Wolverhampton, University of

University of Wolverhampton (University of Wolverhampton)

History: Roots go back to the Wolverhampton’s Municipal School of Art, Mechanics’ Institutes and libraries which formed the basis of Wolverhampton and Staffordshire Technical College, built in 1931 in the grounds of the deanery of St Peter's Collegiate Church. A merger between the College of Technology and the College of Art formed Wolverhampton Polytechnic in 1969. More mergers with teacher training institutions came in the eighties and it was granted university status in 1992, becoming the University of Wolverhampton.

Address: The university’s main campus is in Wolverhampton city centre, split in two parts: Wulfruna and Molineux. A further campus is just outside the city centre at the University of Wolverhampton Science Park. The university has two further campuses in Walsall and Telford. There are also two additional centres for health and law in Burton-upon-Trent and Birmingham respectively.

Ambience: An unpretentious university attracting a large and mostly local student body, as well as a significant number of international students. The modern city campus has well-equipped facilities in the Millennium City building, Harrison Learning Centre, hi-tech Technology Centre and iconic Faculty of Art building. It also houses a re-vamped and lively Students’ Union as well as a wide range of further student support services. Further building is underway at the campus for a new Science Centre and Business School development, due to open in 2014 and 2015 respectively.

The Walsall campus has world-class sports facilities; a friendly community in the purpose-built student village and Students’ Union; and The Performance Hub: showcasing some of the most advanced facilities for the performing arts in UK higher education.

The Telford Innovation campus is focused on business and engineering and is the site of the swanky multi-million pound Innovative Product Development Centre and e-Innovation Centre.

Who's the boss? Professor Geoff Layer was appointed the university’s fourth vice-chancellor in 2011. He was awarded the OBE for services to higher education in 2003.

Prospectus: 0800 953 3222 or request one online here.

UCAS code: W75

What you need to know

Easy to get into? On average, courses are between 180 and 220 UCAS points. The university accept A-level grades and their equivalent BTEC qualifications, as well as access qualifications. Higher point subjects include physical education, architecture, pharmacy and BEd teaching.

Vital statistics: One of the larger universities with around 23,000 students, of whom around 19,000 are undergraduates and 4,000 are postgrad. Roughly 80 per cent come from the local area.

Added value: Offers a course in deaf studies, and facilities for students with hearing problems and other difficulties are good. The University’s Walsall Campus is a Centre of Excellence for judo, and was an official training base for athletes in the 2012 Olympics. The university continues its successful focus on employability, with excellent business links, collaborative working and opportunities for students to gain experience. They recently opened a new base in Stafford, in one of the town centre’s most prominent and historic buildings. Shire Hall, in the town’s Market Square, now houses a new advice and information centre for prospective students and provides a range of courses. Other developments include a new building at Mauritius Campus and new offices in Vietnam and Brussels.

New courses include chemistry, architecture, paramedic science and physician’s assistant. A new two-year degree level course, BEng (Hons) manufacturing engineering, is an employer-sponsored degree developed with the industry for the benefit of both employers and employees alike.

Any accommodation? A range of economy, standard and en-suite rooms are available in university-owned halls of residence. Rent varies from £72 to £98 per week for an en-suite. Specialist accommodation for students with hearing, sight or mobility impairment is also available. Rent includes rates, internet access, launderette use and basic contents insurance, as well as university sports membership. See here for more information.

Cheap to live there? Private rents vary but can start from as little as £45 per week in a room in a shared house.

Transport links: The university offers a free shuttle bus service between campuses. Excellently placed for the motorway network, Wolverhampton's train, bus, coach and metro stations are just ten minutes’ walk from the City campus.

Fees: Most courses will cost £8,900 for UK/EU undergraduate students. International student fees start from £10,700.

Bursaries: Wolverhampton offer the National Scholarship Programme worth £2,000 during the first year, offered to students with a residual income of £25,000. Click here to find out the programme along with other financial fancies.

The fun stuff

Nightlife: Wolverhampton and Walsall are well-stocked with pubs, clubs and cinema screens. Wolverhampton’s Grand Theatre, Civic and Wulfrun Halls, Slade Rooms and Lighthouse Media Centre are a stone’s-throw from the City Campus, providing an excellent selection of music, comedy, dance, film and theatre. Birmingham is well-stocked with just about everything and is only 20 minutes away by train. The students’ union has a good relationship with local bars and clubs and there are regular student offers.

Price of a pint: £2.74 on average in Wolverhampton with cheaper drinks deals at the union.

Sporting reputation: 103rd out of 145 in the BUCS league table.

Glittering alumni: Trevor Beattie, advertising guru; Anish Kapoor, sculptor; Mark O'Shea, TV reptile expert; Marcus Wareham, global account manager for Facebook; Mike Foster, former MP; Laura Harvey, Arsenal’s Ladies Football manager, as well as special-effects Oscar and Bafta winner, Peter Bebb.