University Name:
See all universitiesAston University
UCAS Code: A80
Location: Birmingham, West Midlands Show on Map
Site: Single, self contained campus in city centre
A top UK research-intensive university
Student Population
| Total Students: | 10,017 |
| Undergraduates: | 79% |
| Postgraduates: | 21% |
| FE Students: | 0% |
Undergraduates
| Total undergraduates: | 7,958 |
| Male: | 51% |
| Female: | 49% |
| Full Time: | 95% |
| Mature on Entry: | 15% |
| UK Students: | 79% |
| Lower socio economic groups: | 37% |
Teaching Staff
560 full-time equivalent
Broad study areas
Business & management, modern languages & European studies, engineering & applied sciences, life & health sciences, social sciences
Freshers
| Admission Information: | 3 A-levels or equivalent expected (2 AS-levels may be accepted in place of a 3rd A-level, additional AS/A levels welcomed). Wide range of other qualifications accepted, including BTEC and IB and many international qualifications. UCAS tariff used for many programmes |
| Points on Entry (Mean): | 370 |
| Drop Out Rate: | 5% |
| Accommodation: | All first years housed on campus (if Aston is their first choice and they apply by deadline). |
Institution
| Founded: | 1895. University charter 1966. |
| Site: | Single, modern, green 40-acre campus, in centre of Birmingham. |
| How to get there: | Birmingham is at the centre of England’s rail, coach and road networks: mainline stations (New Street and Snow Hill both 15 minutes walk; and Birmingham International); coaches connect directly from 500 destinations; many motorway links; Birmingham International Airport close by. University is 5 minutes’ walk from city centre; extensive local transport. |
Student services & facilities
| Student advice & services: | NHS university health centre (with 24-hour cover), dental surgery, optician, chaplaincy, student advice, careers advice, counselling service, accommodation office and nursery on campus; pharmacy 5 mins walk. Advice & representation centre provides financial help and support for students with disabilities (special accommodation on campus). Study skills programmes, learning develoment centre. The Hub provides a one-stop advice point for central university services. |
| Amenities: | Students’ Guild has bars, club venue/concert hall, games room, general store, eating places, sandwich bar, print shop, stationery shop, laundrette, cashpoints, hairdresser, also runs 40 non-sporting societies and interest groups. General store, computer shop and bookshop on campus; city facilities close by (eg 5 mins walk to nearest major supermarket). |
| Sporting facilities: | 2 well-equipped sports halls, 25m swimming pool, squash courts, fitness suite (75 stations), sprung gym space for aerobics and martial arts, multigym, bouldering wall and 2 floodlit all-weather pitches on campus. Sports ground, 20 minutes away, has 10 pitches (including floodlit all-weather pitch), tennis and squash courts, cricket pitch, free parking and pavilion (with bar and café). Athletic Union offers 37 sports clubs. |
| Accommodation: | On-campus accommodation for all first years who want it, many final year students and international students for their whole course (provided they apply by deadlines). Some 2300 places, all on campus and with internet access, some 85% ensuite: 350 self-catering places at £68 per week, 1950 ensuite places at £98−£116 pw; contracts 39 weeks, Sept–June. Catered meal plan (half board) at c£300 per term. Additional residences owned by Guild of Students. Most 2nd year students live in privately-owned accommodation (student apartments in city centre, 5 mins walk from campus, or in suburbs of Erdington or Selly Oak): rents £45–£100 pw self-catering. Students' Guild provides help in finding private accommodation. |
Study opportunities & careers
| Library & information services: | Central library with 209,000 monographs, 40,710 ebooks, 7400 electronic journals, 126 printed journals, 315 self-service online databases, computerised catalogues, circulation and information services, online access to databases throughout the world; audio-visual laboratory, 800 reader places (over 200 with IT facilities). Library open 80+ hours over 7 days/week (24 hours/day around assessment time). Information provision, £147 pa spent for each student (FTE). 1100 workstations (ratio workstations to students 1:6), all with access to library catalogue, intranet and internet, Blackboard Virtual Learning Environment; internet access from all student accommodation, plus most cafés, lecture theatres and common rooms. IT facilities open 24/7; helplines for IT support, and staff on hand in open-access IT rooms. Tours and presentations on library and information services for new students; core courses/modules on IT skills. IT infrastructure means all courses now available in virtual learning environment; most lectures recorded and accessible on Aston replay system. |
