The University of Wolverhampton

Summary

University Environment

The University is spread across four campuses across the West Midlands and Shropshire. The free campus shuttle bus, which runs at regular intervals throughout the day, makes it easy to travel between campuses. 

City Campus

City campus is the main campus for the University and based in the heart of Wolverhampton. The Millennium City Building provides a 300-seat lecture theatre, food court, teaching facilities and a ‘Social Learning Space’. The Technology Centre has 500 PCs for you to use whilst the Harrison Learning Centre has four floors of electronic, online, hardcopy and audio-visual materials to help you study. 

There are three halls of residence for 1,000 students a short walk from City Campus, next to a 24-hour supermarket. Wolverhampton also boasts lots of cafes, bars and pubs, whilst the Mander and Wulfrun shopping centres contain all the shops you’d expect. 

Wolverhampton has so much to offer, including the Grand Theatre, the 14-screen Cineworld, the Light House Media Centre, and the Wolverhampton Art Gallery. There’s also a football stadium and horse racing and greyhound racing if spectator sports are your bag. 

Wolverhampton is approximately 16 miles from Birmingham and easily accessible from the motorway and Birmingham International airport.

Telford Campus

Telford Innovation Campus houses the latest business and technology facilities, and houses engineering and the built environment students (as well as a few computing and social work students). The Learning Centre stocks all the resources you’ll ever need, while the e-Innovation Centre is a brand new home for start-ups. 

The Campus’s halls of residence offer almost 500 en-suite rooms and you’ll find plenty of places to socialise in the food court, Costa of the Students’ Union. 

Telford town centre is a 10-minute bus ride and features a large, modern shopping centre, a cinema complex, restaurants, pubs and clubs. There’s also a bowling alley, ice rink and dry ski slope, while the Oakengates Theatre offers something cultural and the 450-acre town centre park is one of the largest in Europe with colourful gardens, nature trails and woodland areas. If you like the outdoors, the Wrekin is Telford’s 1,334 ft hill wit spectacular walks to the summit, and there are over 100km of cycle paths in the area. You can also get out of town, visiting the world heritage site at Ironbridge, the Severn Gorge, the fully-working Victorian village at Blists Hill and related museums, the parks, castles and abbeys, and the beauty of Shropshire.

Walsall Campus

Walsall Campus boasts the University’s flagship sporting and accommodation facilities, and is home to students of music, dance, sport, education, health, events management, tourism and hospitality.

The Learning Centre is open everyday for all your study needs, while the Student Village offers over 300 en-suite study bedrooms. The Performance Hub boasts impressive teaching and learning spaces and facilities that support drama, dance and music students. It includes a 125-seat studio theatre.

If you are looking for a place to relax, the food court offers a variety of dishes, whilst the Café Bar has sandwiches, jackets and baguettes. The Students’ Union at Walsall campus has a Squeezebox juice bar, which is open 7 days a week and offers hot and cold food, fruit smoothies & hot drink and an evening bar. 

In Walsall town centre you’ll find a selection of bars, pubs, clubs and restaurants, while you’ll get your fill of culture by visiting the New Art Gallery, Leather Museum, Walsall Arboretum, and the beautiful Victorian park where you can explore around 35 acres of lakes, trees and gardens.

Burton Health Education Centre

The University’s School of Health and Wellbeing run courses at Burton hospital. 

History

The roots of the University of Wolverhampton lie in the Wolverhampton Free Library, established in 1870, which developed technical, scientific, commercial and general classes, and the Muncipial School of Art, established in 1851.

In 1931 Prince George laid the foundation stone of the major new buildings in Wulfruna Street, and Wolverhampton and Staffordshire Technical College was born. 

In addition to having a department for Chemical, Metallurgical, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, a Women’s Department offered subjects such as Physical culture, Elocution and Languages with a third of students enrolled in 1938/9 being women.  

In 1957 the first computers arrived. The WITCH (Wolverhampton Instrument for Teaching Computing for Harwell) is now considered to the the oldest original functioning electronic stored program computer in the world.

By 1964 with the further expansion of Higher Education the college began to provide BA degrees with options in English, Geography, History, Music, and Economics amongst others. By 1965 the college was offering a degree in Computer Technology.

