TEACHING
QUALITY
University of Derby
81
st
NATIONAL
RANK
RANK
60.2%
FIRSTS
2:1s
2:1s
83.1%
COMPLETION
RATE
RATE
Key Stats
n/a
31st=
STUDENT
EXPERIENCE
EXPERIENCE
110th=
RESEARCH
QUALITY
QUALITY
110th=
GRADUATE
PROSPECTS
PROSPECTS
Contact details
ADDRESS
Kedleston Road, Derby, DE22 1GB View on map >
Telephone
Email
Website
Open days
September 27; October 11; November 22
University Profile
Student satisfaction at Derby is on the rise. After last year’s top 30 ranking in our analysis of the National Student Survey (NSS), Derby has followed up by outperforming its funding council benchmark for overall student satisfaction in this year’s NSS published last month.
Two subjects – pop music with music technology, and sport and exercise science – had the distinction of recording perfect 100% scores for overall student satisfaction, while fine art’s 96% score was the best for the subject of any university in the UK.
Scores like this suggest that Derby is well on the way to meeting ambitious performance targets that it has set itself. By 2020, it aims to be the pre-eminent university of its type, measured by student satisfaction, employability, service to business and flexibility, delivered cost effectively.
While it still finds itself in the lower middle reaches of our league table, success in the NSS could presage an improvement in other areas – such as completion rates and graduate prospects – that will translate into a higher ranking in the coming years.
Its
The new Institute for Learning Enhancement and Innovation works with academic staff to ensure that students receive a focused learning experience. The university’s emphasis on ‘real world learning’ is underlined by facilities that include a simulated hospital and working radiography suite; industry standard kitchens and a fine dining restaurant; computer games suites; a commercial spa and salon; a law court and sports science gym and a 58-acre Outdoor Leadership Centre.
New courses include a degree in sports development, which builds on the university’s partnership with Derby County Football Club.The degree is the first in the UK to use a field-based learning lab at a professional sports organisation.
A foundation programme allows students to begin work at a partner college before transferring to the university. Derby claims to award more work-based qualifications than any other UK university. Business and management is by far the university’s biggest academic area, but work placements are encouraged in all relevant subjects.
The accent on employability continues through the “Skillbuilder” career development programme, which covers a range of transferable skills to give graduates an edge in the employment market.
Derby is at the forefront of development of a Higher Education Achievement Record that students can make available electronically to prospective employers. The university was quick to adopt new teaching methods, pioneering the use of interactive video for a national scheme.
Distance learning is a growth area, either online or through Derby’s nine regional centres. Prospective students can even sample a virtual open evening. The university won an award for its imaginative use of distance learning.
Campus developments are continuing, all part of a £75m estates strategy that has created a University Quarter for the city of Derby. Beyond its home city, the university teaches nursing in Chesterfield and has a campus in Buxton that is based in the former Devonshire Royal Hospital and offers courses in spa, outdoor recreation and hospitality management, as well as further education programmes.
The landmark building houses a training restaurant, a beauty salon and a health spa, as well as more conventional teaching facilities. The UK’s only degree in ecotourism was launched there in 2013, while a Foundation degree in spa management will also be taught in London, at the London School of Beauty and Make-up. A new Sports Centre opened in Buxton in 2011.
The university has three main sites in Derby. An extended academic campus at Kedleston Road, two miles from the city centre, caters for most of the main subjects including all business, computing, science, humanities, education and law. The students’ union, multi-faith centre and main sports facilities are at the Kedleston Road site. It also houses the clinical skills facilities, which include a new purpose-built iDXA body scanning suite, opened in 2014.
The Markeaton Street site hosts arts, design courses, engineering and technology, while courses in health and social care are based at Britannia Mill. At the Markeaton Street site, flexible spaces have been created for work or social activities. “Learning pods” fitted with the latest audio-visual technologies contain 100 seats where students can work in groups or simply listen to music.
The sites are within ten minutes’ walk of each other, as well as being linked by free shuttle buses and the UniBus service, which also connects with the train station and city centre.In another award-winning development, the university has also acquired the 550-seat Derby Theatre in the city to house theatre arts programmes as well as continuing as a producing theatre.
The university spent £30m in five years to maintain its guarantee of accommodation for all first years and has improved student facilities. A new £10m sports centre is due to open on the Kedleston Road in the first half of 2015.
More than 44% of undergraduates are from working-class homes and 19.5% are from areas of low participation in higher education – well above the national average for the courses and entry qualifications. The latest projected dropout rate saw another big improvement and, at 15%, is now close to the benchmark figure for the university.
Two subjects – pop music with music technology, and sport and exercise science – had the distinction of recording perfect 100% scores for overall student satisfaction, while fine art’s 96% score was the best for the subject of any university in the UK.
Scores like this suggest that Derby is well on the way to meeting ambitious performance targets that it has set itself. By 2020, it aims to be the pre-eminent university of its type, measured by student satisfaction, employability, service to business and flexibility, delivered cost effectively.
While it still finds itself in the lower middle reaches of our league table, success in the NSS could presage an improvement in other areas – such as completion rates and graduate prospects – that will translate into a higher ranking in the coming years.
