Liberal Arts at Uni of Leeds & Bristol

[FairTaupeSwan]

Hi Mumsnetters,
I've received offers from both Bristol & Leeds for Liberal Arts to transfer in September. I was wondering if there are any of you with DC who are studying this course at these two universities. Or who study at Bristol and Leeds.

If your DC does study Liberal Arts, I'd love to know their experience so far. Did they feel the course was disorganised? What was their experience like with lecturers?

If your DC doesn't study Liberal Arts but at one of these universities, I'd love to know their experience. Especially the wisdom of advice on which halls are best. I know Bristol is quite pricey, but I'm from London, so I'm quite used to expensive. Student housing in Leeds is quite cheap (Hyde Park), but it can be a bit dodgy. I can also receive a lot of financial support in Bristol from the uni directly. How do they feel about their uni city? Do they feel their uni supports them well?

I feel like Leeds has a better student experience and I preferred their offer holder day in comparison. My careers service at my current uni and old college had said Bristol was a great uni to have on my CV. But Bristol has some edge reputation-wise. Anyone could chime in whether Bristol is a good 'target' down the line for going into consulting or compliance in financial services too?

Thanks for reading!

What do you mean by ‘edge reputation wise’? Parts of Leeds are pretty dodgy! Bristol better for your CV and a fabulous university. I love it as a city too. Feels much more like London than Leeds does. Bristol uni is in Clifton, which is lovely. Either go for the Clifton halls or the ones at Stoke Bishop. Avoid the ones over by the city centre, which I think are run by Unite. However, Leeds is also a good university, so go for it if you think you’d be happier there.

Hi Lucia, thank you for your help! I once spoke to someone who worked in consulting and just quoted what they said haha. They also said they wouldn’t consider Leeds if they had an offer for Bristol. Do you have any DC who went Bristol?

Leeds is an incredible city. Lots of investment, very vibrant. Every city has ‘dodgy bits’. Compare the crime stats if you’re interested. Nothing in it, don’t let the ‘grim up north’ brigade influence you.

I agree. I find Leeds a lovely city as a southerner (London) and don’t get the grim up north brigade. I think Leeds is a nicer and more exciting city for a student as well.

I’m absolutely not the ‘grim up north’ brigade! I’ve had several happy years in the north! I just prefer Bristol to Leeds. And the university has a better reputation with employers, anecdotally. Yes, I’ve had DC at Bristol - though not your course - and they absolutely loved it. That’s how I got to know the city.

My DD did Liberal Arts at Bristol with a year abroad. She absolutely loved her course and the city itself.

How did she find the course? Was she worried it was going to be disorganised? I’ve read threads of LA at Birmingham being disorganised and people switching so that’s what I’m worried about.

How did she find the lecturers? Did she find them supportive? Also about the uni in general, was she in an SB hall? If so what was her experience like?

@FairTaupeSwan My DD was in a SB hall but years ago now! Depends what you want from your hall.

Some of this might depend what job you want too! If back in London, Bristol might have the edge but depends on what you have on your cv. No degree guarantees anything and liberal arts can be a bit pick and mix. What work do you want? Do you want to work in London?

Agree Bristol has the edge reputation wise.

Yes I am planning to work in London as I can comfortably live with my parents (helping them out with rent & bills possibly here & there), or would like to move up to Manchester if there’s any opportunities when the time comes.

I was interested in working in consulting or risk advisory as Deloitte once visited my current uni (Nottingham) and thought it was interesting how the people I spoke to came from a range of different degrees.

I didn’t want to be confined to one subject and was interested in picking up a language hence why I picked LA. I wanted to be able to mix history, theology, english etc. in one degree.

I know you said it was ages ago but what was your DDs experience like in SB? What made her choose Bristol vs other options? Does she think she benefitted from having Bristol on her CV?

Sorry this is long!

She was very positive about her experience. No problems with the tutors, she found them very approachable and enthusiastic. Like you, her interests were history and English. Her year abroad was Boston. She was in Durdham hall for her first year and then shared a flat in Clifton.

What does she do now? Did she feel the interdisciplinary approach of LA helped her? Was Bristol careers and having Bristol on her CV helpful?

