2019 Robert Gordon University (RGU) has been awarded a Gold rating in the Contents Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF), placing it in the top 20% of the best 2 Principal’s welcome universities in the UK for the quality of its undergraduate teaching and learning. 4 About RGU 6 Why RGU Introduced by the UK Government, TEF is one of the methods used to assure 8 Employability at RGU a world-class higher education sector in the UK. It assesses, recognises and 12 Our campus rewards the quality of undergraduate teaching across the country by measuring 14 Work experience continuation rates, student satisfaction and employment outcomes. 16 Studying abroad 17 Careers team 18 Alumni 20 Study in Aberdeen 22 Explore the city 24 Accommodation 26 Living in halls 27 Cost of living 28 Finance 31 Scholarships 32 Life at RGU 34 International students 36 RGU:Union 40 RGU SPORT 42 Access RGU 43 From college to uni “I’ve found that 44 How to find us 96.3% 45 Visit us there is such a of UK domiciled students 46 How to apply graduating from 48 When to apply great community RGU with their first 50 Course index degree in 2015/16 were 52 Aberdeen Business School spirit within RGU. in employment, 64 School of Creative & Cultural Business 80 The Law School undertaking further study Everyone here is 88 School of Computing Science & Digital Media or in training six months 100 School of Engineering so supportive of after graduating. 110 Gray’s School of Art (HESA, 2017) 124 Scott Sutherland School of Architecture & Built Environment 136 School of Applied Social Studies one another.” 142 School of Health Sciences Rosie Hislop, BA(Hons) Management 154 School of Pharmacy & Life Sciences with Marketing, graduated 2017 170 School of Nursing & Midwifery 182 Connect with us 183 Disclaimer | 1 Principal’s Welcome A very warm welcome to this prospectus of Robert Gordon University. Studying at a university is an adventure – an adventure of the mind and an adventure for life. It is where everyone can discover their potential, make lifelong friends and open up their minds to knowledge and ideas. A really good university education should always be transformational, and stay with you for the rest of your life. But RGU also offers more. We understand that those who come to study here want to pursue career opportunities and also want to be fully equipped to help solve some of society’s most pressing problems. All over the world, RGU’s graduates play leading roles in areas such as healthcare, energy, architecture, management, law, social care, art – there is hardly a field of human endeavour in which they have not excelled. Our graduates also have particular advantages in the job market. Again and again we have been recognised for supporting our graduates in achieving high value careers and increasing their income potential (most recently by The Economist in 2017). We have always been one of the top UK universities for graduate employability. Of course we must never rest on our laurels, and every year this university works with students to ensure that we are constantly renewing and improving further what we do. I hope you will find this prospectus to be exciting and helpful and I look forward to seeing you some time soon on the RGU campus. Professor Ferdinand von Prondzynski Principal and Vice-Chancellor 2 | | 3 About RGU Robert Gordon University, in Our commitment to continually Most recently RGU has been Aberdeen, is recognised as a top increasing innovative research also recognised in the Teaching university in Scotland for our high ensures that we are constantly Excellence Framework as a Gold quality teaching and record of seeking cutting-edge solutions to Standard institution, placing us in graduate employability. Our history the issues the world faces today. the top 20% of the best universities of preparing students for work Our applied learning, people-centric in the UK for the quality of our dates back to the 17th century approach, as well as our state-of- teaching, learning, support and when Robert Gordon had a vision to the-art facilities and contemporary graduate employability. provide all pupils with an education course content means that we make as a way to better surrounding education work for our students, communities. It is this vision to staff and partners. Not the other constantly create a better and way around. brighter future for our students and the world around us, which we still embrace here today at RGU. The Sir Ian Wood Building 4 | | 5 Number 1 in Scotland for Why RGU? course satisfaction Guardian University Guide 2017 Student population Teaching History going back 250 years Excellence We have a heritage going back to 1729 when Framework Robert Gordon founded a hospital in Aberdeen for boys from poor families. In 1881, the hospital We are one of only three was transformed into a school and institutions in Scotland learning institution. from over 132 countries Riverside Location to have been rated gold Located in the heart of in the TEF awards, which