University of Exeter

History

• Originally founded in 1855; Royal Charter Granted in 1955.
• Establishment of Cornwall Campus in 2004.
• Establishment of the University of Exeter Medical School for entry in 2013.

Notable alumni

• Will Young
• JK Rowling
• Frank Gardner (BBC Security Correspondent)
• Nick Baker
• Emma B
• Steve Bell (cartoonist)
• Rhod Gilbert (comedian)
• Steve Backshall
• Caroline Lucas (leader of Green party of England and Wales)
• Peter Phillips
• Thom Yorke
• Dennis Gillings (Quintiles)
• Jeremy Budd (IBM)
• Simon Greenberg
• Claire and Les Halpin

Location and transport

• The university has three campuses: Streatham Campus and St Luke's Campus are in Exeter and the Cornwall Campus is at Penryn near Falmouth.

Entry standards

• A*AA–BBB. Visit the website for information on entry requirements at Exeter.

Student mix

• Undergraduate students, men:women 47:53
• Undergraduate students: home:overseas 88:12
• Undergraduate entrants: state:public school 71:29
• The university receives around 6.5 applications for every undergraduate place.

Course flexibility

• Flexible Combined Honours This scheme is available in both Exeter and Cornwall and enables students to combine modules from a number of different fields of study not otherwise available through an existing Combined Honours programme.
• Free choice modules Many programmes include the opportunity to take a 30-credit module outside the main subject of study. For example a foreign language, a leadership module or an IT module.

Teaching standards

• Exeter has one of the highest National Student Survey rankings in the country, being in the top ten since the survey began. In 2012, the University came 6th for Overall Satisfaction and 3rd for Teaching in the UK.

Research standards

• Exeter’s research income has doubled since 2007–08 to an impressive £50 million in 2011/12. Our success rate with research council applications is the second highest in the Russell Group.  
• Our partnerships with Universities such as Bristol, Bath, and Edinburgh as part of AHRC, BBSRC, EPSRC and ESRC funded Doctoral Training Centres, place us at the forefront of world-class research in science, technology, the humanities and social sciences.
• We are currently investing £120 million in research facilities and make numerous PhD studentships available annually. PhD students benefit from support in the form of our Researcher Development Programme and Learning and Teaching in Higher Education Programme.
• Research investment at the Cornwall Campus includes the development of the £30-million Environment and Sustainability Institute.
• The University of Exeter is a major player in global warming research, with links to the Met Office through jointly-funded professorships. 

Academic strengths

• Nearly 90% of Exeter's research was rated as being at internationally recognised levels in the latest (2008) Research Assessment Exercise.
• Sixteen subjects were ranked in the top ten, with 27 in the top 20 (based on percentage of research categorised as internationally excellent or world leading).
• Sixteen subjects were ranked in the top ten for Overall Satisfaction in the 2012 National Student Survey: Business Studies, General Engineering, Materials and Minerals Engineering, Geology, Classics, Italian, Film Studies, German, Theology, Drama, English, French, Spanish, Biosciences, Arab and Islamic Studies, and Sport Science.

Student facilities, including library and computing

• In the 2012 National Student Survey, Exeter scored in the top ten for teaching, academic support, organisation and management, and overall satisfaction.
• The Main Library is open 24/7 throughout the academic year. Exeter has one of the highest UK academic library ratios of printed books to students with a stock in excess of 1.2 million and a dedicated Ready Text collection of the very highest demand items.
• Across the campuses, the libraries have completed a £9-million investment.

Disability services

• Visit the website for information about disability services at the University of Exeter.

Students' Union

• The Students' Guild plays a big part in creating buzz and energy around campus.
• The Guild is a dynamic, innovative and award-winning organisation, existing to represent all the diverse students of the University of Exeter.
• The Guild boasts over 180 affiliated societies, with thousands of members between them. The RAG appeal by the Guild raised over £145,000 in 2011–12 with the money donated to ten local charities.

Sport

• £20-million has been invested in sport and this includes a £2.25-million indoor cricket centre  and tennis facilities to LTA standards on the Streatham Campus. The most recent developments to the Sports Park include a new fitness suite, renewal of pitches, covering of courts and a new pavilion for outdoor sport.
• Exeter finished 7th in the British Universities and Colleges Sports (BUCS) rankings in 2011–12.

Recent/prospective new builds

• The University has invested £380-million in facilities on the Streatham Campus. This includes a £130-million investment in new on-campus student residences, a £50-million student-facing redevelopment of the heart of the campus called The Forum, a £25-million investment in the Business School and £25-million for new facilities for Biosciences.
• The Forum is an exciting new development, at the heart of Streatham Campus, which provides an inspirational mix of outside and inside space and a new Student Services Centre, new technology-rich teaching and learning spaces, a 400-seat lecture theatre and retail and catering outlets.
• The Cornwall Campus offers the very latest in academic, research and residential facilities, designed to meet the expectations of students in the 21st century. The latest development is the £30-million Environment and Sustainability Institute will help put the University at the forefront of environmental and climate change research.
• A £50-million Living Systems building is due to be built on the Streatham Campus, later this year. The centre concentrates on research looking at how cells operated and how diseases were caused, and will bring together 200 scientists, mathematicians, physicists and biochemists. The research will also focus on designing better diagnostic and therapeutic tools for alleviating illness.

Availability of part-time work

• The Career Zone on the Streatham Campus will help with information on graduate jobs, term time work, project placements with local companies, skills training and volunteering.