University of Derby

University of Derby

University of Derby logo
Motto	Experientia Docet Experience Teaches
Established	1992 (predecessor in 1851)
Students	24,150
Undergraduates	12,210
Postgraduates	2,515
Other students	9,425 FE
Location	Derby , United Kingdom
Campus	Urban
Website	http://www.derby.ac.uk

The University of Derby is a university in the city of Derby, England. It also has a campus in Buxton, Derbyshire.

The main campus is on Kedleston Road, Allestree in the north-west of Derby. There is also a university site in Buxton, which is centred on the new Devonshire campus, a grade II* listed building which dominates the local landscape and has a dome which is over 145ft in diameter, bigger than that of St Paul's Cathedral in London. It was formally opened by Prince Charles in 2006. A new building for Arts, Design and Technology students on Markeaton Street in Derby is due to open in 2007, by Richard Branson. Health and Psychology courses are currently based at the Mickleover campus. The University has total of 24,000 registered students, of whom c. 9,000 are full-time undergraduates. Currently (2006) 54% of students are mature (over 21).

The University of Derby has a developing research programme with significant strengths in Art and Design (including Humanities).

The University offers a wide range of Joint and Single Honours degrees. Joint Honours degrees are offered through the Joint Honours Scheme, which incorporates over 40 subjects from across all four university faculties. Single honours degrees are based within individual faculties, and include a wide range of programmes in Art and Design, Education, Science, Nursing, Humanities (American Studies, Creative Writing, English, History, Performing Arts), Tourism, Law, Business (Marketing, Business Management, Accounting, Human Resource Management), Computing and Psychology.

Facilities for students include extensive computing facilities, Apple workstation suites, Spa Management teaching rooms (at Buxton), two computer games suites, a life-like Hospital teaching environment with robot patients, and a major Learning Resource Centre at the Kedleston Road campus.

History

The University was the only one in the country to be upgraded directly from a higher education college to a university, along with all the polytechnics in 1992. The Mickleover campus used to be the Bishop Lonsdale College of Education.

Academic Faculties

Faculty of Business, Computing and Law

This used to be called the Derbyshire Business School (now this is the name of the business section) and is housed at Kedleston Road.

School of Computing

Includes a BSc (Hons) Computer Games Programming degree developed in association with Microsoft.

Derby is CISCO accredited and CISCO (CCNA) is an integral part of the BSc Computer Networks course.

School of Law and Criminology

Recently rated the top Law School for Personal Deveopment in the independent Student Survey, and second in all other categories, this small teaching institution prides itself on getting students to do law. As a result, it provides considerable support for pro bono legal work in the community. Its work in criminology has a similar practical feel, with an emphasis on encouraging justice and diversity in the Criminal Justice System. It provides Masters study in Commercial Law; Information, Media and the Arts, limited PhD opportunities, qualifying and non-qualifying law degreess and specialist undergraduate study in Crime and Justice. Notable research holdings include the private papers of Sir Gerald Fitzmaurice and the travaux preparatoires of the Constitution of the Republic of Malawi.

The Derbyshire Business School

Covers accounting, mathematics, management and purchasing.

Centre for Entrepreneurial Management

Offers postgraduate courses in management.

Faculty of Arts, Design and Technology

School of Humanities

Courses in English, American Studies, Film and Television Studies,History, Theatre and Creative Writing.

School of Art and Design

Film and Video, Fine Art, Music and Live Event Technology, Photography, graphic design and Textile design.

School of Technology

Courses in architectural conservation, construction management, electrical engineering, electronics, motorsport technology music technology and product design. Housed at Kedleston Road.

Faculty of Education, Health and Sciences

Mostly taught at the Mickleover campus. Initial Teacher Traning courses taught on Kedleston Road Campus.

School of Education

Covers the BEd and PGCE courses. The University's B.Ed (Hons) course is a 3/4 year course, consisting of school placements in mainstream schools and special schools and lectures and workshops on the main University campus. In the first year 9 weeks of school placment are completed of which 4 weeks are a teaching block. In the second year again 9 weeks of placement are completed but this time with a 5 week teaching block, which consists of 80% teaching by the 5th weeks and 3 days solo teaching. In the second year students are able to opt to complete the course in 3 years, this is subject to grades and a formal interview. The 3 year route however, means no specialism. In the 2nd year 1 week is also spent in a special school.

School of Health

Covers nursing and radiography.

School of Science

Covers biology, ecology, forensic science, geography and pharmacy.

School of Social Sciences

Psychology courses.

Centre for Guidance Studies

Found at Kedleston Road.

University of Derby Buxton

Sited at the newly refurbished former Royal Devonshire Hospital.

The faculty offers the only degree in Spa Management and has recently opened their newly refurbished spa facilities at the Devonshire campus to support the curriculum. Students also have opportunities to visit spas in Eastern Europe and Malta as part of the programme. Students who have completed A level, BTEC or other similar qualifications can apply to join the programme

The faculty offers Foundation degrees in hairdressing and spa services especially designed to attract students with NVQ 3 qualifications

Range of courses

The University was the first in the UK to merge with a Further Education College and offers programmes throughout FE and HE. In addition to on-campus study the University also operates a number of distance learning programmes and has one of the most extensive offerings of off-campus e-Learning programmes of any UK University. In 2006 the first group of students to complete a Foundation Degree in Hairdressing from their workplace via the internet with tutorial support graduated at the Buxton campus.

Student facilities

The Atrium is a large concourse at the Kedleston Road site, which includes a branch of Waterstone's bookshop, a bank (NatWest),the student union shop, hairdressers (Montague's) a clothes' shop (2degrees) and a NatWest and LloydsTSB cashpoint. It also includes a range of catering facilities, serving hot meals, salads, light snacks, and drinks, provided by Upper Crust. Most student residences are based in the 'student quarter' between the Kedleston Road campus and the centre of town. They are linked to the University by a bus-service which runs throughout the day and evening, which starts at the train station.

Students' Union

University of Derby Students' Union (UDSU) used to be in a small temporary building on the north-east of the university (near to the A38). It has now moved to to near the SUB bar. The SU has two bars — the SUB Bar (opened in late April 2006 at a cost of £500,000), which is next to the western-end of the Atrium concourse and opposite the Blends coffee shop, and the Lonsdale Bar (on the site of the Lonsdale student halls). The Arms (a traditional style pub) in the temporary building has now been closed. The SUB Bar is designed to stage many musical events that the older Arms bar could not put on. There is a student night called Spank! at the Zanzibar nightclub. There is also a student newspaper called Dusted, and a student radio station called D:One. In the Atrium, the SU has a shop called Keddies. The University of Derby Podcast is currently in development.

External links

• University of Derby website