GET AHEAD AT THE A BIG DECISION, A UNIVERSITY OF HUGE OPPORTUNITY BRADFORD Right now you’ll be considering You may hear people say that a university your future, thinking about what education is unaffordable. It’s true that Where do you see yourself in five years’ time? a university education can do for tuition fees have risen to make up for you, and how to make sure you the public funding the Government We can’t predict your future, but we can help make the right choice. You might has withdrawn, but that doesn’t mean it’s unobtainable. shape it… even be wondering whether to go to university at all. Most first-time students won’t pay At the University of Bradford, a degree Our courses are sculpted with industry anything up front towards tuition fees. We’ve been changing the lives of is more than just a qualification. input from many of the employers who You’ll only start to pay them back once students for nearly 50 years, and our will be sifting through your CV. You’ll be you’ve completed your course and are approach to your learning – and your taught by the academic experts whose earning over £21,000 a year. If you earn It’s a real experience. It’s an adventure professional career – enables every pioneering research is shaping the very less than that, you won’t pay anything and to be shared with new friends. It’s student to get the maximum value from future of those industries. your debt will be written off after 30 years. the gateway to your future career; an that experience. Graduates earn on investment for the rest of your life. average an extra £100,000 over their And at Bradford, you can engage with Most crucially, it’s important to know working lives, but there’s so much more the theory in our world-class facilities that what you pay back is manageable As one of our students, you won’t to university than finances. just graduate – you’ll grow, develop and then put it into practice on a work and based on how much you earn. You placement with some of the world’s pay back 9% of anything you earn over and flourish. It’s about broadening your mind, biggest names. £21,000. So if you’re earning £22,000, developing your critical thinking, you pay back just £90 a year. Or let’s say In today’s job market, we understand understanding the world and working Choosing a university is one of the most you’re earning £25,000 a year, you’ll pay that the key to success isn’t just what you out what you can contribute as a global know. It’s how you apply that knowledge, important decisions you’ll ever make. back £30 a month, which is equal to the citizen. It’s about helping you achieve cost of a coffee and pastry every week. how you sell yourself, how you connect more than you ever thought possible, Your next steps will resonate further with people and how you stand out from working with cultures you didn’t even than you think. Join us on your university It’s hard to put the value of a UK higher the crowd. We’re here to help you do that. know existed, finding solutions which journey and we’ll make sure you get education into words. are breaking new ground. It’s a big world out there, but it’s connected and get ahead. That’s why throughout this prospectus, getting smaller every day. And with a UK higher education being Welcome to your future. Welcome to we’ve let our own students and so highly valued across the globe, your the University of Bradford. graduates explain what their time at the We’ll make sure you’re a global citizen degree will open up doors in placed you University of Bradford has done for them. when you enter the world of work, fluent haven’t even heard of. in a multitude of cultures, technology savvy and primed to prosper in your chosen profession. Higher education enables people to develop the values, skills, knowledge and confidence to make a valuable contribution to society as well as increasing their own life enhancing opportunities. Dr Christine Dearnley, Associate Dean (Learning and Teaching), School of Health Studies and National Teaching Fellow 1 2 CONTENTS OUR EXPEWILLRTISE NEED FEES AND FINANCES Real professional insight A real investment Real employability 6 Learning that lasts a lifetime 56 International industry partnerships 8 Support from the Government 58 Inspirational placementsAMENDIN 10 G, ANDSupport from the University 60 Learn from the experts 12 Pioneering research 14 COURSE INFORMatION Everything you need to know YOUR LEAALLRNING REFRENCE Real-world environments School of Computing, Informatics and Media 64 School of Engineering, Design and Technology 66 World-class facilities 20 School of Health Studies 68 The latest technology 22 School of Life Sciences 70 Comprehensive supportTO PAG24 ES School of Management 72 Study abroad 26 School of Social and International Studies 74 STUDENT LIFE StaRTING YOUR JOURNEY A real communityTHROUGHOUT Experience it for yourself A global village 30 Come and