The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) is one of the UK’s most innovative and fastest growing institutions, offering a comprehensive range of undergraduate and postgraduate degree courses along with a fantastic student experience. It is a modern university located in Preston, Lancashire, with a history of education reaching back almost 200 years to its foundation in 1828.
UCLan is an employment-focused institution, which prepares its students to build meaningful career pathways and secure competitive job roles across future-oriented job sectors. There are over 350 undergraduate and more than 200 postgraduate degrees to choose from, and many programmes have work placements integrated into the course content, ensuring students have ample opportunity to gain hands-on experience before graduation. UCLan has a worldwide partnership network of over 120 institutions and organisations, which contribute to the success of its graduates.
The University supports a dynamic, and highly international population of approximately 38,000 students and staff, forming a welcoming and inclusive community of learners representing more than 100 countries from around the world. Students are distributed across four campuses: the main campus in Preston, additional campuses in Burnley and Westlakes and a fourth international campus in Cyprus.
Preston is the best city in North West England in which to live and work, according to a recent report by PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC) and the thinktank Demos (Demos-PWC Good Growth for Cities Index 2021). It has also been named as the second best city in the UK for graduates to live (Comparethemarket.com, 2022). Preston is a buzzing student city, which also offers beautiful green spaces to relax and unwind in. And the city’s great transport links are a gateway to the North West and beyond.
The Preston Campus has recently benefitted from a £200m investment. A brand-new Student Centre at the heart of campus opened in late 2021. This follows a new £35m Engineering Innovation Centre (EIC), an advanced and state-of-the-art teaching and research facility.
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The university has been ranked in the top 7% of universities worldwide by the Center for World University Rankings (CWUR, 2022).
UCLan is a progressive and forward-thinking university, which works hard on its commitment to the future of its students, the future of education and to improving society through its pioneering research work. The University recognises the impact of climate change and the necessity for sustainable energy solutions and ethical investment practices.
The University has formally announced it divestment from fossil fuels, and will no longer invest endowment funds in organisations which contribute to the extraction and distribution of the world’s remaining fossil fuel reserves. This includes companies involved in fossil fuel-oriented equipment and service industries, and extends across oil, gas, diversified metals and mining sectors.
The city of Preston has been named as the second-best city in the UK for graduates to live (Comparethemarket.com, 2022) and the best city in the North West of England to live and work (Demos-PWC Good Growth for Cities Index 2021).
The University has been ranked third in the UK for the mental health support given to its students. It follows a survey of over 7,200 students across 80 universities (University Mental Health League Table HUMEN, 2022)
£29,600 Undergraduate Fees are for indicative purposes, check with institution for details
£14,760 Postgraduate Fees are for indicative purposes, check with institution for details
£3,360 Living costs
£4,095 To live on campus
UCLan works hard to keep tuition fees competitive, offering undergraduate degree study at the standard rate for the majority of courses, with non-standard fee rates available on some programmes, due to the diversity of their portfolio of courses.
Foundation Year: GBP 6,000
Undergraduate degree: GBP 9,250
Postgraduate Taught: GBP 8,400
Postgraduate Research GBP TBC
Foundation Year: GBP 11,000
Undergraduate degree: GBP 14,900
Postgraduate Taught: GBP 15,500
Postgraduate Research GBP 15,500
UCLan understands that committing to a course of higher education study represents a significant investment in the future, and that the cost of study can be significant. The University offers a generous programme of scholarships and bursaries, which ensure that all students have the financial resources needed to focus on their studies in confidence. These financial awards are available at all levels of study, and full details can be found on the UCLan website.
Entry onto one of UCLan’s high-quality academic programmes differs based on a number of factors including level of study, specific course chosen, and mode of study. The University believes in fair access to education and each application is considered on its individual merits. There are many alternative pathways to entry and the University Admissions Team is available all year round to answer and queries and questions.
For undergraduate course entry, the University uses the UCAS tariff points system for offers of admission. Although this varies between courses, a typical offer is around 96-112 UCAS points. Prospective students can use a variety of academic certificates including A Level, BTEC Extended Diploma, Access Course or International Baccalaureate. Full information is available on the UCLan website.
There is also an English language proficiency requirement for all students for whom English is not their first language or language of previous study. There are many valid assessment systems, and applicants much demonstrate a minimum score equivalent to 6.0 or more on the IELTS test.
UCLan has an acceptance rate of 22.4 per cent, making it a moderately selective institution. Applications are made online, and sometimes require the submission of additional material such as a cover letter, or small portfolio of work.
UCLan has a rich educational heritage and provides an innovative and high-quality curriculum designed in collaboration with industry-leading professional partners, delivered in a well-resourced learning environment which benefits from substantial ongoing investment.
The University has a highly qualified and widely experienced teaching faculty, with an enthusiasm for teaching and a desire to see each student develop both academically and personally. Staff are superb communicators, many of whom have worked and taught overseas, and are able to communicate their passion for their subject to students from all countries and backgrounds. Many tutors and lecturers are involved in active research projects, and students benefit from their insights and industry connections. Students receive a high level of contact time with their academic and personal tutors, which contributes to their academic success.
UCLan currently holds the highest rating of five QS Stars for teaching quality and internationalisation, and 69 per cent of students graduate with a First or Upper Second-Class Honours degree classification (Higher Education Statistics Agency 2018, HESA).
There are an incredible number and variety of courses to choose from at UCLan - over 550 in total, including foundation programmes, undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes, and continued professional development courses.
These courses are delivered via the University’s six academic faculties:
Each Faculty has a distinct ethos and approach towards learning, and each is supported by UCLan’s network of professional services, who contribute to the effective organisation of the University. Cross-collaboration between modules is encouraged, and the University takes an interdisciplinary approach towards problem solving and module design.
In addition to its campus-based courses, UCLan also runs several Work and Study Abroad programmes, and a number of their degrees are also available to study via distance learning format.
The UCLan main Preston Campus has recently undergone significant expansion and improvement work, as part of their £200m Campus Masterplan, which ensures that all campus students have access to state-of-the-art equipment and facilities.
Their main Library contains hundreds of thousands of books, journals and digital resources, and is open 24 hours per day during term time. The recently opened Student Centre is located at the centre of campus, and is a hub of support services and information, housing the career department, health and wellbeing centre, financial services, accommodation office and plenty more.
More additions include the £35m Engineering Innovation Centre, and the Oasis Faith and Spirituality Centre, both part of the recently completed Campus Masterplan. Extra-curricular enrichment is covered as well, with free sports membership available for all students at the Sir Tom Finney Sports Centre on campus, making sure that everyone has the opportunity to look after their health and wellbeing and socialise alongside their studies.
UCLan provides several attractive accommodation options in student halls of residence, with prices starting from less than £80 per week. All are within walking distance of the main campus, and placement is guaranteed for all first-year students. Halls of residence are clean, safe and inclusive, providing great value for money and a fantastic introduction to university life. Private accommodation on campus is also available.
Preston, Lancashire, UK
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