The University of Sheffield

2014 League Table Ranking 26
2014 Overall Score 762
View the 2014 league tables

Entry Standards 440

Student-Staff Ratio 15.5

Research Assessment 2.72

Academic Services Spend 1,084

Student Satisfaction 4.07

Facilities Spend 383

Graduate Prospects 73.2

Degree Completion 95.3

Good Honours 77.5

Green Score -

History

Granted Royal Charter in 1905 and opened by King Edward VII.
Winner of four Queen's Anniversary Prizes in 1998, 2000, 2002 and 2007.
Former staff and alumni include five Nobel Prize winners.

Location and transport

Sheffield is one of the greenest cities, with 150 woodlands and 50 parks.
Located in the heart of the UK just 11 km (7 miles) from the Peak District National Park, and two hours from London by train.
Sheffield is well served by national road and rail networks and has excellent local transport. The university campus is on the western edge of the city centre and is easy to get to by car, bus and tram.
As England's fourth city, Sheffield is famously friendly, excellent for student social life and entertainment.

Entry standards

Sheffield's A level requirements range from AAA to ABB.

Student mix

Nearly 26,000 students.
Around 5,410 international students from 125 countries.
46% men, 54% women.
Applications to places ratio 7:9.

Course flexibility

Majority of courses offer the chance to study abroad for a semester or a year as part of degree.
Strong emphasis on module choice and collaboration between departments. Wide range of dual degrees available.
Most courses allow students to tailor their degree to suit their own interests.
Some courses offer a year in industry.

Teaching standards

Third in the UK: 29 subjects awarded 'excellent' rating for teaching quality in the most recent government assessment (2001).
The UK Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education places Sheffield in the highest category for quality.

Research standards

International reputation for world-class research.
The University of Sheffield is among the top ten in the Russell Group, the association of leading UK research-intensive universities, according to the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE).

Academic strengths

Twenty-nine Sheffield departments are ranked among the UK's top 10 for their research.
Highly rated for architecture, town and regional planning, geography, mechanical engineering, music, English, Russian, politics, history, Asian studies, computer science, dentistry, journalism and religious studies.
Other areas of excellence include, electronic and electrical engineering, automatic control and systems engineering, the biosciences.
Teaching informed by latest research developments.

Student facilities, including library and computing

Award-winning £23-million Information Commons centre with 500 PCs, wireless access throughout, open 24/7.
1.3 million books and journals in the University library and access to a further 10,000 e-books and e-journals.
1,609 computer workstations available for student use.
Free access to the internet and email on campus, as well as off-campus access to files and email via the University portal.

Disability services

Get information about disability services at Sheffield from:

The Hillsborough Centre, Alfred Denny Building, The University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield S10 2TN;
Telephone 0114 222 1303 or fax 0114 222 1373.

Students' union

Currently being extended following a £5-million facelift in October 2010, to provide more space and top-class facilities for students, staff and visitors in a single building.
Over 200 student societies.
Top bands and DJs all year round.
Cinema.
Bars, cafes and shops.
Practical help and support.
Run by students, for students.

Sport

Dozens of sports clubs from aikido to volleyball, for amateur or professional athletes.
High-tech gym, swimming pool, racquet sports, bouldering wall, floodlit pitches for football and rugby.
Sheffield is home to a number of world-class sporting venues that students can access.
Sports bursaries available.

Recent/prospective new builds

The University is expanding its highly-rated Faculty of Engineering. New teaching laboratories are planned for the 4,000 engineers and a £20-million Graduate School is due to open in the Autumn of 2013.
The highly successful students’ union was redeveloped in 2010 and is currently being extended further, creating more space and top-class facilities for students, staff and visitors in a single building. Work is expected to be completed in September 2013 with the new building being known as the Students’ Union Building.
The Management school will be moving to a new location in 2013. The University's Crookesmoor Building is currently being completely redesigned and refurbished to create a 21st-century research and learning environment – a dynamic hub which will stimulate study, thought and the proactive exchange of ideas. Work is expected to be completed by Easter 2013.
Newly refurbished grade II Art Tower reopened in September 2011.
State-of-the-art £12-million research institute SITraN unveiled in November 2010, setting up Sheffield to become a world leader for research into motor neurone disease.
£3.4-million development of the iconic Western Bank Library was completed in February 2010.

Availability of part-time work

Careers Service runs Jobshop, a walk-in service based in the union, advertising vacancies for students.

Notable alumni

Sir Donald Bailey (1901–1985) – Inventor of the famous World War II Bailey Bridge.
Carol Barnes (1944–2008) – Newscaster.
The Rt Hon David Blunkett MP – MP for Sheffield Brightside.
Lee Child – Crime fiction novelist.
Stephen Daldry, CBE – Director of films Billy Elliott, The Hours, and The Reader. Artistic Director of Royal Court Theatre (1992-1998)
David Davies, OBE – Former Executive Director of the Football Association.
Jessica Ennis – Great Britain Heptathlete – Olympic Heptathlon Champion, London 2012. European Heptathlon Champion, Barcelona 2010. World Heptathlon Champion, Berlin 2009.
Martin Fry – Lead singer with 80s pop band ABC.
Nicci Gerrard – Author (also writes as Nicci French)
Joanne Harris – Award-winning author of books including Chocolat.
Penny Hughes – Past-President, Coca-Cola Great Britain and Ireland.
Eddie Izzard – Comedian, Actor.
Amy Johnson (1903–1941) – Pioneering aviator of the 1930s.
The Rt. Hon Lord Justice Maurice Kay – Lord Justice of Appeal.
Sir Hans Kornberg – Master of Christ's College, Cambridge (1982–1995), world-famous biochemist.
Sir Harry Kroto – Nobel Prize for Chemistry 1996.
Vanessa Lawrence, CB – Director General of Ordnance Survey.
Hilary Mantel, CBE, FRSL – Author and winner of the Man Booker Prize 2009.
Sir Peter Middleton – Chancellor of the University of Sheffield, Chairman of Camelot.
John O'Leary – Former Editor of The Times Higher Education Supplement.
The Rt Hon Lady Justice Rafferty, DBE – Lord Justice of Appeal.
Sir Richard Roberts – Nobel Prize for Medicine and Physiology (1993).
Jack Rosenthal (1931–2004) – Playwright.
Helen Sharman, OBE – Britain's first astronaut.
Rachel Shelley – Star of Emmy nominated TV show The L Word and of Oscar nominated movie Lagaan.
Linda Smith (1958–2006) – Comedienne.
David Wetherall – Former Premiership footballer at Leeds United, Sheffield Wednesday and Bradford City.
Howard Wilkinson – Former football manager at Leeds United and Sheffield Wednesday.