TEACHING
QUALITY
University of Chester
67
th
NATIONAL
RANK
RANK
61.8%
FIRSTS
2:1s
2:1s
82.2%
COMPLETION
RATE
RATE
Key Stats
n/a
29th
STUDENT
EXPERIENCE
EXPERIENCE
110th=
RESEARCH
QUALITY
QUALITY
62nd=
GRADUATE
PROSPECTS
PROSPECTS
Contact details
ADDRESS
Parkgate Road, Chester, CH1 4BJ View on map >
Telephone
Email
Website
Open days
October 4 and 11
University Profile
Chester, already among the largest of the new wave of universities established in the last ten years, has further expanded its footprint in the Northwest with a new campus near Ellesmere Port. The former Thornton Science Park has become the university’s fifth campus and will focus on science, engineering and business engagement, welcoming its first students this year.
The university already had a campus in Warrington, in addition to the three in Chester itself. There are now almost 18,000 students, including part-timers. It has slipped significantly in our league table this year, having narrowly missed a top-50 place in 2013. However, student satisfaction remains high. The word is out and applications were 12% up in 2013, with the university able to increase the size of its intake by 250 students.
The picturesque Roman city of Chester is one of those places that outsiders probably always expected to have its own university. William Gladstone was among the founders of the first Church of England teacher training college there in 1839.
Although it took until 2005 for that college to achieve university status, it had been building
A new students’ union is just one of a stream of improvements. The latest addition is the £4.8m North West Food Research Development Exchange Building to support food and drink businesses in the region.
A second campus in the city opened in 2007 as a base for the Faculty of Arts and Media, and a third site was added in 2010, following the purchase of the city’s historic County Hall, which now houses the faculties of Health and Social Care and Education and Children’s Services.
The Warrington campus, which has eight halls of residence, focuses on the creative industries and public services. It has seen the addition of high-quality production facilities and the university has also signed a partnership agreement with the BBC, which is intended to open up new employment opportunities and develop new talent following the transfer of parts of the corporation to Salford. The library has been tripled in size, and a business centre opened for students and local firms.
More than a fifth of the undergraduates are over 20 on entry and two-thirds are female. Nearly all are state-educated, and 39.5% have working-class roots. Progression agreements guarantee interviews to students at a number of local colleges, subject to certain conditions, but there is no reduction in entry requirements.
The projected dropout rate has been improving and, at 9.6% is now below the national average for the university’s courses and entry standards.
There is also a limited range of Foundation degrees, mainly in health subjects. The Foundation degree in mortuary science was the first of its kind, as was one for guide dog trainers. Even the more traditional degrees have been designed to support the practical and vocational demands of the professions. Many include an extended period of work experience. Initial teacher training courses have been rated “outstanding” by Ofsted.
Four of the ten subject areas entered for the last Research Assessment Exercise contained at least some world-leading work. History was the most successful, with nearly half of its submission placed in the top two categories.
A student contract of the type that is becoming universal in higher education sets out clear conditions on the offer of a place, as well as detailing the university’s responsibilities. Students promise to “study diligently, and to attend promptly and participate appropriately at lectures, courses, classes, seminars, tutorials, work placements and other activities which form part of the programme”.
There are extensive sports facilities at Warrington and especially on the main campus in Chester, where around £1m has been spent on new tennis courts, a 100-metre sprint track and a floodlit 3G multi-use sports pitch.
A new hall of residence on the main campus will house more than 200 students and another 160 places have been added through the purchase of a former Travelodge, allowing most first-years to be offered university accommodation.
Student union facilities form the basis of the social scene on all campuses, but the city of Chester also has a great deal to offer with Liverpool and Manchester both a 45-minute train ride away if further distraction is needed.
The university already had a campus in Warrington, in addition to the three in Chester itself. There are now almost 18,000 students, including part-timers. It has slipped significantly in our league table this year, having narrowly missed a top-50 place in 2013. However, student satisfaction remains high. The word is out and applications were 12% up in 2013, with the university able to increase the size of its intake by 250 students.
The picturesque Roman city of Chester is one of those places that outsiders probably always expected to have its own university. William Gladstone was among the founders of the first Church of England teacher training college there in 1839.
