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West London University

UCAS Code: W05

Location: West of London, three sites Show on Map

Site: Sites in west London (Ealing and Brentford); some additional higher education courses offered in Reading

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Overview
Profile
Courses
Colleges
Student View
Applying
Open Days
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Contact

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

Student Population

Total Students:	16,380
Undergraduates:	88%
Postgraduates:	12%
FE Students:	0%

Undergraduates

Total undergraduates:	14,350
Male:	37%
Female:	63%
Full Time:	55%
Mature on Entry:	60%
UK Students:	86%
State school entry:	98%

Teaching Staff

520 full-time, 337 part-time.

Broad study areas

Accounting, business & finance; art & design; computing & IT; construction & engineering; health, sports & exercise sciences; human & forensic sciences; law & criminology; media; music & performance; nursing & midwifery; psychology; tourism, hospitality & leisure.

Freshers

Admission Information:	AS-levels and key skills awards accepted in combination with 1+ A-level (GCE or VCE) or equivalent. UCAS tariff used
Points on Entry (Mean):	200
Drop Out Rate:	15%
Accommodation:	All first years housed if apply by deadline.

Institution

Founded:	1991 from merger of Ealing College, Thames Valley College Slough, London College of Music and Queen Charlotte's College of Healthcare. University status 1992, as Thames Valley University. Name changed 2011 to University of West London.
Site:	Ealing and Brentford in west London; with some additional higher education courses offered in Reading (35 miles west of Ealing).
How to get there:	A4, M4 and A40; Reading site close to bus and rail stations; Ealing and Brentford campuses near rail, tube and buses. Free shuttle bus between west London sites.

Student services & facilities

Student advice & services:	Advisers offer a free and confidential professional advice service to students and prospective students.
Amenities:	Well-equipped students' union.
Sporting facilities:	Gym facilities plus a wide variety of sports and recreation clubs.
Accommodation:	All students housed in university halls or private accommodation, if they apply by the deadline. 810 self-catering places at Brentford, all ensuite and with broadband internet access, rent £134 per week (incl bills and internet); also 29 studio apartments, £181 pw; contracts for 44 or 52 weeks. Accommodation service helps find local flats and lodgings 3−4 miles from campus; average rents £90−£100 pw self-catering. Many students live locally.

Study opportunities & careers

Library & information services:	Libraries at all sites, including subject-specialist libraries and specialist librarians. Total of 270,000 volumes, 2000 periodical titles, CDs, DVDs, electronic resources, subject-specific databases; 770 study places and fully-networked, open-access workstations (with access to internet), scanners, colour printers, video and audio playback. Information provision, £74 pa spent for each student (FTE). Library and IT services converged. Total 550+ networked PCs with access to internet and CD-Rom network, open 24 hours/day. Ratio 1:14 workstations to students. IT support from dedicated staff members and IT skills training online; ½ day induction to library and information services for new students plus workshops and information skills training from librarians (in person or online).
Study abroad:	Language and other students may spend a period abroad. Formal exchange links with 64 universities/colleges in western Europe.
Careers:	Information and advice service. Students also receive a (free) monthly newsletter, featuring articles written by employers, useful application tips and up-to-date employer opportunities.

Money

Living expenses budget:	Depending on campus, minimum budget of £770 a month recommended by the university (excluding tuition fees).
Term-time work:	University allows term-time work for full-time students (limit of 15 hours/week). University employs students where possible (in and out of term) eg library, admin, design, telemarketing etc; university employment services helps find work locally.
Financial help:	238 scholarships of £3000 in Year 1, open to local UK students whose family income is up to £25k pa: 60 open to students on science, technology, engineering or maths courses, 178 for those caring for children. Also scholarships of £500−£3000 in a number of subject areas, eg music, nursing, business. Various government funds help those with particular costs or facing hardship and for short-term loans.
University tuition fees:	Home students pay £7500 pa for first degree courses, except students on specialist arts and music courses who pay £7670 (arts)and £8200 (music). International students pay £8150 (classroom-based), £9540 pa (lab/studio-based).