In 1969 the Technical College and the School of Art amalgamated to become Wolverhampton Polytechnic, with five faculties; Applied Science, Art and Design, Arts, Engineering and Social Sciences. 

In 1992, with an ambitious new campus in Telford under construction, it was granted University status.

In 2013, the University celebrated its 21st birthday, and further investment in the campus is planned including a £45 million redevelopment of City Campus which is already underway.  The main development work will involve the creation of state-of-the-art new science facilities and labs for the Faculty of Science and Engineering. Plans for a flagship new building for the Business School are also underway, which will reflect the Business School's growing reputation and engagement with the business community in the region. And part of Wolverhampton city centre has officially been re-named the University quarter.

Academics

Faculties, Schools & Institutes

Faculty of Arts

• Wolverhampton School of Art
• School of Humanities
• School of Media
• School of Performing Arts

Faculty of Education, Health & Wellbeing

• Institute of Education
• Institute of Health Professions
• Institute of Psychology
• Institute of Public Health, Social Work and Care
• Institute of Sport
• Academic Institute of Medicine

Faculty of Science & Engineering

• School of Architecture & Built Environment
• School of Biology, Chemistry & Forensic Science
• School of Biomedical Science & Physiology
• School of Engineering
• School of Mathematics & Computer Science
• School of Pharmacy

Faculty of Social Sciences

• University of Wolverhampton Business School
• University of Wolverhampton Law School
• School of Social, Historical & Political Studies
• International Academy
• Centre for International Development & Training
• Centre for African Entrepreneurship & Leadership

Research

In the last round of assessment for research excellence in the UK, Wolverhampton was ranked at its highest ever level. Each member of staff and subject area evaluated by The Research Excellence Framework (REF 2014) was recognised as having world-leading elements. Particular areas of strength included the work by renowned Professor of Information Science Mike Thelwall and his team, whose research includes measuring the value of web pages. Other areas that were awarded with high praise include Health, History and Modern Languages Research.

International & Industrial Opportunities

Wolverhampton’s ERASMUS programme offers opportunities across Europe, China and the Far East.

Many of Wolverhampton’s degrees have placements and/or work experience as an integral part of the course, giving you the opportunity to build experience in your chosen field. If you choose to undertake a sandwich placement as part of your degree you won’t have to pay for that year. 

Fees & Finance

Scholarships

The Distinction Scholarship of a £2,000 cash payment is available to all new students who attain ABB or above at A-level or equivalent. 

Every year the University award £30,000 to students showing promise in their chosen sport. The scholarship is worth up to £1,000 for each year of study and includes: physiotherapy; strength and conditioning; gym membership; mentoring support; and funding towards elite coaching, competitions, training costs and equipment. 

Facilities

Learning Facilities

Wolverhampton’s Learning Centres combine traditional library services with high-tech facilities, providing access to materials to aid you in your studies. There are also over 2,400 PCs across campus to use, as well as specialist Mac suites. 

The purpose-built media suite includes cutting-edge TV and radio studios and a sound-booth with full recording capabilities.

Mock hospital wards allow hands-on teaching for nursing and midwifery students.

The brand new, Rosalind Franklin Science Centre provides purpose-built labs for all branches of science and a simulated community pharmacy.

The iconic School of Creative Arts and Design houses specialist equipment, students and workshops, while performing arts students have access to the Performance Hub. 

Sporting Facilities

Walsall Sports Centre offers students the facilities of a swimming pool; sports halls and badminton, basketball, netball and volleyball courts. The sports centre also boasts five-a-side and grass pitches; a matted martial arts hall; a fitness suite and weights room; outdoor tennis and netball courts; a floodlit all-weather synthetic pitch; and a six-lane athletics track. 

The new national Centre at Walsall Campus also hosts the elite dojo training facility for British Judo and also the University’s new high performance gym for use by its top sportsmen and women.  

City Sports Centre offers students a sports hall; badminton, basketball, netball and volleyball courts; a five-a-side pitch; fitness suite; functional training area; cardio area; and outdoor sports zone. 

There are several levels of sports membership available, and all students in University-owned accommodation get free off-peak membership. There are many classes on offer, from aerobics to Zumba. 

