University of Westminster

Summary

History

The university was originally established as the Polytechnic Institution in 1838, the first polytechnic to open in England, to provide practical knowledge of arts and science connected with manufacturing, mining and rural economy. The founding of the polytechnic was in reaction to the rise of polytechnic education in continental Europe, specifically Germany and France. By 1941, the polytechnic was home to the first public photographic portrait studio in Europe.

After World War I, the polytechnic offered degrees conferred by the University of London, and its focus on the educational and social life of working people in London remained largely unchanged until World War II.

In 1992 its university status was formally conferred, and with its independent degree awarding powers for taught courses and research degrees, its named changed to the University of Westminster.

University Environment

Westminster has four main campuses, three in central London and one in Harrow.

Regent Street campus

- is the original home of The Polytechnic, is occupied by the University School of Humanities and School of Social Sciences. It is perfectly placed for you to take advantage of everything the West End has to offer; from shops to socialising, to business networking, and arts and culture. Alongside the recently refurbished study and social spaces and gym facilities, the Regent Street site is also home to the Regent Street Cinema - the birthplace of British cinema and the first venue to screen moving images to a paying audience in 1896.

Marylebone campus

- is home to the School of Architecture & the Built Environment and Westminster Business School, and has benefited from a multi-million pound refurbishment over the past few years. The programme of work has led to the creation of a new Fabrication Laboratory that provides an innovative learning environment, inspiring and preparing students for digital fabrication in the 21st century. Westminster is one of the largest providers of built environment education and one of the few to bring together all the disciplines that inform the design and development of cities.

Cavendish campus

- in the heart of London is home to the School of Life Sciences and School of Computer Science and Engineering. It is located in the shadow of the iconic BT Tower and has the 'best of London' within a ten-minute walk. A multi-million pound refurbishment in recent years has enhanced the state-of-the-art facilities, including life science labs with cutting-edge capabilities, more than 30 labs for electronics and computer science teaching, and a new psychology lab.

Harrow campus

- is the vibrant home of Westminster School of Arts and Westminster School of Media. It has undergone an extensive programme of refurbishment and modernisation in recent years. This has included the creation of the Forum, a generous space for informal learning and interactive presentations. Located at the heart of the Harrow campus is the dynamic London Gallery West, a contemporary exhibition space to showcase the media, art and design work of Westminster current students and alumni, and plays host to renowned local, national and international artists.

Academics

Colleges & Schools

College of Design, Creative and Digital Industries

• School of Architecture and Cities
• School of Computer Science and Engineering
• Westminster School of Arts
• Westminster School of Media and Communications

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

• School of Humanities
• School of Life Sciences
• School of Social Sciences
• Westminster Law School

Westminster Business School

• School of Applied Management
• School of Finance and Accounting
• School of Management and Marketing
• School of Organisations, Economy and Society

Research

In the Research Excellent Framework (REF) 2014, the University's research was rated world-leading (4*) positions in Art and Design and Media and Communication, with internationally excellent (3*) performances in English, Architecture and Built Environment and Allied Health. In Psychology and Neuroscience, Politics, Area Studies, and Law, the majority of submitted research achieved ratings of international excellence.

International & Industrial Opportunities

Westminster has exchange agreements with institutions in countries such as the USA, China, Italy, Finland, Canada and New Zealand and you can study abroad for either a semester or a year. These agreements are specific to schools or courses, so your option to study on exchange will depend on what you are studying at the moment.

For UK students, if the institution you are going is in Europe, then you may be eligible to receive funding through the Erasmus+ programme.

Fees & Finance

Scholarships & Bursaries

The University has a number of scholarships available for you if you have achieved academic excellence and/or are in financial need. For example, the Westminster Undergraduate High Achiever awards are available to UK, EU or international student enrolling for study into the first year (level 4) of a full-time undergraduate course at the University, and must achieve grades of either AAB in A level, or 33 in International Baccalaureate (IB).

Please visit the University website for a full list of the scholarships and bursaries that they are offering.

Facilities

Learning Facilities

The University has a library at each of its campuses. At each site, the library holds a collection of books, journals, DVDs and other specialist materials to support the subjects taught at that site.

There are various study spaces and computer rooms available at each campus. The computer rooms offer a variety of popular software packages, as well as specialist software for the subjects taught there.

The University also has a number of services and on-line resources to help students develop their learning and studying skills, including learning and study skills sheets, and learning skills workshops. The Royal Literary Fund Fellows, a service funded by the Royal Literary Fund and is independent of the University, can help students to organise, plan and improve their writing by developing their writing skills, improving the clarity of their writing, structuring arguments and written ideas, and using correct grammar.

As well as the usual classroom-based teaching, most of the courses and modules also make use of the University's online virtual learning environment, Blackboard, which provides a communication platform for tutors and students, a repository for key course/module material, and a space for collaboration through discussion boards, blogs and more.