visit us 78 The campus 32 Explore us online 80 The Students’ Union 34 How to apply 82 Sport and societies 36 Maps and directions 84 Arts on campus 38 Accommodation 40 CITY LIFE Real culture, real people The City of Bradford 44 Culture and nightlife 46 Spectacular surroundings 48 My Bradford 52 OUR EXPERTISE Real professional insight We did a lot of programming, a lot of coding. A lot of companies the size of Google would really want you to have that technical background. Harith Moklif, Customer Solutions Consultant, Google (BSc Internet Computing, graduate) 16 Employers are asking for graduates who can work in all areas of the world, who are aware of their social and civic responsibilities and who have the ability to be culturally aware. It’s the skills the students engage in, not just the #1 Top 20 88% academic knowledge. It’s the critical thinking, information For graduate jobs For graduate jobs Of 2011 graduates literacy, the research and inquiry. in Yorkshire in the UK in work or further study* Shirley Congdon, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Learning and Teaching) University of Bradford REAL EMPLOYABILITY ‘ Making Getting ahead in the Our core Knowledge Work’ real world graduate attributes With our international industry links, Our courses are designed with industry • Leaner autonomy inspirational lecturers and world-class input from major global businesses • Critical thinking teaching facilities, our vision of ‘Making including Ford, Balfour Beatty, the BBC, • Information literacy Knowledge Work’ is more than just a Intel Corporation and many more. They are mission statement. taught by leading professionals from within • Research and enquiry those industries, conducting pioneering • Self-awareness The Sunday Times University Guide research in their field of expertise. • Self-management 2013 places the University of Bradford • Communication and collaboration in the top 20 institutions nationwide We offer fantastic work placement for graduate-level jobs. We are ranked opportunities and maintain a • Professional values number one in Yorkshire, beating off thriving global network of potential • Digital literacy competition from nine other universities employers. We also strongly support • Global citizenship in the region. entrepreneurship among our students • Intercultural awareness and graduates. That’s because our graduates are renowned for having the skills that 21st At the University of Bradford, we create century employers are looking for, and an environment where you’ll gain more the confidence to apply them to get than just the knowledge you need ahead in their chosen careers. to succeed. We’ll equip you with the practical tools and real-world experience that gives you the edge in a fiercely competitive graduate job market. * These statistics are derived from annually published data by the Higher Education Statistics Agency. They are based on those UK domiciled graduates who are available for employment and further study and whose destination is known. They reflect the position six months after graduation. International students are not included in the survey but will be in future years. 7 8 The University of Bradford gave me all the life skills I needed and all the opportunities I needed, and there is just so much that you can achieve. There is a complete landscape of opportunity. I’ve kept involved with the University for the last 16 years. I’ve hired lots of people from the University, and generally tried to help as much as possible. Rob Wilmot, founder of Freeserve, who became one of the youngest-ever directors of a FTSE 100 company at the age of 29 BSc Electronic Imaging and Media Communications graduate INTERNATIONAL INDUSTRY PARTNERSHIPS Get connected We have an extensive network of trusted Our courses offer access to a huge industry contacts to help you make the range of work experience opportunities step into real-world employment, giving and year-long placements with leading you an invaluable foot in the door in your household names (see ‘Inspirational chosen career. Placements’, page 10). Firms such as Microsoft, Nissan, Morrisons, the NHS, We collaborate closely with local, Game Republic, Jaguar Land Rover regional, national and multinational and Johnson & Johnson all enjoy the businesses from across all sectors of benefits of placing our students in their the global economy. laboratories, factories, offices, hospitals and clinics. Seventy per cent of our courses are accredited by professional bodies – These long-standing relationships work giving your degree a mark of quality both ways. that employers understand and value. Not only will you gain a professional We use the advice and input offered by qualification in certain fields, you’ll also potential employers to sculpt our course become a member of the accrediting curricula – which means our students body when you graduate.