Its
SHOW MORE
engagement with business includes the opening in 2013 of the Institute for Innovation in Sustainable Engineering, whichsupports advanced manufacturing with 3D printing and advanced testing, and other work with industrial partners such as Rolls Royce. A University Technical College will open in 2015, providing vocational education for 14 to 19-year-olds.The new Institute for Learning Enhancement and Innovation works with academic staff to ensure that students receive a focused learning experience. The university’s emphasis on ‘real world learning’ is underlined by facilities that include a simulated hospital and working radiography suite; industry standard kitchens and a fine dining restaurant; computer games suites; a commercial spa and salon; a law court and sports science gym and a 58-acre Outdoor Leadership Centre.
A foundation programme allows students to begin work at a partner college before transferring to the university. Derby claims to award more work-based qualifications than any other UK university. Business and management is by far the university’s biggest academic area, but work placements are encouraged in all relevant subjects.
The accent on employability continues through the “Skillbuilder” career development programme, which covers a range of transferable skills to give graduates an edge in the employment market.
Derby is at the forefront of development of a Higher Education Achievement Record that students can make available electronically to prospective employers. The university was quick to adopt new teaching methods, pioneering the use of interactive video for a national scheme.
Distance learning is a growth area, either online or through Derby’s nine regional centres. Prospective students can even sample a virtual open evening. The university won an award for its imaginative use of distance learning.
Campus developments are continuing, all part of a £75m estates strategy that has created a University Quarter for the city of Derby. Beyond its home city, the university teaches nursing in Chesterfield and has a campus in Buxton that is based in the former Devonshire Royal Hospital and offers courses in spa, outdoor recreation and hospitality management, as well as further education programmes.
The landmark building houses a training restaurant, a beauty salon and a health spa, as well as more conventional teaching facilities. The UK’s only degree in ecotourism was launched there in 2013, while a Foundation degree in spa management will also be taught in London, at the London School of Beauty and Make-up. A new Sports Centre opened in Buxton in 2011.
The university has three main sites in Derby. An extended academic campus at Kedleston Road, two miles from the city centre, caters for most of the main subjects including all business, computing, science, humanities, education and law. The students’ union, multi-faith centre and main sports facilities are at the Kedleston Road site. It also houses the clinical skills facilities, which include a new purpose-built iDXA body scanning suite, opened in 2014.
The Markeaton Street site hosts arts, design courses, engineering and technology, while courses in health and social care are based at Britannia Mill. At the Markeaton Street site, flexible spaces have been created for work or social activities. “Learning pods” fitted with the latest audio-visual technologies contain 100 seats where students can work in groups or simply listen to music.
The sites are within ten minutes’ walk of each other, as well as being linked by free shuttle buses and the UniBus service, which also connects with the train station and city centre.In another award-winning development, the university has also acquired the 550-seat Derby Theatre in the city to house theatre arts programmes as well as continuing as a producing theatre.
The university spent £30m in five years to maintain its guarantee of accommodation for all first years and has improved student facilities. A new £10m sports centre is due to open on the Kedleston Road in the first half of 2015.
More than 44% of undergraduates are from working-class homes and 19.5% are from areas of low participation in higher education – well above the national average for the courses and entry qualifications. The latest projected dropout rate saw another big improvement and, at 15%, is now close to the benchmark figure for the university.
SHOW LESS
Detailed Statistics
PERFORMANCE
PERFORMANCE
CATEGORY
SCORE
RANK
Ranking
-
81 (84=)
Student experience
83.5
31st=
Research quality
1
110th=
Ucas entry points
305
91st=
Graduate prospects
54.4
110th=
Firsts and 2:1s
60.2
94th
Completion rate
83.1
81st
Student-staff ratio
16.8:1
51st=
Services/facilities spend (£)
1,370
84th=
VITAL STATISTICS
Undergraduates
(Full-time)
10,265
Undergraduates
(Part-time)
3,330
Postgraduates
(Full-time)
715
Postgraduates
(Part-time)
1,980
Applications/places
17,420/3,170
Applications/places ratio
5.5:1
STUDENT CITIES
Hollie O’Connor, students’ union president
The Atrium on our main campus is always packed and buzzing with your friends.
Money is inevitably an issue, but we have a student employment agency to help you out.
SHOW MORE
Cost of living
Nightlife
Transport
Culture
ACCOMMODATION
FEES
UK/EU fees
£8,500-£9,000
Fees (placement year)
£1,000
Fees (international)
£10,445-£11,010
Finance website
Graduate salaries
£17,829
BURSARIES/SCHOLARSHIPS
>
Household income up to £25K, bursary of £1,000 a year; household income £25K–£36.6K, £600 a year.
>
Bursary for students from Buxton and Leek Colleges.
SPORT
Sports points/rank
566, 58th
Sport website
Student satisfaction
94.5%
93.1%
92.3%
92.1%
91.1%
89.3%
87.3%
87.2%
87.0%
86.3%
85.2%
83.3%
82.7%
82.2%
82.2%
81.9%
81.8%
77.6%
76.7%
76.3%
74.5%