Durham or Bradford?

[Heather]

Hello again...
I just received my acceptance letters from Durham and Bradford and would like some opinions from people who know the schools, because now I have to pick which one. I know Bradford is cheaper (minorly). I am going for the Human Osteo/Paleopathology program at Bradford and Paleopathology at Durham. Essentially the same programs...so which is better? Pros/Cons of each one? I've heard Bradford described as a "mill"...just hoping that isn't the case. Oh yeah, and I'm coming from the US so I'd like to go to the most helpful school for international students who will be wandering around lost for a bit. Any info is good! Thanks,

Heather

[MarkR]

I know absolutely nothing about either course, but I would advise Durham as its more presitgious than Bradford and the weight of durhams reputation is worth having.

Durham is up there amongst oxford, cambridge, st andrews and edinburgh for having a good name - and is easily the better of the ivy league schools in the US.

If you end up deciding to use your degree as a gateway to other courses durham will be better than bradford, I know people who've come from the US to St Andrews simply to use their St A's degree as a way into Harvard Law.

[the invisible man]

I would hesitate to to rank or judge entire universities, or attribute better names to some, across all departments and subjects -including Oxbridge, especially if I knew nothing about the courses concerned. One uni might excel at astrophysics but be hopeless at geography, while another might be the other way round. In the archaeological sciences, I think I can say that Bradford is at least as highly regarded as any other. Bias prevents me opining on the straight archaeology however! There again Durham also has an excellent reputation in doing things with bones, so I'd say you're perfectly ok with either.

There are other things to consider, like whether you prefer a large or small department and so on. You might like to look up the work of the staff that will be teaching you. Staff at one might not be "better" than the other, but might suit you more for one reason or another - maybe they work in field of particular interest or something.

The archaeology department at Bradford is indeed in a former mill. It was fully converted - rebuilt would be a better word - quite recently to provide a superb facility, with labs, lecture rooms and so on. Don't worry, there is no steam powered textxile machinery or 9 year olds working 14 hour days in it, it is neither dark not satanic but is all modern, clean and shiny!

By and large, with few exceptions, I'd say that ranking any of the old universities for "prestige" is a thing of the past.

[disheartened]

definitely check the staff backgrounds before you decide. And the module lists to see what precisely you'd be studying on each course.

As a university, durham may be seen by some as being more "prestigious" but as the invisible man says prestige doesn't really have much relevance if the said prestige is based on its philosophy, astrophysics and accountancy bourses, not its archaeology! Both are very good departments. As an aside, after the pharmacy and chemistry departments, the archaeology department is Bradford's biggest money maker, not bad for being about a third the size of either of those two departments.

Having been to Bradford myself, from Ireland, i landed myself in the deep end too, arriving over knowing nothing about the place, and had absolutely no problems settling down.

[Beki]

Well, as a Bradford student, I would say bradford. I also considdered Durham but when I looked round both universities I prefered the department at Bradford...but thats only my opinion.

bradford is cheap, the staff are exteremely friendly and approachable, and althought Durham may be a more prestigious university, the archaeology department at Bradford is world renowned

[Penfold]

Bradford graduate as well and have to agree with Beki. Bradford just has a good atmosphere, decent pubs, good food and the departments pretty good as well:D

[the invisible man]

This forum is full of Bradford students and ex-students!:D Maybe we should form a special sub-section or something - I would prefer the term elite of course...:D

Or is it a plot for world domination? Poland has come up on another thread .... coincidence?

[disheartened]

It's cos we're fab!!!!!!!!

[8D]

[Beki]

Thats just cos everyone knows that Bradford is the best..and as a result the archaeological world is full of ex bradfordians.
There hasn't been a place that i've worked at yet where i haven't come across a group of ex bradford students on the payroll!

[Penfold]

Bradford Solidarity, things are looking up:D

Penfold

[Beki]

All those up for taking over the world Bradford university stylee say AYE!

[Ollymonster]

Being a former bradford student as well i agree with Beki. The newly refurbished department is great with superb facilities and a good research reputation in scientific methods. Also the atmosphere within the dept is really good, I still frequently talk to tutors who have kept in touch, and have many good friends who i met there.

[Beki]

yeah..like wonderful me :)

[drasticwrath]

Some more Bradford solidarity for you! Had a great time there myself! Ok, so the city's nothing to look at, but the people are friendly, the uni's really good, things are cheap, etc. You get plenty of opportunities to do cool fieldwork - I worked in Shetland three summers running & loved every minute. Also got to do a placement year, working with Cambridge Uni, doing aerial photography, how many other uni's can offer that?

Don't get me wrong, Durham's a class city & I'm sure the uni's very good. I guess it all depends on what you want to do after - fieldwork or academic.

[Moby]

Hey Drasticwrath! I went to Shetland for a few years myself, so who are you?! I'm Mark, I was a sort of supervisor and had my own little trench for one year but it was closed down afterwards.

I made a good friend there called Karl, but have lost contact with him. Would be great to get hold of his contact details again.

Cheers

[deepdigger]

Ah you lot only went to bradford cos you couldn't get a place at a Welsh university!!

deep

[ross_k]

Heather...
I'm looking at applying for the graduate Paleopathology program (PhD) at Durham and had the fortune to attend the Paleopathology Assocation European meeting at Durham last August and meet some of the archaeology faculty there. Charlotte Roberts (ex. Bradford Uni, ironically), the paleopath advisor, is extremely friendly (she has readily helped me out via email with some osteo-related questions). The deparment seemed well equipped, especially with osteo labs, and the university does have high prestige. The city itself is beautiful compared to Bradford, although Bradford uni does have a reputably excellent archy program. Nevertheless, I felt much safer walking around Durham. It depends what's important to you! Durham also has an excellent reputation for accomodating internation students (not sure about Bradford). Anyways, hope this helps a bit. Both my wife and I live in the US and are looking at graduate Paleopath programs, so I know what you're going through. Congrats on being accepted at both universities and good luck!

[the invisible man]

Every city in the world is beautiful compared with Bradford!

Today, Bradford. Tomorrow, well, Bradford probably.

[ross_k]

Even Sheffield? Surely not:face-approve:

[Heather]

I decided on Durham...they got back to me quicker and have been much more on the ball with talking to me. I've been emailing Charlotte Roberts since before I applied and she's been great about answering questions. I have to defer my enrollment for another year due to a huge ossuary project I am involved in now, but Charlotte had no problem with my coming in 2006 instead.

Now to find the elusive funding...

Thanks for the input everyone,
Heather

[the invisible man]

Boo! Hiss!

No, seriously, good luck.

Bradford officey type people take note!

Today, Bradford. Tomorrow, well, Bradford probably.

[deepdigger]

Well who can blame her?
If she can't get into a Welsh university then bradford or durham are the only option!!

deep