Southampton Solent University

Southampton Solent University

Age: 154 as Southampton College of Art, or six as a university proper.

History: In 1978, the art college merged with the tech college to make Southampton College of Higher Education. The latter shacked up with the College of Nautical Studies (now Warsash Maritime Academy). Emerged as Southampton Institute in 1984 and assumed its new name and new university status in 2005.

Address: Two sites in central Southampton, split by a park, and a waterside campus at Warsash, 10 miles away.

Ambience: One of the country's newest universities. Increasingly exciting vibe but keeping its close community feel. A fair share of watersports enthusiasts. Main campus is post-war. Expanded in the nineties with over £70m spent on buildings. Warsash campus beautifully landscaped but quiet.

Vital statistics: Around 16,000 students, of whom approximately 9,000 are full-time undergrads.Courses range from foundation years to master's degrees and PhDs, plus a variety of professional and short course.

Added value: Strong for business, technology, media arts and music, and maritime courses. It prides itself on providing exciting courses that lead to real job opportunities and has particularly good graduate employment rates. Working with key employers, it boasts some of the UK’s most sought after work experience placements. Its students are a key part of the official Glastonbury festival industry-standard filming team and it is the only university in the UK to run its own festival stage, at Glade. Students regularly get lectures from radio, television and music presenters, performers, promoters and managers. Maritime studies is a particular strength, with courses in yacht design producing some of the most successful and influential designers in the industry. It turns out record-breaking and Olympian sailors and is a world leader in research, facilities and training in ship handling.

Easy to get into? Requirements vary depending on course, with degree courses asking for a minimum of 100 UCAS points. Plenty of opportunities for those with non-conventional entry qualifications. Solent works hard to attract non traditional applicants and those from families with no tradition of higher education.

Glittering alumni: Olympic gold medal laser sailor, Paul Goodison; transatlantic record breaking sailors Geoff Holt and Katie Miller; David Quayle of B & Q; Pamela Blundell, fashion designer; Bobby Parks, former Hampshire and England cricketer; fashion designer Jenny Packham; former First Choice holidays CEO Peter Long; leading yacht and boat designers, Ed Dubois and Bill Dixon.

Transport links: Train station for London is 10 minutes' walk from the city campuses. A university coach service connects Warsash with the main site. Southampton airport is within easy distance and you can walk to the Isle of Wight ferry terminal from the city campus.

Who's the boss? Professor Van Gore, formerly a special policy advisor to the vice-chancellor of Sheffield Hallam University.

Teaching: 73rd out of 116 in the Complete University Guide.

Research: 112th out of 115 in the Research Assessment Exercise.

Overall ranking: 111th out of 116 in the Complete University Guide.

Nightlife: Three bars on campus. The city has a busy nightlife with plenty of student nights.

How green is it? Not great – came 73rd out of 142 universities graded by People and Planet for their ‘Green League 2011’.

Any accommodation? Yes - over 2,300 rooms in six residences. Rents range between £86 and £110 per week.u

Cheap to live there? About average - private rents hover around the £70 to £80 per week mark.

Sports ranking: 58th in the BUCS league table.

Fees: £3,375 per year for full-time home undergrads starting in 2011. Solent plans on charging £7,800 per year as of 2012.

Bursaries: Up to £750 per year for students in receipt of a maintenance grant and an annual household income of less than £25,000 in 2011.

Prospectus: 023 8031 9039; www.solent.ac.uk

UCAS code: S30