Birmingham City University

Established:

1971 (Originally Birmingham Polytechnic)

League tables 2011:

69th – The Complete University Guide
66th – Guardian League Tables
82nd – Times University League Tables

Other rankings:

Centre of Excellence in Teaching and Learning in Healthcare. Several staff are National Teaching Fellows.
Excellent outcomes from Quality Assurance Agency institutional audit and major review of Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professions.
One of only four institutions consistently ranked top ten for initial teacher training in the Smithers-Robinson League Table

Number of Students:

25,000

International Students:

9% of undergraduate student population

Specialist/Research:

Five centres of research excellence: Fine Art Practice, Design Innovation, Performance-related studies of Music, Criminal Justice Policy and English.
High proportion of courses lead to professional as well as degree qualifications with strong emphasis on employment-related and practice-based education.
Strong reputation for Art, Design, Media, Health Care, Teacher Training, Music and Performing Arts and for relevant practice-based professional education.
Birmingham City University prides itself on its close links with industry and the professions, citing this partnership approach as the reason it excels in delivering relevant teaching to graduates. It has links with the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Academy of Writing, as well as a wide range of key education and health providers. Other industry links are in the fields of manufacturing, architecture, art and design, media technology, computing, management, marketing and business law. Many of the university’s courses involve work placements, giving graduates a real-world advantage.

Click here for full RAE results:

Key Facts:

The university was named most ‘in demand’ UK University, notching up the highest rise in student applications in 2009.
It’s been dubbed a ‘rising star’ institution after its world-class research achievements were officially recognised.
In 2008 the university saw the biggest increase in student applications of any UK university – a 35% rise compared with a national average of just 8%.
Birmingham City University came 1st in a study of UK universities with the highest numbers in applications, with an increase of 35% in the numbers of students applying to courses at the university.

Campuses

 Eight campuses are dotted around Birmingham, providing mini-enclaves of specialist learning, each with strong faculty atmospheres.

City North: City North, the biggest site, is located at Perry Barr, just a seven-minute train ride from town. Faculties here include the Business School, Health, Education, Law and Social Sciences.

City Centre: The City Centre campus at Millennium Point is home to the Birmingham School of Acting and the Faculty of Technology, Engineering and the Environment.

City South: The City South campus is located near Edgbaston and is home to the Faculty of Health.

The Birmingham Institute of Art and Design (BIAD): BIAD is located at both Gosta Green and the Bournville Campus.

School of Art:  The School of Art is in Margaret St. and is part of BIAD

School of Jewellery: The School of Jewellery is in the heart of the Jewellery Quarter

Birmingham Conservatoire: The Birmingham Conservatoire is just a short walk from the Symphony Hall.

Studying in Birmingham:

If you're thinking about studying at the University, find out more in the student section of Visit Birmingham, the city's official tourist information website.