Students' Union

Students’ Union

There are food courts across campus which offer great value food and drink options. At both City and Walsall Campuses Squeezebox offers snacks and refreshments and a place to unwind. There are also a number of Starbucks around campus. 

The uni shop in City and Walsall campuses stock everything from stationery to graduation gifts and must-have hoodies. 

Wolverhampton partners with a number of organisations to bring you Volunteer Central, a single place where you’ll find a wide range of opportunities that can be tailored to your interests and circumstances.

The Thread is Wolverhampton’s student newspaper and they are always looking for more contributors. 

Student Support

Health & Wellbeing

Fully qualified and experienced counsellors offer support and space to explore in confidence any concerns you may have at uni, whether they are personal, social of affecting your academic work. They can help you develop the resources and skills to cope, will listen in a non-judgmental way and help you manage small concerns before they become problematic. 

The Students’ Union offers an orientation and mentoring service to first-year students. Your mentor can help with issues such as personal development and time management, and provide a friendly face to voice concerns.

Religion & Spirituality

Whether you follow a religion or not, the Chaplaincy team welcome you, offering a place to meet friends, have a coffee or take a quiet moment to gather your thoughts. You can speak opening to a Chaplain in confidence and there are prayer spaces set aside on campus for those of all faiths. 

Career Facilities

The Wolverhampton Enterprise and Employability Award gives you evidence of the range of skills and qualities that make you an asset to an employer. 

If there’s an idea you’d like to turn into a business reality, the SPEED Plus project supports students in creating their own businesses in the West Midlands whilst they are studying or when they graduate. 

Careers, Enterprise and The Workplace organise a variety of events throughout the year, including an annual recruitment fair and regular workshops covering a wide range of topics to help you plan your career and prepare for the world of work. The Kickstart You Career course is specifically aimed at helping first-year students get a head start in their career planning. 

Careers help you investigate your career options and plans, and to develop the skills to make these plans a reality. They provide careers support and guidance as well as a programme of careers workshops and presentations on topics such as: CVs, covering letters and application forms; interviews and presentation skills; teacher training; social media; assessment centres and psychometric tests, offering practical support at all stages of your job application. 

The Workplace provides access to a range of employment opportunities, whether you’re looking for your first graduate position, a part-time job while studying or a placement to enhance your employability skills. 

Every year, the University supports its own recent graduates on an internship programme across various departments and faculties. These paid internships last between 3 and 12 months. 

Volunteer Central has links with over 100 voluntary and community groups throughout the Black Country, ranging from small volunteer-led groups to large national charities. You can also gain awards and certificates to recognise your volunteering. There are even modules in volunteering that give you credits towards your degree. 

Enterprise helps you recognise, develop and apply enterprising skills to allow you to be more effective and adaptable within your chosen career path, whether in an employed role or starting your own business. 

Accommodation

The University has over 1,000 places available in accommodation, all of which is in walking distance to campus. At Wolverhampton there are economy, standard and en-suite rooms available, while at Walsall there are standard and en-suite rooms available. For those studying at Telford, en-suite rooms are set in the grounds of the Grade II listed 18th century mansion Priorslee Hall, offering a quiet environment in which to live and study. 

All rooms are self-catered and there are well-equipped shared kitchens with a microwave, cooker, fridge-freezer, lockable cupboards for food and a kettle. In en-suite accommodation there’s also a TV and sofa area to socialise with friends. There's also on-site laundry facilities.

All utilities are included in the price, along with basic contents insurance. 

At Wolverhampton you have the choice to live in University accommodation throughout your time at University if you wish, while the Accommodation Services run trips for students living in University accommodation, including shopping trips to Ikea, bowling, and visits to Stratford-upon Avon, Manchester and Birmingham. 

International

English Language Requirements

The University require you to have a minimum of 6 overall with 5.5 in all four skills in the IELTS or equivalent. Some undergraduate degrees may require higher English language so please check before you apply. 

International Support

The University organises induction and orientation programmes for all new arrivals to help you settle into University and Wolverhampton life, meet staff informally and make new friends. It includes a welcome meeting, day trips and other events to help you settle into your new home.

All international students arriving at the University of Wolverhampton are offered free English language support as part of their programme. The course focuses on developing your academic writing skills and you will receive  a certificate of attendance if you attend regularly.

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