Although it took until 2005 for that college to achieve university status, it had been building
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up a solid reputation in a number of subjects beyond education. The main campus is only a short walk from the centre of Chester, a 32-acre site boasting manicured gardens and a number of new developments.A new students’ union is just one of a stream of improvements. The latest addition is the £4.8m North West Food Research Development Exchange Building to support food and drink businesses in the region.
A second campus in the city opened in 2007 as a base for the Faculty of Arts and Media, and a third site was added in 2010, following the purchase of the city’s historic County Hall, which now houses the faculties of Health and Social Care and Education and Children’s Services.
More than a fifth of the undergraduates are over 20 on entry and two-thirds are female. Nearly all are state-educated, and 39.5% have working-class roots. Progression agreements guarantee interviews to students at a number of local colleges, subject to certain conditions, but there is no reduction in entry requirements.
The projected dropout rate has been improving and, at 9.6% is now below the national average for the university’s courses and entry standards.
There is also a limited range of Foundation degrees, mainly in health subjects. The Foundation degree in mortuary science was the first of its kind, as was one for guide dog trainers. Even the more traditional degrees have been designed to support the practical and vocational demands of the professions. Many include an extended period of work experience. Initial teacher training courses have been rated “outstanding” by Ofsted.
Four of the ten subject areas entered for the last Research Assessment Exercise contained at least some world-leading work. History was the most successful, with nearly half of its submission placed in the top two categories.
A student contract of the type that is becoming universal in higher education sets out clear conditions on the offer of a place, as well as detailing the university’s responsibilities. Students promise to “study diligently, and to attend promptly and participate appropriately at lectures, courses, classes, seminars, tutorials, work placements and other activities which form part of the programme”.
There are extensive sports facilities at Warrington and especially on the main campus in Chester, where around £1m has been spent on new tennis courts, a 100-metre sprint track and a floodlit 3G multi-use sports pitch.
A new hall of residence on the main campus will house more than 200 students and another 160 places have been added through the purchase of a former Travelodge, allowing most first-years to be offered university accommodation.
Student union facilities form the basis of the social scene on all campuses, but the city of Chester also has a great deal to offer with Liverpool and Manchester both a 45-minute train ride away if further distraction is needed.
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Detailed Statistics
PERFORMANCE
PERFORMANCE
CATEGORY
SCORE
RANK
Ranking
-
67 (52=)
Student experience
83.8
29th
Research quality
1
110th=
Ucas entry points
302
94th=
Graduate prospects
65.8
62nd=
Firsts and 2:1s
61.8
88th
Completion rate
82.2
91st
Student-staff ratio
16.9:1
54th=
Services/facilities spend (£)
1,509
63rd
VITAL STATISTICS
Undergraduates
(Full-time)
8,215
Undergraduates
(Part-time)
2,560
Postgraduates
(Full-time)
1,140
Postgraduates
(Part-time)
2,435
Applications/places
24,200/3,190
Applications/places ratio
7.6:1
STUDENT CITIES
Jonathan Harper, students’ union president
Each module has its own student representative who can guide you through any queries you may have.
There’s the normal issues of housing and money, but our student support and guidance department is there to help.
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Cost of living
Nightlife
Transport
Culture
ACCOMMODATION
Places in accommodation
1,442
Accommodation costs
£79-£132
Catered costs
£83-£150
Accommodation contact
FEES
UK/EU fees
£9,000
Fees (international)
£10,700
Finance website
Graduate salaries
£17,957
BURSARIES/SCHOLARSHIPS
>
Household income below £25K, £1,000 cash, year 1; £500, years 2 and 3. Students from targeted partner schools and colleges with household income of £25K–£42.6K, £1,000, year 1; £500 ,years 2 and 3.
>
Students with at least ABB or equivalent with household income below £42.6K, £1,000, year 1; £500, years 2 and 3.
SPORT
Sports points/rank
203.5, 88th
Sport website
Student satisfaction
91.5%
90.8%
90.8%
90.3%
90.0%
88.0%
86.2%
85.7%
85.2%
84.4%
84.2%
84.0%
82.8%
82.7%
81.1%
80.6%
79.6%
78.6%
75.6%
75.2%
72.6%