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BCU At Heart
Birmingham City University is constantly looking at ways to improve the student experience. Recent changes include:
Birmingham City University provides updates to any changes across the university relating to COVID-19. Prospective students should use this information source to understand any changes that will impact future study at the University.
Birmingham City University has an excellent reputation for teaching and was awarded silver by the government’s Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF). The TEF – the first scheme of its kind – recognises excellent teaching and learning across the UK’s world-class higher education sector.
Silver grades have been awarded by the government to universities offering courses with “high levels of stretch that ensure all students are significantly challenged, and acquire knowledge, skills and understanding that are highly valued by employers”.
Birmingham City University was particularly praised for its student support, world-class facilities and the professionalism of its teaching staff.
“We have worked tirelessly to ensure we provide our students with a practice-led, knowledge-applied education that is interdisciplinary, employer-driven and has a global outlook,” said Vice-Chancellor Professor Philip Plowden.
A number of factors are assessed, including completion rates, student satisfaction and graduate employment. The assessment looks at teaching, the environment students are taught in and the outcomes they achieve, taking into consideration both their subject and their background.
There are four faculties at Birmingham City University:
The faculty offers a wide variety of courses, including some that are vocationally focused, and available on a flexible basis. The faculty also supports lifelong learning and equips students with the skills needed to thrive.
The faculty is recognised for the quality of its academic programmes. Many of the courses on offer have accreditations from professional bodies, an advantage when students seek jobs and further study after leaving university.
The faculty has impressive links with industry, including many high-profile brands and companies. Creative Skillset has accredited a number of the Faculty’s media courses.
It has the only centre in the Midlands approved by the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) to offer their Advanced Certificate and Diploma courses and runs courses in Hong Kong and Thailand.
The focus of the faculty is on training for health and education professionals. However, its emphasis on life sciences is growing. It has a good record when it comes to graduate outcomes, and students are successful in finding employment after studying the practically-minded courses. Experienced practitioners teach the courses and help guide students into their chosen industries.
With close links to industry partners, the Faculty of Computing, Engineering and the Built Environment (CEBE), helps students to get involved in the latest research and to make real and lasting contributions to their chosen industries.
The faculty also has good international links, allowing students to explore emerging technologies from across the world, and offering changes for exchange programmes abroad.
The type and level of qualifications students require will vary depending on their chosen course, but there are some guidelines on entry to the university for all international applicants:
International students from a non-EU country where the vast majority of people are not English-speaking are usually required to take a Secure English Language Test (SELT). BCU accepts a wide range of English language qualifications in lieu of SELT.
If they are planning to study a course which is below degree level, they must take a SELT with one of UK Visas and Immigration’s (UKVI) approved English language test providers, unless UKVI has already accepted their high school qualification.
If the SELT result is below the required standard, students will be eligible to study the university’s pre-sessional courses, where they will learn general English and be introduced to Academic English.
Students will also practice writing, reading, grammar, listening, speaking and complete a mini-project while finding out more about British culture and society.
In addition to running pre-sessional English courses in the UK, the university also arranges in-country courses which help students improve their English skills before coming to the UK to begin their main course.
Birmingham City University offers a range of scholarship opportunities for international undergraduate and postgraduate self-funding students. Students are only eligible to receive one bursary - whichever is greater.
The university provides a number of scholarships based on merit, with a contribution towards tuition fee costs for new international students. Those enrolling as undergraduates are automatically considered for a scholarship of up to GBP 2,000, based on the applicant’s academic background.
All new students from the EU who are undertaking undergraduate awards are eligible for GBP 150 of credit, which can be spent on learning materials, books and other items.
Students who pay their tuition fees in full before arriving in the UK, or during the enrolment process, will be entitled to a discount on their tuition fees worth GBP 300. It is deducted on top of any scholarships or bursaries already awarded.
The university has invested GBP 340 million in its facilities. Whether it's the state-of-the-art Parkside Building which includes the largest concentration of TV studios between London and Salford or the simulated operating theatre and hospital wards at the City South Campus, Birmingham City University ensures students have the best possible space to learn. Birmingham also offers facilities and services that students can take advantage of such as the largest public library in Europe.
The Curzon Building is a state-of-the-art addition to the university’s City Centre Campus. It features modern facilities including the psychology labs, mock court room and CITY trading room.
Millennium Point is home to the university’s Computing, Engineering and Built Environment courses, and has recently undergone a GBP 6.5 million refurbishment and facilities upgrade. It is also home to Thinktank, an award-winning science museum.
City South Campus in Edgbaston, to the south of the city centre, is home to the university’s Health and Social Care courses. The new GBP 41 million building is the home of specialist laboratories for the university’s new courses in Sport and Life Sciences, and its School of Education. Students learn in the most realistic settings – from a mock operating theatre and hospital wards to a fully-equipped birthing room and virtual radiotherapy suite.
The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire features 9,000 sq m of purpose-designed teaching, rehearsal and state-of-the-art performance space. The audio and video digital infrastructure is designed to enhance and support live performance and to allow students to experiment with new technologies.
The internationally renowned School of Jewellery at Birmingham City University is the largest in Europe, with unrivalled facilities and expertise to develop students’ careers.
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