University of Plymouth

The University of Plymouth is a public university based predominantly in Plymouth, England where the main campus is located, but the university has campuses and affiliated colleges across South West England. With 19,645 students, it is the 38th largest in the United Kingdom by total number of students. It has 2,915 staff.

The university was originally founded as the Plymouth School of Navigation in 1862, before becoming a University College in 1920 and a Polytechnic Institute in 1970, with its constituent bodies being Plymouth Polytechnic, Rolle College in Exmouth, the Exeter College of Art and Design and Seale-Hayne College.

When university status was gained in 1992, the university was based in various locations. Under Vice-Chancellor Levinsky the university began a policy of centralizing its campus activities in Plymouth.

Faculties

Faculty of Arts and Humanities

This faculty is host to the School of Art, Design and Architecture, the School of Humanities and Performing Arts, and the Plymouth Institute of Education. Arts subjects are usually taught in the Roland Levinsky building and the Scott building, a 19th-century building located next to Roland Levinsky which was modernised externally in 2008 to keep to the university's current design. The faculty offers degrees in Architecture, English, History, Art History, 3D Design, Fine Art, Music, Photography, Media Arts, Theatre & Performance and Dance Theatre. Postgraduate research degree supervision is available across the disciplines in all three Schools, with specific expertise in artistic research.

Faculty of Health

Home to the Schools of Psychology, Social Science and Social Work, Health Professions, and Nursing and Midwifery. As well as PGCE programmes, the Faculty offers degrees Adult Nursing, Child Health Nursing, Mental Health Nursing, Midwifery, Dietetics, Optometry, Social Work, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy and Paramedicine.

Faculty of Science and Engineering

This faculty is home to the School of Biological and Marine Sciences, the School of Computing, Electronics and Mathematics, the School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Studies, and the School of Engineering.

The university provides professional diving qualifications on a number of its courses, the only university in the country to do so. The university's diving centre is located within its Marine Station teaching and research facility based next to Queen Anne's Battery Marina, and has a full-time team of instructors and dedicated boats and equipment.

Faculty of Business

The faculty is home to the Plymouth Business School, the School of Law, Criminology and Government, the Plymouth Graduate School of Management and the School of Tourism and Hospitality. Plymouth's Business School has most notably been very successful in national rankings by subject, where subjects like economics have ranked 16th, according to The Guardian.

English language requirements

1. IELTS 6.0 (6.5 for graduate degree)
2. TOEFL 76 (90 for graduate degree)

Student accommodation

University-managed or approved accommodation in the first year of study is guaranteed for all applicants who choose Plymouth as their first choice institution. The university provides an approved accommodation database, which is available to all continuing students. There are six university-managed halls: Francis Drake, Gilwell, Mary Newman, Pilgrim, Radnor and Robbins. Special accommodation arrangements can be made for students with disabilities or medical conditions.

Rankings

National rankings

• Complete (2021)                                      71
• Guardian (2021)                                       53
• Times / Sunday Times (2021)                 59

Global rankings

• ARWU (2020)                                           501–600
• CWTS Leiden (2020)                                178
• QS (2021)                                                  651–700
• THE (2021)                                                 401–500
• British Government assessment
• Teaching Excellence Framework              Silver