University of Exeter

HISTORY

The University of Exeter is a public research university located in Exeter, Devon, South West England, United Kingdom. The university was founded and received its Royal Charter in 1955, although its predecessor institutions, the Royal Albert Memorial College and the University College of the South West of England, were established in 1900 and 1922 respectively.

The university has four campuses: Streatham and St Luke’s (both of which are in Exeter); and Truro and Penryn (both of which are in Cornwall).

The university is centred in the city of Exeter, Devon, where it is the principal higher education institution. Streatham is the largest campus containing many of the university’s administrative buildings, and is regarded as one of the most beautiful in the country. The Penryn campus is maintained in conjunction with Falmouth University under the Combined Universities in Cornwall (CUC) initiative.

The university was named the Sunday Times University of the Year in 2013 and was the Times Higher Education University of the Year in 2007. Exeter has maintained a top ten position in the National Student Survey since the survey was launched in 2005.

In 2011, it was considered as being one of the top 12 elite universities in England (based on the proportion of incoming students with at least AAB at A Level), and the university is one of only eight universities to be ranked within the top 10 of all three major national league tables for 2016. For 2015-16, Exeter had a turnover of £371.5 million, including £61.4 million from research grants and contracts.

Exeter is a member of the Russell Group of leading research-intensive UK universities. The university is also a member of Universities UK, the European University Association, and the Association of Commonwealth Universities and is an accredited institution of the Association of MBAs (AMBA).

COURSES

The university organises its academic and administrative departments into six academic colleges. Each college contains a number of subject disciplines, institutes and research centres. The colleges are led by a dean who works in partnership with a college manager and is supported by two associate deans, one for research and knowledge transfer and one for education. The university annually measures its performance relative to another 10 peer universities which includes Durham, St Andrews, UCL and Warwick. The universities are chosen because, like Exeter, they are research-intensive, offer a broad range of disciplines and perform strongly in league tables.

Colleges and departments:

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Typically A*AA–BBB but requirements vary across specific programmes. Visit their website for detailed information on entry requirements.

ACADEMIC STRENGTHS

82% of Exeter’s research was rated as world-leading or internationally excellent in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework.

They have nine Units of Assessment in the top 10 nationally for world-leading or internationally excellent research with four in the top five.

Thirteen subjects were ranked in the top ten for overall satisfaction in the 2015 National Student Survey: Medical Technology, Biology, Zoology, Sports Science, Mechanical Engineering, Sociology, Classics, Italian Studies, European Languages, African and Modern Middle Eastern studies, Archaeology, Theology, Flexible Combined Honours.

TEACHING STANDARDS

Exeter scored an average positive score of 90% for Teaching in the 2015 National student survey. They were ranked 3rd for overall satisfaction among Russell Group universities.

CAREERS GUIDANCE

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