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Bedfordshire University

UCAS Code: B22

Location: Bedfordshire, north-west of London Show on Map

Site: Two sites in Luton, one in Bedford; partner colleges, hospital sites

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A modern university; a member of the million+ group of universities.

Student Population

Total Students:	19,640
Undergraduates:	77%
Postgraduates:	23%
FE Students:	0%

Undergraduates

Total undergraduates:	13,240
Male:	38%
Female:	62%
Full Time:	66%
Mature on Entry:	50%
UK Students:	81%
Lower socio economic groups:	48%

Teaching Staff

415 full-time, 111 part-time

Broad study areas

Advertising, marketing & public relations; art & design; biomedical sciences; business, management, finance & accounting; computing & technology; education and teaching; English; healthcare, nursing & midwifery; human resource management; language & communication; law; leisure, tourism & sport management; media, creative & performing arts; psychology; social sciences & social work; sport & physical education.

Freshers

Admission Information:	Standard entry requirements of 200 tariff points (160 of which from 2 A-levels or equivalent) for most courses (higher requirements for some courses). AS levels, key skills and other equivalent qualifications are also considered. Check course information for specific requirements.
Points on Entry (Mean):	232
Drop Out Rate:	10%
Accommodation:	All first years housed, in halls or the private sector

Institution

Founded:	1957 as Luton College, with roots back to 1904. University status in 1993. Merged with Bedford Campus of De Montfort University and adopted current name in 2006.
Site:	Main campuses in Luton town centre and Bedford both undergoing major redevelopment; also Putteridge Bury (business) and Butterfield Park (healthcare), both 4 miles from Luton town centre; also hospital sites in Aylesbury (23 miles from Luton) and High Wycombe (31 miles away).
How to get there:	Luton is 30 mins north of London by train; university is 5 mins from M1, bus and railway stations; 10 mins from Luton Airport. Bedford on coach and mainline train network (40 mins to King’s Cross); on A6 and close to A1 and M1; good local buses and cyclists well catered for.

Student services & facilities

Student advice & services:	Subject-based academic advisers, personal tutors, chaplaincy, student health centre (doctors, nurses and clinics), counselling service; student services advice on welfare, housing, childcare support, financial support, and for disabled students and international students.
Amenities:	Luton has a shopping centre, the Mall Arndale, with a range of high street favourites and smaller specialist shops; 11-screen cinema, 16 cosmic bowling lanes and variety of restaurants, bars, pubs and clubs. Bedford has the river, many bars, pubs and clubs, live music at Esquires and the Corn Exchange (music and comedy acts).
Sporting facilities:	At Luton, sports massage clinic; nearby recreation club for tennis, squash, football and hockey, plus a sauna, snooker and pool tables. At Bedford, university sports hall; swimming pools and gyms in the town centre; indoor and outdoor football pitches, netball and badminton courts at sports centre nearby; also Bedford Blues rugby club, and international athletics stadium.
Accommodation:	2000+ places in halls at Luton and Bedford campuses, mostly for first years, rent £91 per week at Luton, £77–£105 pw at Bedford (including utilities and personal contents insurance). Most students live in privately-owned accommodation for 2+ years; rents £60−£80 pw self-catering.

Study opportunities & careers

Library & information services:	Resources on 5 sites: 315,000 volumes and reference materials, 20,000 journals (including e-journals), audio-visual resources (eg slides, microforms, DVD/videos); 1585 study places. Information provision, £67 pa spent for each student (FTE). Resources on 5 sites: 315,000 volumes and reference materials, 20,000 journals (including e-journals), audio-visual resources (eg slides, microforms, DVD/videos); 1585 study places. Information provision, £83 pa spent for each student (FTE). Library and IT services converged in learning resources centres. 700 PCs in libraries (open 13 hours/day Monday to Thursday at Luton and Bedford; IT suite and social space at Luton open until 2am), others in departments. Guidance via customer service desks, printed guides and internet; information skills embedded in curriculum; IT skills workshops; IT training facilities at 2 sites, educational technology, wireless access at all sites.
Other learning resources:	Psychology, sports therapy, biological and cognitive labs; centre for excellence in teaching and learning; centre for media arts.
Study abroad:	Opportunity to spend an academic year abroad in Europe, Canada, Japan, and USA – open to non-language specialists.
Careers:	Advice and guidance services available for 3 years after graduation. Personal & career development programmes integrated across the curriculum. Support for eg cv writing, online applications, interview skills. Subject-focused employer conferences.

Money

Living expenses budget:	Minimum budget of £130−£150 per week (excluding tuition fees) recommended by university.
Term-time work:	University job shop helps students, recent graduates and local residents find local, part-time, casual and vacation work; aim is to help students gain work experience and enhance transferable skills. Some work available on campus (SU bars, offices, library, recruitment fairs, admissions etc).
Financial help:	Bursaries may change in 2012. In 2011, bursaries of £337 pa for all home students on full-time first degree courses. Scholarships and awards of up to £1100 pa (eg sports, academic, and those from specified colleges), plus a Vice Chancellor’s scholarship of up to £10,000. Government access funds available for UK students; special help for those with disabilities. Apply for help to student finance unit.
University tuition fees:	Home students pay £6000-£9000 pa for first degree courses (except nursing and midwifery); £1680 for sandwich year. International students pay £9600 pa.

