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Ulster University

UCAS Code: U20

Location: Northern Ireland Show on Map

Site: Four campuses across the province

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Overview
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Student View
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Research-intensive university

Student Population

Total Students:	26,030
Undergraduates:	79%
Postgraduates:	21%
FE Students:	0%

Undergraduates

Total undergraduates:	20,610
Male:	41%
Female:	59%
Full Time:	75%
Mature on Entry:	21%
UK Students:	90%
State school entry:	100%

Teaching Staff

3400 (full and part-time)

Broad study areas

Art & design, business & management, computing & multimedia, engineering & built environment, informatics, life & health sciences, humanities, social sciences

Freshers

Admission Information:	UCAS tariff used. Individual course requirements differ
Points on Entry (Mean):	267
Drop Out Rate:	10%
Accommodation:	Accommodation guaranteed for first years who apply by the deadline

Institution

Founded:	1984, from merger of New University of Ulster and Ulster Polytechnic
Site:	4 campuses: Main campuses at Jordanstown (7 miles NE of Belfast) and Coleraine (on north coast, 50 miles north of Belfast). Also campuses in heart of Belfast and Magee in Londonderry.
How to get there:	All campuses have road and rail connections. Air and sea routes from mainland.

Student services & facilities

Student advice & services:	Counsellors, psychologist, doctors, nurses, chaplains. Support for students with disabilities including adapted residences. Crèches (for under-5s) on all campuses. Joint universities deaf education centre (with Belfast University).
Amenities:	SU with extensive leisure facilities.
Sporting facilities:	Sports centres with full facilities at Coleraine, Magee and Jordanstown sites.
Accommodation:	2300 campus places available (60% for first years): Coleraine, 400 places in on-campus halls, 405 off-campus, rents £60−£88 per week, £98 pw if sharing; Jordanstown, 700 on-campus, 170 off-campus, rents £47−£95 pw, £53 pw if sharing; Magee, 630 places, rents £51−£75 pw, £45 pw if sharing; many rooms ensuite and with telephone and internet connections. Students can apply for university-managed accommodation after the first year, or live in private sector; average rent £50-£55 pw.

Study opportunities & careers

Library & information services:	Library on each site, main libraries at Coleraine and Jordanstown: 663,000 volumes, 3000 electronic books, 4600 periodicals, 1500 electronic journals. Information provision, £160 pa spent for each student (FTE).
Other learning resources:	Education technology unit; computer services; social skills training centre.
Study abroad:	Opportunities for study abroad and exchanges in universities/colleges in Europe (100+), US (140+), Hong Kong, Australia, Mexico and Canada, open to all students (knowledge of a language not required). Some dual awards available.
Careers:	Information, advice and guidance. Assistance with work experience and placements.

Money

Living expenses budget:	Minimum budget of £600 per month (excluding tuition fees) recommended by university.
Financial help:	Scholarships for various subjects and for sports, of £250−£1500. Total available £190,000 government funds; £5500 endowment and other funds: special help for unanticipated need; crisis loans available, up to £50.
University tuition fees:	NI and EU students pay £3465 pa for first degree courses; fees for students from the rest of the UK not yet known. International students pay £9255 pa (£1680 for sandwich year).

Courses

Academic features:

New courses in architecture, marine science, criminology, marketing strategy & entrepreneurship, internet & communications engineering, property investment & development, leisure events & cultural management.

Awarding body:

University of Ulster

Main undergraduate awards:

BA, BSc, BMus, BDes, BEng, MEng, LLB.

Length of courses:

3 years; 4 years (eg sandwich; courses including period abroad); 5 years (MEng).

Main subjects offered:

Accountancy
Advertising
American Studies
Animation
Architectural Technology
Architecture
Art
Artificial Intelligence
Arts Management
Banking
Biochemistry
Biology
Biomedical Electronics
Biomedical Science
Building Studies
Building Surveying
Building Technology
Business Administration
Business Studies
Catering
Celtic Studies
Civil Engineering
Communication Engineering
Communication Studies
Community Studies
Computer Engineering
Computer Science
Computing
Construction
Consumer Studies
Contemporary Decorative Arts/Crafts
Counselling
Criminal Justice
Criminology
Cultural Studies
Dance
Development Studies
Dietetics
Drama
E-business
Earth Sciences
Economics
Education
Electrical Engineering
Electronic Engineering
Electronics
Embroidery
Engineering (General)
English
Environmental Engineering
Environmental Health
Environmental Science
Environmental Studies
Estate Management
European Studies
Fashion
Film Studies
Finance
Financial Services
Fire Safety Engineering
Food Science
Food Technology
French
Furniture Design
Geography
German
Graphic Design
Health
History
Hospitality Management
Housing Management
Human Biology
Human Communication
Human Resource Management
Humanities
Illustration
Industrial Design
Informatics
Information Technology
Interactive Games Production
Interactive Multimedia
Interior Design
International Business
International Development
Irish Studies
Jewellery
Journalism
Law
Leisure Studies
Linguistics
Management
Marine Biology
Marketing
Mechanical Engineering
Media Studies
Medical Imaging
Medical Laboratory Science
Molecular Biology
Multimedia
Music
Music Technology
Nanoscale Science/Technology
Nursing
Nutrition
Occupational Therapy
Optometry
Performance Arts
Pharmacology
Pharmacy
Photography
Physical Education
Physiotherapy
Podiatry
Politics
Printmaking
Product Design
Psychology
Public Administration
Public Relations
Quantity Surveying
Radiography
Recreation Studies
Retail Management
Social Policy
Social Science
Social Work
Sociology
Software Engineering
Spanish
Speech Therapy
Sports Sciences
Sports Studies
Surveying
Teacher Training
Textiles
Theatre Studies
Tourism
Transport Studies
Urban Studies
Visual Arts
Web Development/Design
Youth & Community Work

