A former student of mine here in the UAE is planning on going to England this fall to start a Master's in Marketing (she has a BA in the same). She has been accepted at several universities, but has narrowed down her decision between two unis: Univ. of Portsmouth, and Kingston Univ. She wants to attend the best program between the two, and I think she is also concerned about name recognition. Any opinions on these two schools, and whether one has a better reputation and/or name factor? These are in-residence programs, by the way. I'd be grateful for any information I could pass on to her. Thanks, Adrienne
I believe there would be little difference in the utility of a degree from either Portsmouth or Kingston. However, Portmouth is a quieter and more pleasant part of the UK, and the overhead costs of accommodation and living would be somewhat less than in Surrey. Dr Anatidae (Knightsbridge)
They're both medium ranking ex-polys. If push came to shove, I'd probably plump for Kingston. "Quiet" and "pleasant" are two words I wouldn't use about Portsmouth. It's a major military port, with horrible architecture and a very high population density. However, I admit that I come from ten miles away from Portsmouth and regard the place as the armpit of the universe. Having said which, the countryside around Portsmouth is stunning, but since there's practically zero bus service to any of it, it's a bit in accessible unless you run a car. Kingston will be a lot expensive to live in (I now live a few miles away in Kew, so I know all about the local prices), but in terms of local facilities and above all, access to London for time off, it wins hands down. Best of all, whenever the pace of life gets too much, you can just wander into Richmond Park. Angela
My brother worked for many years for Kingston (both as poly and as uni), so I'm biased in that direction. But from discussions with him, Kingston does seem to be a class act amongst the new universities.