Courses

Academic features:

Modular scheme gives flexibility to all degree courses: specialist and major/minor subject combinations available. List of courses on iPhone app, iUni (can be downloaded from iTunes).

Awarding body:

University of West London

Main undergraduate awards:

BA, BMus, BSc, LLB, FdA, FdSc

Length of courses:

3 years; 4 years (sandwich courses, year abroad). 2 years (FdA/Sc)

Main subjects offered:

Accountancy
Acting
Advertising
Animation
Architectural Design
Architectural Technology
Architecture
Art
Audio
Broadcasting
Building Studies
Building Surveying
Business Administration
Business Studies
Catering
Ceramics
Choreography
Community Arts
Computer Science
Computer Technology
Computing
Construction
Counselling
Criminology
Dance
Drama
Education
Electrical Engineering
Electronic Engineering
Electronic Mechanics
Electronics
Engineering (General)
Environmental Engineering
Events Management
Exhibition Design
Fashion
Film Music
Film Studies
Finance
Food Science
Forensic Science
Graphic Design
Health
Hospitality Management
Human Resource Management
Human Sciences
Illustration
Information Science
Information Systems
Interactive Games Production
Interactive Multimedia
Interior Design
International Business
Jazz
Journalism
Law
Management
Marketing
Mechanical Engineering
Media Studies
Media Technology
Microelectronics
Midwifery
Multimedia
Music
Music Technology
Music Theatre
Nursing
Nutrition
Palliative Care
Performance Arts
Photography
Popular Music
Psychology
Public Health
Public Relations
Quantity Surveying
Retail Management
Social Work
Teacher Training
Textiles
Theatre Studies
Three-Dimensional Design
Tourism
TV Studies
Video
Visual Arts
Web Development/Design

Student view

Raoul Sanchez, Students Union Vice President Student Engagement

Living

What's it like as a place to live? Good and sociable

How's the student accommodation? Expensive, private.

What's the student population like? Friendly, diverse and many Nationalities.

How do students and locals get on? Reasonably. safe area.

Studying

What's it like as a place to study? Facilities vary from course to course. Nursing is gGreat, Music is good.

What are the teaching staff like? General. Some lectures great, some not so.

Socialising

What are student societies like? Unfortunate minority. Fairly poor funding but good variety, and some very well managed.

What's a typical night out? SU is underfunded but the nights are good.

And how much does it cost? Prices are relatively cheap, although drinks could be cheaper.

How can you get home safely? Sometimes shuttle buses are provided. Many Public Buses run very close to the Main Halls of Residence Paragon.

Money

Is it an expensive place to live? Students – Everyone is always Skint!

Average price of a pint? £2.20 in Union. Outside, £3.20.

And the price of a takeaway? £5.

What's the part-time work situation? Lots of part time job prospects, just hard to get them as not many are readily available.

Summary

What's the best feature about the place? Courses.

And the worst? Funding for social activities.

And to sum it all up? A lot to offer, could be a lot better.

Past Students

Freddie Mercury (Queen frontman); Pete Townsend (The Who); John Bird (founder, The Big Issue). And from London College of Music, David Caddick (musical director, RSC); Martin Ellerby, Andrew Simpson (composers); Raphael Terroni (pianist); John Treleaven, Rosalind Sutherland (singers); Matt Tong (drummer, Bloc Party).

More info?

Ring SU on 020 8231 2726 or visit website www.tvusu.co.uk

Open days

20th June 2012

Open day, 2pm to 6.30pm. Find out more about university life and about your course, the staff and students and facilities. From live performances from London College of Music, to the chance to investigate your own crime scene run by the Criminology, Law and Forensic Science team, there will be something for everyone.

29th September 2012

Open day, 10.30am to 3pm. Find out more about university life and about your course, the staff and students and facilities. From live performances from London College of Music, to the chance to investigate your own crime scene run by the Criminology, Law and Forensic Science team, there will be something for everyone.