Birmingham City University

History

• Historical strengths in the creative and performing arts: first college of design outside London (1843) and Birmingham Conservatoire (1886).
• Amassed strengths in creative, professional, health and technological disciplines, teacher training, social sciences and humanities, leading to university status 1992.
• New name of Birmingham City University adopted in 2007, reflecting our commitment to, and pride in, our home city.

Location and transport

• Locations in Birmingham range from the City South Campus in leafy Edgbaston to the ancient and modern city-centre buildings and the City North Campus in Perry Barr.
• Birmingham is located at the hub of the UK's road and rail networks. There are three city centre railway stations, and it is the centre of Britain's national coach network, connecting directly with 500 destinations.
• Air links are also excellent through Birmingham International Airport.
• Locally, a network of bus and train services provides easy access to the city and university sites. This is supported by the Midland Metro, a tramway/light rail system, which has improved access to the city even further.

Entry standards

• An average of 280 tariff points across all subjects.
• Highly competitive entry to Art, Design, Music and Acting, depending on the standard of portfolio or performance in audition.
• Foundation courses may provide entry routes and degree progression for students with lower entry qualifications.

Student mix

• Male 39%, female 61%.
• UK student 84%, non-UK students 16%.
• State School 97.2%.
• Applications to places ratio 6.3:1.
• Around 25,000 students from 80 countries.

Course flexibility

• Our courses offer a wide variety of specialisms enabling students to choose and concentrate on their chosen area of interest.
• Students are offered the chance to gain hands-on work experience, either through year-long or shorter placements, giving them a real advantage in the jobs market.
• Many of our courses can be studied part-time, allowing students to fit study around work or family commitments.
• Increasing use of modern technology to deliver course materials, allowing students to study at a time and place that suits them.

Teaching standards

• Latest audit by Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) praised ‘close and sustained partnership’ between the University and its students.
• Centre of Excellence in Teaching and Learning in Healthcare. Several staff are National Teaching Fellows.
• Grade 1 Ofsted Outstanding for primary and secondary teacher training.
• Over 50 courses have professional accreditation from organisations including the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants, British Psychological Society, Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists, Landscape Institute, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, Gemmological Association of Great Britain, Royal Institute of British Architects, Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, and Health Care Professions Council.

Research standards

• Research centres of excellence act as a focus for research, innovation and enterprise.
• Latest Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) officially categorised University’s research as 'world class' and in some areas 'world leading'.

Academic strengths

• High proportion of courses lead to professional as well as degree qualifications with strong emphasis on employment-related and practice-based education.
• Strong reputation for Art, Design, Media, Health Care, Teacher Training, Music and Performing Arts and for relevant practice-based professional education.
• Substantial investment in Moodle virtual learning environment providing on-line access to resources and flexible approaches to learning.

Student facilities, including library and computing

• Seven libraries, almost one million books and around 9,000 print and electronic journals.
• Virtual learning environment such as the Virtual Case Creator used in the Faculty of Health which offers complex, unstructured problems that realistically represent aspects of health practice.
• 3,500 fixed workstations as well as loan laptops and wireless areas across campuses for network access.
• A course information and guidance centre and a Student Services department which provides advice and information on all aspects of student life including financial matters such as budgeting, paying tax and managing debt; sourcing and paying for suitable childcare and before and after-school provision; and visa and immigration issues. There is also a professional and confidential health and wellbeing team to support the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing of our students.
• Student Services also includes our Careers and Job Prospects service offering impartial advice and support to current students wanting to find out more about work experience opportunities whilst they study, as well as identify opportunities available when they leave university and for up to five years after they’ve graduated.
• The Centre for Academic Success provides all students with access to a range of academic support services, helping them to develop their study skills, including report writing, revision and exam techniques, stress management and time management.
• In the latest National Student Survey (NSS), 80 per cent of our students were satisfied with their course overall; 87 per cent agreed that staff were good at explaining things to them and 84 per cent said staff were enthusiastic about what they taught.

Disability services

Students' union

• Students can join one of the many clubs and societies or represent the interests of the University community on the Student Council.
• The well-established Advice Centre operates at most campuses to ensure all students have access to free, impartial and independent advice.
• The Union offers the opportunity for students to help others and gain valuable experience by volunteering on a wide range of projects.
• There is also a packed entertainments programme, with a variety of events taking place throughout the year.

Sport

• Our Students’ Union runs more than 30 sports clubs. Some play against other universities through intra-mural leagues while others are run on a non-competitive basis.
• The sports facilities near Perry Barr span 17.5 hectares (43 acres) and provide around 12 football pitches, two rugby pitches, two cricket net lanes and a floodlit all-weather pitch.

Recent/prospective new builds

• The University is mid-way through a £180-million investment plan, including plans for a new campus in the city centre, together with ongoing development of existing sites.
• £60-million city centre campus will provide a new home for Birmingham Institute of Art and Design (BIAD) as well as state-of-the art media facilities, including four industry-standard TV studios. The University is committed to a second phase of this development which will further enhance its city centre presence.
• Commitment to develop new home for Conservatoire, as part of wider redevelopment of Paradise Circus area of city. The new premises will be fully fitted with purpose-built facilities, and a 475-seat concert hall is also planned.
• A new £8.5-million sports centre at City North Campus, completed in 2009 includes 80-station fitness suite and eight-court sports hall.
• A £30-million refurbishment of City South Campus for Nursing, Midwifery and Operating Department Practice completed in 2006, including virtual hospital wards, a mock operating theatre, a full-equipped birthing room and virtual radiotherapy suite.

Availability of part-time work

• New 'Investing in Students' programme will increase part-time work opportunities within the University, giving students valuable work experience and increasing their sense of pride and ownership towards the University.
• Student Services, in partnership with Unitemps, offers vacancy information for other part-time and temporary work.

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