Sports Facilities

Westminster’s facilities include a major sports ground, on-campus sports halls, and two fitness suites.

The sports ground is located at the Quintin Hogg Memorial Sports Ground in Chiswick, west London. Here there are pitches and courts for football, rugby, hockey, lacrosse, cricket, tennis and netball.

The Harrow Sports Hall provides match and training facilities predominantly used by the sports teams for a range of sports including five-a-side football, basketball, netball and cricket, and there is also a small gym with a mix of cardio and resistance equipment.

The Sport and Recreation Department based at Regent Street comprises of four highly qualified and experienced sports and exercise scientists that offer a comprehensive range of services from Fitness Assessment and Body Composition Analysis to Exercise Prescription and Personal Training.

Students' Union

Students’ Union

When you enrol at the University, you automatically become a member of the University of Westminster Students’ Union (UWSU) - an independent organisation that is run by students, for students.

UWSU is based in the Marylebone and Harrow campuses. The Undercroft bar in the Harrow campus is a busy student bar with a great beer garden and live music. UWSU shop at Harrow sells all essentials, along with special art supplies for students on creative courses, and branded university clothing. The Union is also home to a range of sports clubs and societies for students to join. Media opportunities include Smoke Radio, Smoke TV, Smoke Magazine and the newsletter Quintin Hogg (QH).

Student Support

Religion & Spirituality

Westminster has advisers from many religions with links to local communities in London. These advisers are available to anyone of any faith, offering hospitality and support, and providing pastoral care and spiritual counsel in times of stress or crisis. There are also dedicated prayer and contemplation rooms across the university.

Health & Wellbeing

The University boasts a nurse-run health service which provides urgent treatment and advice on most illnesses and injuries, as well as providing health and guidance relating to disabilities and chronic conditions. It also deals with vaccines and travel health, sexual health and dental advice.

The University’s counselling service offers confidential one-to-one counselling, group counselling, email counselling and Skype sessions. They are happy to talk to you about anything that’s bothering you, from an inability to study, poor concentration and depression, to relationship problems and bereavement.

The Disability Learning Support team offers students advice on the Disabled Students Allowance, the International Disability Fund, the Access to Learning Fund, access to technology, and the support given in assessments.

Career Facilities

The Careers and Employability Service based in the Cavendish and Harrow campuses offers support to students to help them find part-time or vacation work, placements, graduate jobs or voluntary work; explore how to develop the skills needed for employers; plan their career development; identify their career options; market themselves effectively in CVs, application forms and interviews.

They offer 20-minute consultations with a Careers Consultant which give you the opportunity to obtain feedback and advice on CVs, application forms, interviews and other career concerns.

Four 45-minute consultations with a Careers Consultant per year are available if you need in-depth advice on improving your employability, exploring career paths, finding work or seeing what opportunities are available.

Accommodation

Westminster have more than 1,200 places in halls of residence meaning that half of those who apply are offered a place on a first-come first-served basis. They are located in Harrow, Marylebone, Hoxton and Wembley Park.

Depending on your budget, there are different room types for you to choose from, such as standard single ensuite, shared ensuite, studio and more. The bedrooms are centrally heated and generally contain a single bed as well as a desk and chair, book shelf, storage space and wifi. Typically, the Hall has a well-equipped kitchen and attached living area, widescreen TV, games machine, 24-hour staff on site and laundry facilities.

If you choose to live in private accommodation, or if you have been unsuccessful in your hall application, you can contact the Student Accommodation Team who can help and advice on finding a suitable place to live. There are a number of companies that provide hall-of-residence style accommodation exclusively for students. Many of these halls are based in the London area.

International

English Language Requirements

Below is a list of Westminster standard, minimum English language requirements for undergraduate study.

International Scholarships

The University offers a generous scholarship scheme for international students. In 2017–18 Westminster awarded scholarships to students from over 50 countries across the world. The scholarships are normally awarded on the basis of three criteria: academic excellence, development potential and financial need. Competition is high for the scholarships and they normally received many more applications than they can fund, so make sure you have explored other ways to fund your studies too.

For full details of the scholarships, visit the scholarships pages of the University website.

International Support

Westminster has one of the largest and most diverse international student bodies of any university, with over 150 different languages spoken on campus.

Students coming to the UK to study a full-time degree will be sent a weblink to the Essential Westminster Guide via their admissions email. The Guide includes information on immigration and visa, healthcare, money and banking, 'meet and greet' service from Heathrow Airport, the international students' welcome programme and more. The International Student Welcome Programme is a three-day event, and will help you meet new people and introduce you to living and studying in the UK.

While in Westminster, there is a wide range of additional courses to help you study, including the Academic English modules, designed to allow you to consolidate, extend and develop your proficiency in Academic English.

Media