University of Ulster

History

• The University of Ulster, located in Northern Ireland, was founded in 1984 by Royal Charter.
• The university can trace its roots back to 1845 when Magee College was established in Derry~Londonderry and 1849, when the School of Art and Design was inaugurated in Belfast.

Location and transport

Student mix

• Ulster has more than 25,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students.
• Additionally, there are approximately 5,000 students currently studying for Ulster-accredited qualifications at other institutions or via distance learning.
• The University has over 1,000 international students from 90 different countries.
• 58% female, 42% male.

Course flexibility

• In line with the University’s Corporate Plan vision to lead in the provision of professional education for professional life, Ulster offers a wide range of part-time and full-time courses, many with the option of industrial placements or study abroad built-in.
• It is possible to study a wide range of subjects in combination, resulting in over 400 individual degree possibilities at undergraduate level across six faculties, resulting in tailored qualifications that match students' interests and career aims.
• The six faculties are: Arts; Art, Design and the Built Environment; Computing and Engineering; Life & Health Sciences; Social Sciences; and the Ulster Business School.
• The university provides a wide range of distance learning options available online via www.ulster.ac.uk/elearning/.

Teaching standards

• The university has one of the highest employment and/or further study rates in the UK, with over 90% of graduates being in work or undertaking further study six months after they have completed their degree.
• The university was commended in the latest national Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) Institutional Audit in 2010, particularly for the University's considered and effective approach to well-thought through learning opportunities for students.
• Read more about Ulster's review by the QAA online.

Research standards

• Ulster has a strategic research policy in selected areas of research.
• 86% of research activity has been rated in the 2008 RAE as being of international quality, with almost 20% of this classified as world-leading.
• Of particular note are the submissions within the Biomedical Sciences, Nursing and Midwifery and Celtic Studies units of assessment, all ranked within the top three UK universities.
• A further eight subjects are ranked among the top twenty in the UK, namely: Agriculture, Veterinary & Food Science (17th), Architecture & the Built Environment (=12th), Communication, Cultural & Media Studies (=10th), Law (=13th), Linguistics (16th), Metallurgy & Materials (11th), Social Work & Social Policy & Administration (=19th), and Sports-Related Studies (=13th).
• Currently, Ulster has 16 specialised Research Institutes.

Academic strengths

• Traditionally associated with Art and Design, our Belfast campus now spans an increasing and exciting range of subjects including architecture, hospitality, Irish language, event management, photography and digital animation.
• Course provision at the Coleraine campus is broad – biomedical sciences, environmental science and geography, psychology, business, the humanities and languages, film and journalism, travel and tourism, teacher training and computing are among the campus strengths.
• The Jordanstown campus has a strong profile in engineering, built environment, social sciences, business, communication and academic disciplines relating to the science and coaching of sport.
• Teaching strengths at Magee include business, computing, nursing, Irish language and literature, social sciences, law, psychology, peace and conflict studies and the performing arts.
• The University has plans to expand computing and engineering science at Magee in response to the STEM agenda.

Student facilities, including library and computing

• Ulster students have access to high-class learning facilities.
• High quality library and 24/7 computing facilities on all four of our campuses at Belfast, Coleraine, Jordanstown and Magee.
• There is free email and internet access to all students. Most new student accommodation has built-in broadband connection.
• The 2011 National Student Survey found that 87% of Ulster students are satisfied with their course with 91% finding that Ulster staff 'are enthusiastic about what they are teaching' (NSS/Unistats 2012).

Disability services

Students' union

• The Students' Union (UUSU) provides a broad range of support services, entertainment, societies, clubs and events. The union officers are particularly active in lobbying on student issues.
• In 2011 UUSU received a UK award under the Students’ Union Evaluation Initiative (SUEI), an assessment project run by the National Union of Students for displaying continuous improvement to the services and activities they deliver to their members.
• Find out more about the University of Ulster, Students' Union online.

Sport

• Ulster has world-class training and support facilities. £20-million sports facilities were opened at the Jordanstown campus in 2008. Many of the region’s professional sports teams use these facilities for training.
• Sports Services provide recreational and competitive sporting opportunities for all staff and students and there over 75 clubs across the four campuses that represent Ulster in competitive sport.
• Sports Scholarships and an Elite Athletes Scheme help balance the academic and sporting needs of high performing athletes.

Recent/prospective new builds

• In March  2012, Ulster’s long-awaited designs for the Belfast city campus were revealed to the public for the first time. The release of the plans for both the exterior façade and the interior configuration of the building – designed to enhance the student experience and maximise shared teaching and learning and research and innovation activities – is the culmination of many months of planning and consultation by the Greater Belfast Development (GBD) project team, working in partnership with staff University-wide and a number of external consultants who are on board to ensure the delivery of such a large-scale project.
• The campus will focus teaching and learning, research and academic enterprise activities around the existing campus in York Street. Between now and 2018, the University will develop the sites it has acquired adjacent to its current location in York Street in order to move students and staff from Jordanstown into the city centre.
• By 2018 Ulster will have over 15,000 students and staff studying and working in the heart of the city’s burgeoning Cathedral Quarter. Jordanstown will remain part of the University's estate and will continue to house its excellent sports facilities, forming the hub of all team and individual sporting activities. Please visit the website for more details and architects’ impressions of the campus.
• In the north west, plans are also being made to expand the Magee campus – the goal is to increase student numbers from over 4,000 to 5,500–6,000 in the next five years as the first stage of development. Please visit the website for details of our plans.

Availability of part-time work

• There are many opportunities for part-time work for Ulster students; the Careers Development Centre at Ulster is available to offer friendly and impartial help with career planning and personal development.
• There are opportunities to gain valuable experiences and try different working situations through work-based learning placements and voluntary activities.