University of the West of England

HISTORY

The University of the West of England (also known as UWE Bristol, or simply UWE) is a public university located in and around the city of Bristol, United Kingdom. The university has a history dating back to the Merchant Venturers Navigation School which was founded in 1595, with the present institution granted university status in 1992. Its main campus is at Frenchay near Bristol, about 5 miles (8 kilometres) north of the city centre and close to the M32 motorway. UWE Bristol also has campuses at Glenside in north-east Bristol and Bower Ashton, near Ashton Court in south-west Bristol. There is also a regional centre at Gloucester Docks, Gloucestershire, and an associate faculty (Hartpury College) specialising in animal behaviour and welfare, agricultural and sports related courses in Hartpury, Gloucestershire.

UWE Bristol is the larger of the two universities in Bristol (the longer established University of Bristol has 21,905 students). According to HESA figures, UWE Bristol has consistently led the graduate employment market ranking higher than some of the Russell Group Universities including the likes of Bristol University, Warwick University and London School of Economics  with results showing 96% graduates are in work or further study 6 months after graduating, with 78% working in professional roles. This compares to the UK national averages of 94% and 71% respectively.

The University of the West of England can trace its roots back to the foundation of the Merchant Venturers Navigation School, which was founded in 1595. Part of this institution, to which the Universities of Bristol and Bath also partly owe their origins, became a technical college which, after merger with other colleges, in turn became Bristol Polytechnic in 1970. Like the other former polytechnics, this gained university status and its present name as a result of the Further and Higher Education Act, 1992.

In 2012, major changes were introduced to the Frenchay campus at UWE. First, the Bristol Robotics Laboratory, the largest robotics laboratory in Europe, was opened and later on in the same year the UWE Bristol International College was opened to students. The International College provides international students with the necessary academic, subject-based and English language skills needed to successfully progress on to a degree course at UWE Bristol.

In autumn 2016 Future Space, a business incubator for hi-tech companies, was opened adjacent to the Bristol Robotics Laboratory. It is supported by the UK government as the West of England University Enterprise Zone.

COURSES

The university is divided into four faculties which are then subdivided into departments:

• Faculty of Arts, Creative Industries and Education:
  • Department of Arts and Cultural Industries
  • School of Art and Design
  • Department of Education
  • School of Film and Journalism
  • Bristol School of Animation (Affiliated School)
  • Bristol Old Vic Theatre School(Associate School)
• Faculty of Business and Law:
  • Bristol Business School
  • Bristol Law School
• Faculty of Environment and Technology: (incorporating Bristol Institute of Technology)
  • Department of Architecture and the Built Environment
  • Department of Computer Science and Creative Technologies
  • Department of Engineering Design and Mathematics
  • Department of Geography and Environmental Management
• Faculty of Health and Applied Sciences:
  • Department of Allied Health Professions
  • Department of Biological, Biomedical and Analytical Sciences
  • Department of Health and Social Sciences
  • Department of Nursing and Midwifery
• Hartpury College: (Associate Faculty)
  • Academy of Sport
  • Equine Centre

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

For queries about how to apply and entry requirements please visit the UWE Bristol website.

UWE Bristol makes offers based on the UCAS Tariff and will be using the new tariff from 2017.

All tariff bearing qualifications will be considered, provided applicants have met the minimum requirement of 2 A level passes (or equivalent).

Plus five GCSEs (A*–C, or comparable numeric score under newly reformed GCSE grading), normally to include English Language and Mathematics.

ACADEMIC STRENGTHS

UWE Bristol was praised for the breadth and strength of partnership with industry and the embedding of employability skills across the university’s activities in the 2015 QAA review.

Many lecturers are world-renowned academics, leading the way in their chosen subject areas and actively contributing to new research in their particular fields.

TEACHING STANDARDS

UWE Bristol has consistently scored ‘excellent’ in the teaching assessments carried out by the Quality Assurance Agency.

Over 70 of their courses come with professional accreditation from industry bodies.

CAREERS GUIDANCE

UWE Bristol Careers offer a wide range of services, resources, advice and support to students and graduates.

Careers events including recruitment fairs, employer presentations and careers skills workshops take place throughout the year.

It offers a wide range of online tools and resources including CV and covering letter builders, job search, interview simulator, psychometric tests, personality tests, literacy and numeracy tests, e-learning tools, written advice and videos from employers.