Universities :: Student Book - One-stop guide to universities and student life

A modern university, focusing on developing the careers of professionals.

Student Population

Total Students:	13,715
Undergraduates:	69%
Postgraduates:	31%
FE Students:	0%

Undergraduates

Total undergraduates:	9,495
Male:	34%
Female:	66%
Full Time:	74%
Mature on Entry:	28%
UK Students:	88%
State school entry:	93%

Teaching Staff

703 full-time

Broad study areas

Architecture, art & design, health & social care, nursing & midwifery, business & management, science & technology, information & media, engineering, law.

Freshers

Admission Information:	All qualifications considered
Points on Entry (Mean):	327
Drop Out Rate:	11%
Accommodation:	Majority of first years housed.

Institution

Founded:	1750, Robert Gordon Institute became a university in 1992.
Site:	2 Aberdeen campuses - one in city centre and one in Garthdee.
How to get there:	Fast coach services from Edinburgh, Glasgow and all major cities to Aberdeen; rail services north and south; by road, A90 from south, A96 from north; flights from most major European cities to international airport on city outskirts. City centre campus a short walk from rail and coach stations; shuttle bus between sites.

Student services & facilities

Student advice & services:	Student finance and administration dept, accommodation office, student counsellors, careers officers, English language tutor, chaplaincy, medical advisory service, nursery, disabled student adviser, centre for student access.
Amenities:	SA with bars, games room, shop.
Sporting facilities:	New sports centre, with swimming pool, 2 gyms, climbing wall, bouldering room, 3 exercise studios and sports hall.
Accommodation:	35% of first years in university accommodation (35% of first year degree students live at home). 1250 self-catering places, some ensuite; rents £85−£102 per week (£99−£105 ensuite), 40- or 50-week leases. Accommodation service gives help finding private accommodation rents £70−£100 pw self-catering (plus utillities), or in private halls at £100−£120 pw.

Study opportunities & careers

Library & information services:	250,000 volumes in total, 1600 periodicals, 1200 study places. Library and IT service converged. Ratio 1:7 workstations to students, 200 points with access to library, 700 points with access to internet, open 16 hours per day. Helpdesk support available. New students have library tour in first week plus compulsory IT course. Information provision, £115 pa spent for each student (FTE).
Study abroad:	3% of students spend a period abroad. Number of formal EU exchange links (all open to non-specialists) and with Oregon State University and Illinois Institute of Technology.
Careers:	Information and advice service.

Money

Living expenses budget:	Minimum budget of £6300−£8500 for the academic year (excluding tuition fees) recommended by university.
Term-time work:	University allows term-time work for full-time students (high percentage believed to work). Some work available on campus as janitors, porters, ground staff; university jobshop.
Financial help:	Various subject-based scholarships eg art & design, engineering, law, sport. £398,000 government funds, 580 students helped (awards range from £100−£2000). Special help: students with high accommodation costs, mature students with childcare costs, final year, self-financing, personal or medical costs etc. Apply for help to student finance office.
University tuition fees:	Scottish and EU students pay no fees during course for first degrees; other UK students pay £5000 pa (classroom-based courses), £6750 (lab/studio-based), £8500 pa (MPharm). International students pay £9250-£11,500 depending on course.

Courses

Awarding body:

Robert Gordon University

Main undergraduate awards:

BA, BSc, BEng, MEng.

Length of courses:

3 years (ordinary), 4 years (hons), 5 years (sandwich hons).

Main subjects offered:

Accountancy
Advertising
Animation
Architectural Technology
Architecture
Art
Artificial Intelligence
Biomedical Science
Building Surveying
Business Economics
Business Studies
Ceramics
Civil Engineering
Communication Engineering
Communication Studies
Computer Engineering
Computer Science
Computer Technology
Computing
Construction
Contemporary Decorative Arts/Crafts
Dietetics
E-business
Economics
Electrical Engineering
Electromechanical Engineering
Electronic Engineering
Electronic Mechanics
Electronics
Energy Engineering
Engineering (General)
Environmental Engineering
Fashion
Finance
Food Science
Forensic Science
Glass
Graphic Design
Health
Hospitality Management
Human Biology
Human Communication
Human Resource Management
Industrial Design
Information Science
Information Studies
Information Technology
Interactive Games Production
Interactive Multimedia
Interior Design
International Business
Internet Technology
Jewellery
Journalism
Law
Management
Marketing
Mechanical Engineering
Media Studies
Microelectronics
Midwifery
Multimedia
Nursing
Nutrition
Occupational Therapy
Offshore Engineering
Painting
Palliative Care
Petroleum Engineering
Pharmacy
Photography
Physiotherapy
Politics
Printmaking
Product Design
Production Engineering
Public Relations
Publishing
Quantity Surveying
Radiography
Retail Management
Sculpture
Social Administration
Social Science
Social Work
Software Engineering
Sports Sciences
Surveying
Textiles
Three-Dimensional Design
Tourism
TV Studies
Video
Zoology

Student view

Living

A modern university with excellent facilities, in a city with a lively social scene. Range of courses in three faculties (design & technology, health & social care and business ) - all industry-focused and with the opportunity to gain professional work experience; so not surprising that there is a good track record for graduate employment. Schoolhill Campus is in the city centre, close to shops, cafés and pubs. Newer Garthdee Campus, a short bus ride away, has modern glass buildings overlooking the River Dee and surrounded by lush parkland - a serene environment to study in. But student life is not all work and no play. RGU sports centre boasts a swimming pool, epic climbing wall, fitness gym and several areas for sports and fitness activities. For the more slothful, it also has a café bar where you can relax with friends. Aberdeen's nightlife is buzzing and, with such a large population of students, there's no shortage of clubs and pubs which cater for the student crowd and their modest budgets. Plenty of venues offering entertainment from live bands and guest DJs to themed nights and pub quizzes. With two bars, pool tables, a big screen TV and live entertainment seven nights a week, RGU union is the perfect place to begin your night out.

Summary

Housing: RGU accommodation on 6 sites around Aberdeen (priority to first years and international students). Unite and Armduir also provide student flats. For private accommodation, ask university, look in local paper, or use one of many estate agents around city centre. Eats: Meals and snacks on campus (eg Costa Coffee, pasta bar). Restaurants and takeaways to suit all tastes eg Chinese, Thai, Indian and Italian. Plenty of bars offer good value pub grub. Drink: Union has scandalously cheap drinks: create your own cocktail at the Basement; Under the Hammer for a shared bottle of wine in an intimate atmosphere; for the adventurous, Siberia has flavoured vodkas from cola to curry! Nightlife: Venue for every musical taste as you would expect from a big city. Union puts on wide variety of ents. From rock nights to pub quizzes. Locals: Friendly; with so many students, it's easy to make friends. Sports: State-of-the-art sports facility (£10+ million recently spent on it): 25m swimming pool, 3 gyms, a climbing wall and a large sports hall; discounted student rates. Many sports clubs, eg football, rugby, badminton, snowsports, sailing, horse riding and rowing. Numerous sports facilities in Aberdeen, eg new Garthdee sports and alpine adventure park (short walk from Garthdee campus). Travel: University shuttle bus between campuses. Student travel agency on site. Financial help: Bursaries, grants and hardship loans available. Jobs: Variety of part-time and vacation jobs available; help from careers centre. Informal name: RGU. Best feature: Graduate employment rate.