Student view

Adrian Kelly, Site Vice-President, Coleraine

Living

What's it like as a place to live? Most students attending University of Ulster Coleraine tend to live in Portstewart after their first year. The halls are very responsible and provide great facilities for those students. Living in Portstewart is great also as there is a great community feeling in the student areas and the local community are very welcoming to the student population.

How's the student accommodation? Uni accommodation is very nice and all amenities are available. It's also a great way of finding your feet before moving out of Uni halls. Portstewart provides excellent standard of housing and is located close to the hub of student social life. It also has a great community feeling about the area.

What's the student population like? The students come from a variety of locations and areas across the country and some internationals. Most students manage to hit the perfect balance between academic life and social life. Great community feeling amongst all students in the area.

How do students and locals get on? Students generally live a little bit from the main residential areas but in general, students and the local population do get on very well. The Students Union sits on the local Portstewart Community Vision Group and liaises a lot with the locals and the local PSNI (police) officers.

Studying

What's it like as a place to study? It's a great place to study, the LRC (learning resource centre) is open to students 24/7 and staff are always very helpful. The facilities are great and readily available. Students generally have no problems in obtaining extensions on their work, providing there is a genuine reason. The relationship between students and staff is always relaxed also.

What are the teaching staff like? Lecturers are always approachable and many are from either the UK or the Republic of Ireland. Some in fact used to study at the University themselves so can always relate to the students.

Socialising

What are student societies like? There are only a few nightclubs available in the area but this adds to the community feeling as most of the student population will always be in the same venue so people get to meet new individuals easier and quicker than in a big city. The Student Union hosts a disco every Monday night and also runs other forms of entertainment throughout the week.

What's a typical night out? A typical night out would entail going round to a friend's house for a few drinks and meeting up with everyone else; music would always be on the go with sometimes a DJ present. Students discuss the day's craic and the work load they have on, among other things. Then typically everybody heads to the Anchor or Kelly's around 11-11.30 and enjoys their night.

And how much does it cost? Generally costs as much as you want to spend. Typically £40 would cover taxis, admission and drinks easily.

How can you get home safely? The local council runs a forum called Night Safe, where the area's licensees discuss issues including getting students home safe at night. Local taxis are always available and the local PSNI do regular patrols. With the community feeling amongst students, and the fact that our University is so small and most people know one another though, everyone generally looks out for one another.

Money

Is it an expensive place to live? Generally it's not that expensive to live. However, with the price increase in oil and electricity, it is becoming harder for students to stretch their loans to cover each semester, so budgeting is essential.

Average price of a pint? Union £2.30. Other areas £2.60.

And the price of a takeaway? Not sure; depends what you're ordering.

What's the part-time work situation? Jobs are hard to come by in the local area, as it is a small enough town that the students live in. Fortunately most students have weekend/part time jobs back home at the weekends.

Summary

What's the best feature about the place? Its setting - students quite literally are only 5-10 mins from the beach. It's quieter than the cities, it's got plenty of green areas and has a nice feel about it. Any student that has come to this University will tell of its community feeling and relaxed atmosphere.

And the worst? The building is quite old and dated-looking in places.

And to sum it all up? Great feeling amongst students of close knit and friendship; relaxed atmosphere to study in, with great lecturers that understand what you want from your degree.

Past Students

Mark Robson (commentator), Kate Hoey MP, Brian Keenan (former hostage).

More info?

Ring SU President or Marketing Officer, on tel 028 7032 4319, email president@ulst.ac.uk, website www.uusu.org.

Open days

4-6th September 2012

Open day at Jordanstown campus. This will give you the opportunity to: experience life at the campus; collect course specific information; speak to the lecturers who deliver the course; attend subject talks and course related events; speak to advisers on issues such as accommodation and student finance; tour the university accommodation; find out more about sports at Ulster; enter free competitions for some exciting prizes; relax and enjoy a coffee at one of the many eateries.

You can come on your own, with a school/college party, or with your friends or family.

10th September 2012

Open day at Coleraine campus. This will give you the opportunity to: experience life at the campus; collect course specific information; speak to the lecturers who deliver the course; attend subject talks and course related events; speak to advisers on issues such as accommodation and student finance; tour the university accommodation; find out more about sports at Ulster; enter free competitions for some exciting prizes; relax and enjoy a coffee at one of the many eateries.

You can come on your own, with a school/college party, or with your friends or family.

15th September 2012

Open day at Magee campus. This will give you the opportunity to: experience life at the campus; collect course specific information; speak to the lecturers who deliver the course; attend subject talks and course related events; speak to advisers on issues such as accommodation and student finance; tour the university accommodation; find out more about sports at Ulster; enter free competitions for some exciting prizes; relax and enjoy a coffee at one of the many eateries.

You can come on your own, with a school/college party, or with your friends or family.