommodation in November 22 and will move in this August!

Leeds would offer better transport links to explore other areas further north if she feels adventurous and has the time and cash. Depending what she wants to do after uni also it probably wouldn’t seem like a big daunting move if job searches/post grad courses take/keep her north if returning to London isn’t on her radar.

ultimately I’d say go where she feels most comfortable though. It needs to feel like home.

I don't think it massively matters if Leeds and Bristol aren't in the 'top lot' given their general reputation as universities.

Personally, I think Leeds has the edge for English these days. But really only just.

Leeds has developed a reputation for being party central - this may or may not be to your DD's liking! Think there's also loads of partying in Bristol anyway!

Btw, Leeds is 9th in the CUG for English which is pretty good! 10 places higher than Bristol
The CUG is a fairly reliable league table, some weird metrics aside.

They are both indeed quite low in the Good University Guide (the Times' table) teaching quality and student experience having taken a battering. This might be Covid related, might not.

Great advice, and one I’ll pass on. She’s not a massive party person but at the same she’s happy to go to a few.

I went to Bristol for English Lit 20 odd years ago so advice will be outdated!

The major advantage for me was Bristol had no exams so was 100% coursework. This meant hard work all year but no last minute cramming.

Downsides of this were that lectures were largely pointless unless you happened to be writing an essay on the lecture topic.

It was hilly and rainy and everyone was an Oxbridge reject. I have heard poor things recently about pastoral care and women's rights.

Looking at Bristol's current prospectus it seems as though they've reinstated exams, so my point above no longer holds true.

Haha @FebruaryWhining I hear you on this. It was hilly and rainy and everyone was an Oxbridge reject.

I went to Bristol as well (not for Eng lit) and would agree with all those points. Wonder if it’s still true about Oxbridge rejects tho?

Caveat: my experience is even longer ago! Hipefully much has changed tho probs not the hills.

Wow but great that he’s sorted and enjoying the course. 😊

As a not very party person my son has had a miserable time in Leeds (not doing English though) It really is a party place with high levels of drug use and alcohol. I expect he was unlucky in that he didn't get his choice of accommodation and ended up in Lupton for his first year which is the most party of the party places.

Accommodation, cost of living and transport are all good in Leeds though, and much easier than Bristol. In year 2 he's managing better in a private rental but the lack of bonding in Y1 has affeted him socially and hes gone form a very friendly outgoing sociable person to a very intoroverted quiet young man who doubts his ability to fit in.

Skills gained: can support pople with first aid who have been spiked,
has intimate knowledge of A and E for alcohol poisoning and head injuries of flat mates, knows how to get somone from the local police station and get parents to retrieve him!

I did English at Leeds, albeit 20 odd years ago now. Would highly recommend. As far as accommodation goes there’s a very wide range to choose from and the ‘student area’ is pretty vast.

It sounds like he ended up in the wrong crowd! My niece is at Leeds uni now and hasn’t had that experience at all! She doesn’t drink or party and shares a house in a nice area with like minded others. I imagine every uni city has their party houses!