University of Cumbria

HISTORY

The University of Cumbria was formed by the merger of St Martin’s College, Lancaster, the Cumbria Institute of the Arts (CIA), formerly Cumbria College of Art & Design (CCAD), and the Cumbrian campuses of the University of Central Lancashire on 1 August 2007. These institutions formerly ran degree programmes accredited by Lancaster University and the University of Central Lancashire. In order to facilitate the change, St Martin’s College applied for independent degree-awarding powers in March 2005 and was successful in July 2006 after nine months of scrutiny by the Quality Assurance Agency. In January 2007 official university status was granted by the Privy Council.

The University of Cumbria is a perfect blend of old and new, as one of Britain’s newest universities, with an illustrious history of educating professionals for more than 150 years.

COURSES

The university has seven specialist departmental areas that offer a range of flexible, multidisciplinary courses:

• Business, Law, Policing and Social Sciences
• Health, Psychology and Social Studies
• Institute of the Arts
• Institute of Education
• Medical and Sport Sciences
• Nursing, Health and Professional Practice
• Science, Natural Resources and Outdoor Studies

The University of Cumbria provides education in Medical Imaging, Sports Development, Arts, Law, Education, Leadership and Economic Development, Conservation, Forestry, and the Uplands, and Mental Health and Wellbeing, among other subject areas.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

General entry requirements are that the student need to be able to demonstrate evidence of ability in written English (for some courses this is by achieving grade C or above at GCSE) and a minimum of two or three A levels depending on the course criteria.

The university uses the UCAS tariff system. Detailed course-specific entry requirements can be found on the course pages of the website and prospectus.

ACADEMIC STRENGTHS

The university has a well established reputation for delivering career-focused programmes of study, with strong business partnerships combined with extensive experiential learning opportunities; a high number of courses also carrying professional body accreditations.

This in turn supports the university’s especially high rates of employability following graduation.

With particular strengths in education, healthcare, and the arts, the university is developing its portfolio with growth across a number of subject areas, including criminology, law and outdoor studies.

TEACHING STANDARDS

The National Student Survey 2015 showed an overall increase in satisfaction while the sector average has remained static since 2014.

17 of the university’s subject areas achieved a 90% satisfaction rate or over from their students, with three subjects scoring 100%.

A higher percentage of the university’s academic staff hold a teaching qualification than the sector benchmark figure.

CAREERS GUIDANCE

The university offers a dedicated careers and employability service to support students throughout their studies and beyond into the world of work.

The Career Ahead programme, developed by the university’s professional careers advisers, helps students to identify any gaps in their skill sets, reflect on their experiences and provides opportunities to participate in exclusive programmes and mock interviews with employers.