Royal Deeside, our £120 acknowledges high million riverside Garthdee standards of teaching campus is one of the most quality and course beautiful in the UK. satisfaction. RGU's motto is Our 12 Schools which can be interpreted as ‘Make the best of all your abilities’. SCHOOL OF SCHOOL OF Aberdeen CREATIVE AND THE LAW COMPUTING SCHOOL OF GRAY’S SCHOOL Business CULTURAL SCHOOL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING OF ART School BUSINESS DIGITAL MEDIA our Coat of Arms Three boars are from the arms of the Gordon family, SCOTT SCHOOL OF SCHOOL SCHOOL OF SCHOOL OF SUTHERLAND the castle is from the arms APPLIED OF HEALTH PHARMACY AND NURSING AND RESEARCH SCHOOL OF of the City of Aberdeen. A SOCIAL STUDIES SCIENCES LIFE SCIENCES MIDWIFERY 96.3% ARCHITECTURE black wavy band symbolises the rivers Dee and Don, as GRADUATE EMPLOYABILITY RATE well as North Sea oil, and the HESA 2017 heraldic symbols in the centre represent technology (a cog), Male vs. Female Student learning (a flaming torch) and commerce (a gold coin). Population Demographics Watch the 90,000 Alumni history of RGU We have an international community of www.rgu.ac.uk/about-rgu approximately 90,000 alumni around the world. www.rgu.ac.uk/alumni-and-giving 6 | | 7 Employability at RGU CHOOSING YOUR CAREER PATH Our students undertake an employability journey, and graduate enriched with experience and knowledge that we know is valued by industry. Our Employability Hub supports you in the key stages of your time at RGU: BUILDING YOUR NETWORK WHEN YOU ARRIVE AT RGU PLACEMENTS AND LEARNING FROM OUR MAKING THE MOST OF WORK-EXPERIENCE INDUSTRY PARTNERS, YOUR TIME LEARNING WHO FEED INTO OUR IN THE PRACTICAL COURSE CONTENT FACILITIES ON CAMPUS STUDY ABROAD FINALLY, UPON GRADUATION, YOU WILL JOIN THE VOLUNTEERING SECURING PART-TIME DEVELOPING YOUR CV SUCCESSFUL GLOBAL RGU OPPORTUNITIES EMPLOYMENT AND INTERVIEW SKILLS ALUMNI COMMUNITY 8 | | 9 Employability at RGU Our courses are chosen and designed to help our students be prepared for work in local, national or international companies and organisations. We have strong links with industry and collaborate with our partners to ensure students learn the necessary skills that are in strong demand both now and in the future. It’s not just us that say so: INTERNATIONAL GRADUATES RANKED RANKED 27TH IN THE AMAZING GRADUATE REPUTATION FOR HIGH- 5TH IN THE UK FOR WORLD FOR GRADUATE EMPLOYABILITY QUALITY EDUCATION SALARY PROSPECTS EMPLOYABILITY RATE RECORD OF 96.3% (HIGHER EDUCATION STATISTICS (SUNDAY TIMES 2016) (THE ECONOMIST 2017) (QS WORLD UNIVERSITY RANKINGS, 2018) AGENCY 2017) 10 | | 11 SCOTT Health & SUTHERLAND THE SIR social Care SCHOOL IAN WOOD Building of architecture and built environment BUILDING RGU GARTHDEE Our Campus oil & Gas ANNEXE DARt SPORT Institute RGU UNION ABS In recent years we have invested around £120 million into our stunning riverside campus on the banks of the River Dee which has been specially designed with state-of-the-art facilities to enhance our students’ employability. You can learn in our dynamic, purpose-built and modern facilities during classes, and relax outside of lectures in the tranquil parkland around the campus. Find out more at www.rgu.ac.uk/virtualtours GARTHDEE HEALTH HOUSE & SOCIAL THE SIR Gray's IAN WOOD CARE ICRGU Aberdeen Building School BUILDING INTERNATIONAL Business of art AB10 7QG RGU: AB10 7GJ LIBRARY COLLEGE School UNION AB10 7QD AB10 7QE student RGU central SPORT SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING SCHOOL OF HEALTH SCIENCES Gym ABERDEEN BUSINESS SCHOOL GRAY’S SCHOOL OF ART SCHOOL OF COMPUTING SCIENCE SCHOOL OF NURSING AND MIDWIFERY Climbing Wall SCHOOL OF CREATIVE AND AND DIGITAL MEDIA SCHOOL OF SOCIAL STUDIES Swimming Pool CULTURAL BUSINESS Printmaking Suite SCHOOL OF PHARMACY AND LIFE SCIENCES Sports Hall THE LAW SCHOOL Sculpture Studio SCOTT SUTHERLAND SCHOOL OF Catering Facilities Mac Suite ARCHITECTURE AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT Clinical Skills Centre Human Performance Lab TV and Radio Suite Photography Studio X-ray Suite Fashion Place Exhibition Spaces 3D Printing Clean Room Suite Catering Facilities Moot Court Catering Facilities Modelling Workshop Mock Crime Scene Area Digital Moffat Space Mac Suite Forensic Imaging Suite Georgina Scott Student Help Point DART Simulator Microscopy Suite Sutherland Group Careers and Employability Centre Wave Tank Food Handling and Learning Centre Study Support ROV Pit Preparation Labs Catering Facilities Wider Access and Outreach Simulation Centre Mac Suites (Mock Pharmacy) Catering Facilities Counselling Support and Wellbeing Disability and Dyslexia Advice and Support International Student Advice, Visa and Immigration Centre ResLife 12 | | 13 Work Experience & Placement Placements and work-related experiences play an important part in developing the employability of our graduates, and allow you to engage with the world of work before you leave RGU, giving you a distinct advantage when starting your career.