| Other learning resources: | Multimedia language suites and new language e-learning labs with industry-leading software; CAD laboratories; extensive computing facilities; design studios and model shop; mathematics support centre, learning development centre; writing mentors; group work support. Social and study spaces on each floor of Main Building and The Loft (Students Union/Guild), with wifi access. |
| Study abroad: | 15% of students spend 6–12 months abroad. Strong European/international focus in many degrees eg international business & modern languages, psychology & French etc. |
| Careers: | Information and advice service; 200+ companies and organisations make recruitment visits each year. 4 pa graduate employment fairs on campus plus 2 national fairs at Birmingham NEC. High employment rate: 82% of graduates employed in graduate-level jobs within 6 months in recent years. |
Money
| Living expenses budget: | Minimum budget of £700 per month (excluding tuition fees) recommended by university. |
| Term-time work: | Student jobshop advertises vacancies of up to 15 hours a week (70% believed to work). Work on campus in bars, restaurants, travel agency and summer catering. University helps finding holiday work off campus (numerous opportunities for part-time work in city centre, 10 mins walk) and short-term course-related placements. Many students on sandwich courses (sandwich year salary £15,000 pa). |
| Financial help: | Bursaries may change in 2012. In 2011, means-tested bursaries available of up to £500 pa for UK students with family incomes of less than £25k. Also placement bursaries of £1000–£1500 for all students on year abroad or placement year. £300,000 government access to learning funds, around 250 students helped (average award £500–£600); plus own funds including some for international students (mostly short-term help). Special help: single parents with childcare needs, students who are self-financing, mature or subject to financial difficulties for reasons beyond their control. Some international bursaries available (up to £3000 pa); also some travel bursaries and sports scholarships. |
| University tuition fees: | Home students pay £9000 pa for first degree courses (£1000 in placement year). International students pay £11,700 pa (classroom), £14,700 (lab-based); £1990 in placement year. Fees can be paid termly |
Courses
Academic features:
Close links with industry and business. All courses have strong professional element; unusually high numbers of students on sandwich or year abroad programmes (60% of students on sandwich courses). Combined Honours programme allows wide combinations of subjects, including languages in many courses. Engineering faculty offers BEng and MEng. Large business school and vision science department.
Awarding body:
Aston University
Main undergraduate awards:
BSc, BEng, MEng, MPharm
Length of courses:
BSc 3 years (full-time), 4 years (sandwich courses, MPharm); BEng/MEng 3–5 years (full-time and sandwich).
Main subjects offered:
- Accountancy
- Anatomy
- Audiology
- Automotive Engineering
- Biochemical Engineering
- Biochemistry
- Biological Chemistry
- Biology
- Biomedical Science
- Biotechnology
- Business Administration
- Business Economics
- Business Studies
- Cell Biology
- Chemical Engineering
- Chemistry
- Communication Engineering
- Computer Engineering
- Computer Science
- Computer Technology
- Computing
- Construction
- E-business
- Economics
- Electrical Engineering
- Electromechanical Engineering
- Electronic Engineering
- Electronics
- Energy Studies
- Engineering (General)
- Engineering Mathematics
- English
- English as a Foreign Language
- European Business Studies
- European Studies
- Finance
- French
- German
- Health
- Human Biology
- Human Communication
- Human Resource Management
- Immunology
- Industrial Design
- Informatics
- Information Systems
- Information Technology
- International Business
- International Relations
- Internet Technology
- Interpreting/Translating
- Law
- Management
- Manufacturing Engineering
- Marketing
- Mathematics
- Mechanical Engineering
- Media Technology
- Molecular Biology
- Multimedia
- Operational Research
- Ophthalmic Optics
- Optometry
- Organisational Behaviour
- Organisational Studies
- Pharmacology
- Pharmacy
- Podiatry
- Politics
- Product Design
- Production Engineering
- Psychology
- Public Administration
- Social Policy
- Social Studies
- Sociology
- Software Engineering
- Spanish
- Teacher Training
- Telecommunications Engineering
- Transport Studies
Student view
Ria Joyce, SU Market Research Officer (2nd year International Business Spanish & French)
Living
What’s it like as a place to live? Aston is based in the centre of Birmingham, home to over 50,000 students and one of Europe’s liveliest and most welcoming cities. Aston is a very friendly campus with a sense of community. There’s always something going on for the students and with a city centre 5 minutes walking journey, everybody’s needs are catered for. Aston is a very homely campus that houses a close knit community.
