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Original poster

Land economy Cambridge -any experience?

27 replies

Cushindex · 17/09/2023 18:34

DC is considering applying for this course? There is no written assessment so I assume the personal statement and interview are critical as applicants will all have outstanding grades. Any thoughts on the application process or experience of the course please?

OP posts:
Theworried2 · 17/09/2023 21:06

Sorry don’t have any experience of the course but DS considered applying for it as was attracted by the interdisciplinary nature of it (included many subjects such as law, economics and the environment). He decided to apply for economics at Cambridge in the end as he wanted a more quantitative course but he knows quite a few people who applied (unfortunately didn’t get in though) for it.
they all said that the interview consisted of various discursive questions to do with the subject such as issues with urbanisation or why certain areas of land (e.g. cities) are valued more.

BarelyLiterate · 17/09/2023 21:17

I have nothing useful to contribute, but seeing the words ‘Land Economy’ on MN makes me nostalgic.
DP was at Cambridge back in the day, and this subject was considered something of a joke among his friends. It was the archetypal ‘sportsmans’ degree’, a subject stereotypically studied by thick public schoolboys who might be candidates for the cricket first XI, rugby first XV or row in the light blue eight.
I’m sure all that has changed and Land Economy is now taken much more seriously, though. Wink

artandtalk · 17/09/2023 21:24

BarelyLiterate · 17/09/2023 21:17

I have nothing useful to contribute, but seeing the words ‘Land Economy’ on MN makes me nostalgic.
DP was at Cambridge back in the day, and this subject was considered something of a joke among his friends. It was the archetypal ‘sportsmans’ degree’, a subject stereotypically studied by thick public schoolboys who might be candidates for the cricket first XI, rugby first XV or row in the light blue eight.
I’m sure all that has changed and Land Economy is now taken much more seriously, though. Wink

This but also to help posh people learn to manage their estates.

mynameiscalypso · 17/09/2023 21:26

I agree with the two PPs, it was either very posh boys or rugby players/rowers in my day (early/mid 2000s). I remember going to the Varsity March one year and about 80% of the team read Land Economy. When you met a Land Economy person in a night club, you knew almost immediately what kind of person they were.

KeepingKeepingOn · 17/09/2023 21:34

Ha, so pleased I’m not alone in my bias 😉 it was seen as the subject people went for if they were going to Cambridge to e.g. row for the uni - not especially taxing (albeit within a Cam context) and very much open to much mockery!

notfeelingcreative · 17/09/2023 21:59

I think it’s a really competitive course now - so like 1 in 7 or 8 acceptance but obvs less competitive than economics. Also no need for TMUA! We looked at it originally thinking it was a third economics, a third law and a third the built and natural environment - which sounded great..but I think the law and economic courses are all based around ‘land economy’ as opposed to taking the core courses with the straight economists. So you’ve got to be really into the built or natural environment to do that for three years…

Alstroemeria123 · 17/09/2023 22:02

mynameiscalypso · 17/09/2023 21:26

I agree with the two PPs, it was either very posh boys or rugby players/rowers in my day (early/mid 2000s). I remember going to the Varsity March one year and about 80% of the team read Land Economy. When you met a Land Economy person in a night club, you knew almost immediately what kind of person they were.

Agriculture was the equivalent at my very-much-not-Cambridge university.

I think we got the ones who scraped through their A Levels with serious amounts of tutoring from their posh private schools 😂

Original poster
Cushindex · 17/09/2023 22:18

DC neither rower nor landed, but does have interest in built environment! Thanks for responses and if anyone has direct experience of course or application process it would be great to hear about it.

OP posts:
PerpetualOptimist · 18/09/2023 06:59

Data on SACU Student indicates almost a third of students started the course with Maths, Econ and Geog as their A-level combination. Around a third of the entry cohort also have Further Maths A-level.

I can imagine the course would definitely appeal to someone drawn to the human parts of geography. I considered applying to it many years ago (and most definitely don't fit the profile described above!) but chose a geography degree instead, specialising where I could on urban options, but think I would have been equally as happy studying Land Economy.

The Land Economy graduates of my generation that I know are indeed rural land agents (and very good ones); those I know who are younger have ended up in more general financial roles or in overseas development/NGO type roles, reflecting the fact that the course content is even more international in scope these days.

Encourage your DS to think about why some large scale developments succeed and why others fail and to what extent wider factors have had a bearing on that. This will help them work out whether the Land Economy course is really for them and help tease out some points for their PS. I hope that helps.

GodessOfThunder · 18/09/2023 07:31

BarelyLiterate · 17/09/2023 21:17

I have nothing useful to contribute, but seeing the words ‘Land Economy’ on MN makes me nostalgic.
DP was at Cambridge back in the day, and this subject was considered something of a joke among his friends. It was the archetypal ‘sportsmans’ degree’, a subject stereotypically studied by thick public schoolboys who might be candidates for the cricket first XI, rugby first XV or row in the light blue eight.
I’m sure all that has changed and Land Economy is now taken much more seriously, though. Wink

Confirmed by DP who went there.

