University of Bristol

History

• Founded in 1876 as University College, Bristol. It was the first higher education institution in England to admit women on an equal basis to men.
• The new University of Bristol opened in October 1909 with 288 undergraduates and some 400 other students. Henry Overton Wills became the first chancellor.
• In 2004 Baroness Hale of Richmond was officially installed as the university's second female chancellor.

Location and transport

• The university is set in the heart of the city of Bristol.
• Bristol has excellent road links. The M4 and M5 put both London and Birmingham within a two-hour drive.
• Bristol was recently voted one of the UK's five Centres of Cultural Excellence.
• Bristol is also England's first 'cycling city'.
• Bristol has been named the UK’s leading Fairtrade city in 2011.
• The University’s bus service connects Stoke Bishop halls of residence to the University campus.

Entry standards

• Entry requirements vary from course-to-course. Please check www.ucas.com.
• The undergraduate prospectus may be found online.

Student mix

• 52.1% female, 47.9% male (standard, full-time undergraduates).
• 89.9% home students, 10.1% overseas (standard, full-time undergraduates).
• 60.2% state, 39.8% independent.
• Applications to places ratio 10:1. (2011 entry)

Course flexibility

• All undergraduate programmes have a modular structure, which provides opportunities for student choice.
• Most single honours programmes contain the option of increasing breadth of study by taking units outside the main department.
• Many programmes offer the opportunity to study abroad or in industry for a year.
• A number of programmes may be studied part-time.

Teaching standards

• Excellent teaching and academic standards recognised by external audits and reviews, including those undertaken by professional bodies.
• Completion rates and graduate employment rates are high.
• Staff are encouraged to access development opportunities including the appropriate use of e-learning.

Research standards

• In the last Research Assessment Exercise (RAE 2008), Bristol was once again confirmed as a world leader, with 93% of research being deemed to be of international standard.
• The University is a member of the Worldwide Universities Network, a grouping of 18 research-led institutions of international standing, and of the Russell Group of universities, an association of 20 major research-intensive universities of the UK, which means superb learning opportunities for students.
• There are 33 Fellows of the Royal Society and similar numbers in other learned societies.

Academic strengths

• Awarded two national Centres of Excellence in Learning and Teaching: Bristol Chemical Laboratory Sciences and Applied and Integrated Medical Sciences.
• Research led teaching with students being encouraged to think independently and often undertaking substantial projects/dissertations in their final year.
• Students have access across a range of subjects to academic staff with international reputations in their areas of expertise.

Student facilities, including library and computing

• Computing facilities are available in the libraries, in the 24-hour Computer Centre and in academic departments. Students living in the University's houses or halls of residence can connect to the University network and the internet through the ResNet (Residential Networking) service. The University's wireless service provides wireless internet access across the University campus.
• During 2011–12 the University is implementing Gmail for the student email service, providing extensive quota and also offering students a university email address for life.
• Ten branch libraries containing extensive collections of books, printed journal articles and other learning resources for access and loan available for student use.
• Students at Brisol will benefit from a £128,000 boost to the Library budget to enable the purchase of additional books and key student texts for both undergraduates and postgraduates.
• The University offers a wide range of services and facilities to help make a student's time at Bristol successful, including the Disability Services, Student Counselling Service, Student Health Service, Multifaith Chaplaincy and University Nursery.

Disability services

• For information on the disability services at Bristol please contact Disability Services, University of Bristol, Lower Ground Floor, Hampton House, Cotham Hill, Bristol BS6 6JS.
• Telephone (0117) 331 0444; fax (0117) 331 0456; email disability-services@bristol.ac.uk; or visit the website.

Students' Union

• Offers a variety of shops, entertainment facilities, and 180 student societies ranging from music, dance and the arts to politics, food and drink, and 54 sports clubs including watersports, team and individual sports and racket sports. For more information please visit the website.
• Houses one of the city’s biggest live music venues.
• Produces student-run media, including a fortnightly newspaper, arts magazine and online radio station.
• Raises money for charity organises student volunteering –The Raising and Giving (RAG) team raised over £100,000 in 2010/11.
• Represents the student body within the university and nationally.
  Offers a variety of shops, entertainment facilities, and many clubs and societies. For more information please visit the website.
• Just Ask – Students' Union Advice and Representation Centre is run by a team of professional student advisers alongside the student sabbaticals for education and welfare. The centre offers independent information and advice on any matter regarding student life as well as free workshops and training sessions on a range of student welfare issues.

Sport

• Indoor Centre for Sport, Exercise and Health in the heart of the university campus.
• Sports complex (gym, studios and sports hall) – indoor tennis centre, two artificial pitches; extensive playing fields; indoor 33-metre swimming pool; rowing facilities and boathouses; squash courts. All facilities are accessible.
• The University has an active Athletic Union and is recognised for its sporting achievements through high performing teams, excellent facilities and a large range of clubs. The University has a proud record of success in the British Universities and Colleges Sport Championships, and aims each year to finish in the top ten sporting universities overall.

Recent/prospective new builds

• £120 million will be spent on the construction and refurbishment of new and existing buildings within the next three years (2011–14).
• The Careers Service has recently moved to brand new premises in the heart of the University campus.
• The University is continuing to invest in teaching facilities which will enhance the student experience. The ongoing programme of library refurbishment continues with the major redesign of the Arts and Social Sciences Library now complete.
• A £55-million project to construct a Life Sciences building is underway. This new facility will provide a state-of-the-art space for teaching and research.
• There are plans for a new Hall of Residence at the Stoke Bishop site and a rolling programme of refurbishment is underway to modernise the existing halls.
• A major refurbishment and redesign of the Queen’s Road Building, which houses the Students’ Union and other student services, commenced in 2011. This £25-million project will transform this iconic building over the next four years, providing new space for community activities and the 180 societies and 50 sports clubs.

Availability of part-time work

• The university Careers Service is available to assist current students find part-time work. JobShop is a part of the Careers Service dedicated to advertising term-time and vacation job opportunities for current students at the University of Bristol

Notable alumni

• Head of MI5, Jonathan Evans (BA Classical Studies, 1980).
• Presenter of TV show BBC Breakfast, Susanna Reid (BSc Philosophy and Politics, 1992).
• Illusionist Derren Brown (LLB Law and German, 1994).
• Polar explorer Tom Avery (BSc Geography and Geology, 1998).
• Zoologist Charlotte Uhlenbroek (Bsc Zoology and Psychology, 1988).

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