How’s the student accommodation? Aston has plenty of options for living. We have standard and ensuite rooms which are the perfect combination for students who have preferences with living. The campus accommodation is a key component to why Aston is such a tight-knit community in the heart of Birmingham city centre. The rooms are at a very affordable price, you pay more for the ensuite accommodation, but the value for money is brilliant.
What’s the student population like?The students are the life and soul of Aston. Aston is a multicultural university (as all Universities should be), all the students are friendly and get along with one another. At Aston there are students from all different walks of life. From all around the UK, Europe and the rest of the World. No matter where you are from, your interests and culture, you will find lots of people like you at Aston.
How do students and locals get on? The location of the Aston University campus is perfect. It is so close to the city centre, yet it is secluded from everyone that’s not a student. Everyone that is walking on campus is either a student or works in the University. Locals are rarely seen on campus, apart from students of course! Students would not need to go into the smaller towns of Birmingham to shop, as everything can be found in the city centre.
Studying
What’s it like as a place to study? There are a wide array of subjects to study at Aston. There are 5 schools within the university, that cover all the courses in Aston. For example The Business School for all business related courses, Life and Health sciences that cover Optometry, Pharmacy, Audiology. Aston technology is always increasing. Aston being very active in research allows the students to be pro-active with all new technology and resources.
What are the teaching staff like? All students and staff get along with one another. Staff are always welcoming in open office hours, and many lecturers remain in their office during the day to help. Tutorials are always an effective method to build relationships with lecturers. In addition Aston houses a peer mentoring scheme for additional help. Lecturers are mentors for first years in many courses.
Socialising
What are student societies like? At Aston there 4000 people involved in sport clubs and societies. Which is brilliant for a University that has under 8000 students. There are 40 sport clubs and 50 societies. Ranging from the original football clubs to the zombie society! There are social societies as well as cultural societies, so there is always something for everyone. To sign up to these societies or sport clubs we hold a freshers fair at the beginning of the year where all they are all present, but if you miss out you can always join later in the year.
What’s a typical night out? There are student nights out every night of the week, for all different genres of music.
And how much does it cost? Its costs an average of £4 entry, but drinks are always cheap! Sometimes a £1.
How can you get home safely? Taxis are always available all over Birmingham, and fairly cheap too! The city centre social areas are 5−10 minutes walk from the campus .
Money
Is it an expensive place to live? Students are always known to be skint. Birmingham being so heavily populated with students, all the local companies always offer students discounts. Student loans can be stretched to the end of each term, as long as you manage your money. Usually students work part-time to fund their social activities.
Average price of a pint? £1.80.
And the price of a takeaway? £2.50.
What’s the part-time work situation? Being so close to the City centre, part time jobs in the massive shopping centre, the Bullring, are always available. The Guild helps students find jobs in and around Birmingham, The Student Jobshop is managed by the Guild and is constantly busy finding students jobs.
Summary
What’s the best feature about the place? A brilliant, vibrant, multicultural University, right in the middle of England’s second City! With one the best City Centres a stone’s throw away!
And the worst? Honestly? There’s too much to do! The weather isn’t always brilliant but where in the UK is it!
And if you had to sum it all up in a sentence (or two)? Astonfantastic!
More info?
Visit www.astonguild.org.uk or get alternative prospectus from the Guild President (0121 204 4826).
Contact
Address:
Aston University Birmingham
Aston Triangle
Birmingham
B4 7ET
Tel:
0121 204 3000
Email:
Website:
Student enquiries:
Registry or Schools and Colleges Liaison
Application:
UCAS
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