Courses

Academic features:

Specialises in career-related education.

Awarding body:

University of Bedfordshire.

Main undergraduate awards:

BSc, BA, BEd, LLB, FdA, FdSc, DipHE.

Length of courses:

3 years; 4 years (BEd, sandwich); 2 years (foundation degrees, DipHE).

Main subjects offered:

Accountancy
Acting
Advertising
Animation
Architectural Design
Art
Artificial Intelligence
Biological Chemistry
Biomedical Science
Broadcasting
Building Studies
Building Technology
Business Administration
Business Studies
Cell Biology
Cellular Pathology
Ceramics
Childhood Studies
Choreography
Commerce
Communication Engineering
Communication Studies
Community Studies
Complementary Therapies
Computer Engineering
Computer Science
Computer Technology
Computing
Construction
Contemporary Decorative Arts/Crafts
Counselling
Creative/Performance Writing
Criminology
Dance
Decision Theory
Directing
Drama
Drama Training
E-business
Economics
Education
English
English as a Foreign Language
Environmental Health
Fashion
Film Music
Film Studies
Finance
Forensic Science
Graphic Design
Health
Hospitality Management
Human Biology
Human Resource Management
Illustration
Immunology
Information Systems
Information Technology
Interactive Games Production
Interior Design
International Business
Internet Technology
Interpreting/Translating
Journalism
Law
Leisure Management
Leisure Studies
Linguistics
Management
Marketing
Media Studies
Medical Laboratory Science
Midwifery
Music Technology
Nursing
Occupational Therapy
Organisational Behaviour
Osteopathy
Painting
Palliative Care
Pathology
Performance Arts
Pharmacology
Photography
Physical Education
Physiology
Physiotherapy
Printmaking
Product Design
Psychology
Public Relations
Recreation Studies
Retail Management
Social Policy
Social Science
Social Studies
Social Work
Sociology
Software Engineering
Sports Sciences
Sports Studies
Stage Management
Teacher Training
Telecommunications Engineering
Textiles
Theatre Studies
Three-Dimensional Design
Tourism
Transport Studies
TV Studies
Video
Virtual Design
Visual Arts
Web Development/Design
Wildlife Management
Youth & Community Work

Student view

Living

It has 3 campuses: main campus, Park Square, is in centre of Luton about 2 minutes (by taxi) from coach and railway stations, 10 minutes from Luton International Airport and only ½ hour from London by train; Bedford Campus is 3 miles from Bedford train station; and Putteridge Bury campus (mostly postgraduate) is 4 miles from Luton is a magnificent neo-Elizabethan mansion in attractive grounds. Luton has usual shops and a good indoor market. Many first years in self-catering halls of residence; private sector is cheaper but you must shop around to get the best deals. Diverse student population in both Luton and Bedford. Socially SU is centre of all activities. It’s the cheapest place to drink so always packed out. Underground nightclub (Sub-Club) at Luton, and a bar where you can watch television and videos on a large screen plus a fantastic new food menu. Regular discos and live bands plus all the usual happenings in a thriving SU. Bedford has bar and night club – Bar Soviet and Oxygen. Clubs and societies include religious, political and hobbies; excellent opportunities for students to develop portfolio material with a newly launched newspaper, The Blend − articles or design − or work on the website (www.ubsu.co.uk). Luton has new multiplex cinema and arts complex; Luminar Leisure (with 600 nightclubs around the UK) is based there and many clubs put on weekly student nights. All usual fast food joints and pizza places; excellent Chinese and Indian restaurants; odd Italian and French restaurants, usually hidden up some obscure side street. Luton and Bedford are fun places to study. It’s no problem to change courses in first term (usually in first six weeks). Typical students are conscientious and hard-working but when necessary can go through a metamorphic change and become the ultimate party animal.

Summary

Housing: University halls; private housing through local letting agency. Eats: Refectories on campus. Vicarage Street, good food incl vegetarian. Plenty of chip shops, kebab, Chinese and Indian (veggie curry). New canteen at Bedford. Drink: SU bar cheapest (£1.50 a pint). Pubs generally cater for students eg Bar Soviet. Nightlife: SU has band nights with local and national talent, a variety of shows. SU nightclub (Sub-Club) cheapest and safest; student nights at local nightclubs in both towns. Locals: Averagely friendly. Students tend to avoid Bury Park for safety reasons; town centre is well lit but nobody should walk home alone at night. Sports: University uses Vauxhall facilities (½ mile away): gym, playing fields for tennis, rugby, football etc. Many private gyms and leisure complexes; swimming pool 20-minute walk from university at Luton, 5 mins at Bedford. Travel: Local transport good and student discount. Financial help: Very good. Hardship fund and hardship loans available. Jobs: Jobshop has local and national vacancies, in and out of term. Work in SU at Luton allows shifts to work round teaching. Best features: Learning resources suite.