Welcome to Edinburgh College Creating opportunities for Edinburgh and the Lothians Contents Message Why Choose Edinburgh College?..................2 from the Principal Essential Information..........10 Qualifications Explained....12 I would like to extend a personal welcome to you as you consider studying with us at Edinburgh College. As one of the UK’s largest regional colleges, we have over 26,000 student enrolments. As well as Ways of Attending................14 students who live and work in the local area, we are delighted to welcome students from around 100 different countries who study with us in Edinburgh and Midlothian. Our students are at the heart of everything we do and our aim is to provide you with an excellent experience. Progression Routes..............15 Students are well represented at all levels of decision making across the college. We have an active Students’ Association, representing the student voice and organising a wide range of events for the student community. How to Apply..........................16 The college plays a leading role in educating and supporting the workforce of the future, with a continuing commitment to high academic standards and excellence in learning and teaching. We offer more than 900 courses ranging from access and short courses to HNC, HND, degree level and Our Facilities...........................18 continuing professional development on a full and part time basis. Our academic centres have skilled, knowledgeable staff who combine expertise in specialist areas Advice and Support..............20 to give our students the very best educational experience. The exciting and progressive curriculum has been designed to meet the needs of industry, providing a wide variety of vibrant, vocational and academic courses with flexible learning opportunities to suit all learning needs. Student Services....................21 We have established relationships with employers and universities to create a connected community that provides you with strong links into work or higher level study. We are committed to ensuring our students are prepared for a successful career through work placements, internships and connections with a wide range of industries. Student Support....................22 What’s more, many of our lecturers are industry professionals so you will benefit from expert teaching that is up to date, relevant and engaging to ensure you have the best possible Fees and Funding...................23 opportunities for an exciting and rewarding future. I hope you will decide to join us at Edinburgh College and I look forward to welcoming you soon. Living in Edinburgh...............24 Edinburgh College Students’ Association..........26 Mandy Exley Celebrate Principal Your Success...........................28 Keep in Touch..........................28 Equality, Diversity & Inclusion................................29 Our Campuses........................29 A International Prospectus | [email protected] Why Choose Edinburgh College? Best Opportunities for Learning As you would expect from one of the leading colleges in the UK, each of our four campuses boasts fantastic learning facilities. You’ll find comprehensive libraries and wireless internet access throughout and the college’s virtual learning resource centre gives you access to course materials, additional reading and study support online. Whatever course you choose, you’ll be studying under the guidance of expert tutors utilising industry- leading equipment and resources. Here are just a few of the highlights that make Edinburgh College a great choice for further study. Last year 94% of our graduates were in employment or further study within six months of graduating. Scotland’s First Solar Meadow Teaching Centre Our solar meadow, with more than 2,500 photovoltaic panels, is the first teaching project of its kind in Scotland and will help to provide the next generation of engineers to develop essential skills in the growing renewables sector. The site works effectively as an outdoor classroom, allowing students to analyse the interaction between biodiversity and solar technology, as well as monitoring and assessing the operation and performance of the solar panels. 2 Welcome to Edinburgh College | [email protected] OPITO Apprentice of the Making Waves Year - Five Years in a Row in Renewables Training We are one of only three approved UK The MacTaggart Scott Hydraulics, Pneumatics and OPITO (Offshore Petroleum Industry Training PLC Laboratory opened at our Midlothian Campus Organisation) Training Centres in the UK. in 2013. This partnership between the college Utilising our oil production platform simulator, and engineering firm MacTaggart Scott provides a we have successfully trained thousands of professional training facility that offers the perfect apprentices for the oil and gas industry with learning environment to develop engineering skills in outstanding results. hydraulics and pneumatics. Edinburgh College students have picked up the The next phase of equipment to be installed is prestigious OPITO Apprentice of the Year award planned to include wave and tidal simulators, which for the fifth consecutive year. John Paterson won will recreate North Sea conditions, suitable for OPITO’s top apprentice award in 2013, following testing wave and tidal technology in the confines of Scott Stage in 2012, Fergus Stewart in 2011, Sarah a laboratory. Access to this technology will allow our Coull in 2010 who was the first woman ever to win students to develop crucial skills in wave and tidal the prestigious title and Mark Wigginton in 2009. energy. “I am amazed at how much I have learned On Track for already and the excellent support and guidance First Class Training that I have received We have developed one of the best highways, throughout. It’s definitely civil engineering and railway track training sites given me the best training in Scotland. More than 70% of our City & Guilds that I could have hoped Railway and Engineering graduates have been for so early in my career.” successfully placed with railway agencies into John Paterson employment. WorldSkills UK Finalists Carpentry student, Oliver At the Forefront Beatson and Electrical of Electrical Technology Installation Apprentice, Alexander Gardiner, Our electric vehicle research project, in partnership both won the Highly with SEStran, Edinburgh Napier University and Commended Award in Mitsubishi is the largest scheme of its kind in Scotland. their categories and went Ground breaking research into the college fleet of on to achieve 2nd place electric cars has been crucial in showing the reduction in the 2013 WorldSkills in emissions and long term motoring costs. Competition. Thirty new public electric vehicle charging points “If I didn’t have the support have been installed from the North Highlands to from the lecturers at the Borders and Ayrshire to Fife to help ensure that Edinburgh College I would not be here at this stage.” commuters are Oliver Beatson never more than 50 miles from a charging post. The Scotland’s Best Students’ aim is to make electric vehicles Association a realistic option Edinburgh College Students’ for travelling and a Students’ Association was named Student genuine alternative Association Association of the Year at the 2014 on the roads. Edinburgh College NUS Scotland Awards. Edinburgh College | www.edinburghcollege.ac.uk 3 One of the Most Respected Training Providers in the Performing Arts The Performing Arts Studio Scotland (PASS) at Edinburgh College is one of Scotland’s most respected training providers in the performing arts specialising in acting, dance, make-up artistry, technical theatre and theatre costume. With double BAFTA winner Emma Thompson as Patron, we nurture the talents of our students who are taught by some of the best educators in their field. Our dynamic and engaging learning environments ensure our students receive the best and most up to date training. Former PASS students include: PASS is an exciting, high octane, cutting-edge Karen Gillan Shane O’Meara Pamela Jean Smith (Doctor Who) (Waterloo Road) (Professional dancer, centre which will worked on set with Lady Gaga) attract much of the wealth of talent Our BA Dance students were featured in the in Scotland and closing sequence of Sunshine on Leith beyond. Emma Thompson, Patron 4 Welcome to Edinburgh College | [email protected] Setting the Scene for Success Award Winning Student’s Our CRE:8 centre offers state-of-the-art facilities for Broadcast Media students. This includes a Designs hits the High Street fully equipped TV studio with green Chroma key and infinity curve, AVID editing suites, a 96 seat An Edinburgh College student’s design range has auditorium for screenings, professional sound been launched in high street stores across the UK recording studios with editing suites and the latest by the well known accessories brand Goji. Twenty digital audio facilities. one-year-old Emil Bloom, who is studying HND Graphic Design, initially designed the accessories for Goji as part of a competition run by the Young Creative Network (YCN) Student Awards, a BAFTA for Former Student network that showcases the best graphic design student work from all around the world. Former TV student, Garry Fraser, won the Scottish Goji, which developed the Tinchy Stryder Newcomer BAFTA in headphones brand, was in search of a new look for filmmaking in 2013 and the launch of its new accessories range. The Goji is currently our artist in representatives were so impressed