Also was it difficult to find a flat second year?

@FairTaupeSwan DD is quite an unusual case in that Bristol was her insurance choice. So she was lucky to get a room in a hall of residence at all. She was in a catered one in SB but it suited her. She did MFLs and Bristol are still active in this subject and encouraging to beginners, although DD wasn’t. The only thing to remember is that you need friends in y1 to flat hunt with for y2 and hunting starts early! She was in Clifton for y2 and 4 and abroad for y3. Clifton is a great place to live but it’s not cheap.

Are you transferring from Nottingham?

DD did a Law conversion course after university and became a barrister in London. Bristol grads are at no disadvantage for her career but it’s Oxbridge dominated so you need to have a very good cv to get pupillage and be personable! She felt that many top employers came to Bristol for careers events and she did the Bristol Plus award - I think it’s still going. No issue with references and encouragement.

DDs friend works for a global consultancy after European studies and Spanish degeee at KCL followed by Masters there in International conflict. She’s fluent in 3 if not 4 MFLs though. Quite a lot of intern “work” on the way! Whatever career you want, plan how to get it. Do what you need to do if it’s a competitive field of employment.

I love it as a city too. Feels much more like London than Leeds does.

Because it is full of Londoners?

That wasn't meant to sound snarky. Anecdotally, Bristol attracts a lot more Londoners and home counties students than Leeds does.

Is Bristol really significantly more highly regarded than Leeds by most employers these days? Bristol is only 7 places above Leeds in the CUG., and the % difference is only 2%. Also, graduate prospects are 85% at both universities.

Is there a little Southern bias going on here?

Where are you “transferring in” from?

have you already completed some of the course?

have you looked at each course specifics and which might be the better fit with what you’ve already done?

Will you be doing an MA afterwards in a specific subject?

No, don’t want extra debt and don’t see the point as I don’t wish to go into academia. I’d much rather do a placement year or study abroad (Study abroad for Liberal Arts will gain you an MA instead of a BA)

Bristol is definitely much better regarded by employers than Leeds. Nothing to do with southern bias!!

I don’t think it is Southern bias though, I’m not sure? Leeds is full of posh Southerners as well. Bristol (54th QS) was always slightly more well regarded than Leeds. There was also a BCG Consulting leaked criteria list which placed Bristol as a Tier 1 university below Oxbridge + LSE + Imperial.

I spoke to people at careers events about my situation and I would really like to go into consulting (or law) after university and they agreed Bristol was a well respected uni. Although I’d appreciate if anyone who works in these sectors could chime in on this.

The early flat hunt really worries me as someone who tends to be a withdrawn at times and introverted! I do enjoy a good night out however which attracted me to North/SB.

Yes however but I’m on a Foundation so fresh start either way.

What MFLs did your DD pick? In LA you have to pick a language for Year One and was thinking of picking German as a beginner, as I think it’s a good language to be able to master.

Was the careers service helpful for her during uni and post grad? Bristol only supports you for three years afterwards. meanwhile Nottingham & Leeds supports you for life.

French and Italian. She found the careers service helpful and I think there was a law careers fair. She didn’t need anything from Bristol in terms of support - her tutor might have been asked for two academic references - not sure. She didn’t do any post grad at Bristol. Both courses were London. Therefore Bristol wasn’t relevant.

I meant to add that early flat hunt is to get better properties in Clifton. The catered halls are set up for you to make friends. The food is likely to be average but the meals are eaten with friends. No cooking for one. DD is very outgoing though! I think most people found friends well enough.

My DS finished his Liberal Arts at Bristol last year. He also had a year in Boston. He absolutely loved both places and really enjoyed his degree. I haven’t heard any complaints from him at all about the teaching or the degree organisation.

My dd originally applied for liberal arts but last minute changed to English lit.
She loved the city and the experience but felt it was quite disorganised as a department and pastorally. I've got friends who have been at Bristol where they had to sign in for lectures. If she'd been dead in her room, noone departmentally would have missed her. She thinks she could have had a better experience had there been more contact time with academic staff.

But as I say she absolutely adored the city & the nightlife and made really good friends.