Silkiebunny · 18/09/2023 07:35

BarelyLiterate · 17/09/2023 21:17

I have nothing useful to contribute, but seeing the words ‘Land Economy’ on MN makes me nostalgic.
DP was at Cambridge back in the day, and this subject was considered something of a joke among his friends. It was the archetypal ‘sportsmans’ degree’, a subject stereotypically studied by thick public schoolboys who might be candidates for the cricket first XI, rugby first XV or row in the light blue eight.
I’m sure all that has changed and Land Economy is now taken much more seriously, though. Wink

Similar. I went round a college for Economics early 90s and the Director of Studies said anyone who does rowing should not bother applying here, you need to apply to Land Economy. I want people who study not people who spend all their time on the river.

Wanttobekind · 18/09/2023 07:41

Oh god yes I didn’t go to Cambridge and I still know that Land Economy (in the 90s) was for dim blokes called Mungo or Bobbers who played rugger and needed a job because the family estates would go to their oldest brothers!

MindPalace · 18/09/2023 07:47

DD’s two friends studied Land Economy when she was there. Both are from very humble backgrounds, one probably a disadvantaged one, and one is black and one gay. So I think the average background may be more diverse now.

Both have now graduated and work for top investment banks, so I don’t think the degree has held them back.

Wolvesart · 18/09/2023 08:14

It’s my understanding that over the last 25 years the reputation of the course has changed and it’s now a great subject. They have some good people teaching it, some from their own faculty and some from other faculties (law etc.)

Re the interview process etc. The info given by the first person to reply sounds pretty much what to expect.

Wolvesart · 18/09/2023 08:17

I should add that the head of department used to be MP for Cambridge in the early 2000s

LameyJoliver · 18/09/2023 08:18

BarelyLiterate · 17/09/2023 21:17

I have nothing useful to contribute, but seeing the words ‘Land Economy’ on MN makes me nostalgic.
DP was at Cambridge back in the day, and this subject was considered something of a joke among his friends. It was the archetypal ‘sportsmans’ degree’, a subject stereotypically studied by thick public schoolboys who might be candidates for the cricket first XI, rugby first XV or row in the light blue eight.
I’m sure all that has changed and Land Economy is now taken much more seriously, though. Wink

Yes! I had a relationship with a Magdalene Land Economy Boy - Eton, Cricket, and a bit thick, lets face it...very sweet though, as were they all!

LameyJoliver · 18/09/2023 08:19

Wolvesart · 18/09/2023 08:17

I should add that the head of department used to be MP for Cambridge in the early 2000s

JH?

Wolvesart · 18/09/2023 08:22

DH, but it occurs to me I might not be up to date on that. MP 2005-10 Lib Dem. JH is scientist I think

mrssnorkmaidenmoomin · 18/09/2023 08:24

A very close friend did Land Economy at Cambridge, by choice, and is now a senior and very successful infrastructure lawyer. She has had an incredible career with interesting work, international travel and great remuneration. So I would say it has moved on from the days of Mungo and Prince Charles.

Original poster
Cushindex · 18/09/2023 08:28

Good to hear the old stereotype has shifted @MindPalace. Thanks for the points to consider @PerpetualOptimist . DC always able in a wide range of subjects and currently studying Maths, Chemistry and Spanish for A level. Interested in business and finance as it relates to today's environmental challenges. I imagine there will be another route into that field if this endeavour to secure a place at Cambridge doesn't come off. Many thanks again for all the responses - very helpful.

OP posts:
MKDmumofflash · 18/09/2023 08:30

I don't know the course, but it's now RICS accredited which is a useful bonus if your DC is interested in the built environment and may be interested in becoming a chartered surveyor in the future. Although that, combined with a lot of the comments above about previous course participants, explains many of the land agents I had the misfortune to train with 🙄

Turmerictolly · 18/09/2023 20:10

Dn did this now a qualified commercial lawyer (so did go on to further training). On track to be arming £150K by 26. She never met any landed gentry types on the course so times have changed. Not as competitive as Economics but you can pursue a similar path.

Turmerictolly · 18/09/2023 20:19

Apologies for typos!

witheringrowan · 18/09/2023 21:16

One of my best current grads is a former land economist. His original plan was to go into real estate investment, but is now doing something far more interesting. (but less lucrative!) If I had know that the career I have now existed when I was 17, I think I would have applied for Land Economy too.

His one criticism of the course is that there is a much bigger focus on commercial rather than residential in the core parts of the degree - although you could explore resi topics if that is what interests you in the thesis.

IvySquirrel · 18/09/2023 22:49

My DS is a recent Land Ec grad and I've heard all the jokes! It's very different now, much more diverse and rigorous and he loved it. He is pretty typical in that his A levels were Maths, Geography, Economics and he was looking for something a bit new to study at uni.
He stayed at Cambridge to do a masters in real estate finance and is now in a grad scheme in that field, earning well and enjoying the job. He'd totally recommend.