Colchester CO4 3SQ

Tel 01206 873 666

admit@essex.ac.uk

www.essex.ac.uk

Sunday Times ranking 40 (36)

Teaching excellence 84.6%

Student satisfaction 74.8%

Head teacher ranking 64= (57=)

Peer ranking 35= (37)

Research quality 68.2%

A/AS-level points 321

A-levels for entry 82%

Unemployment 7%

Firsts and 2:1s 60.2%

Student/staff ratio 14.3:1

Dropout rate 17% (14%)

Undergraduates 6,395 (992)

Postgraduates 1,757 (1,145)

Teaching staff 371

Applications/places 12,334/2,001; 6.2:1 (+7%)

Clearing entry 10%

Bursaries £128-£1,570

Scholarships Maths: £250-£500

EU/overseas 9.7%/14.9%

Mature 17.4%

State school 94%

Lowest social classes 32%

Low-participation areas 12%

Live in 48% (100%) £59-£91

A landmark year for the university has seen it extend its reach past its Colchester base. University Campus Suffolk, see page 48, is a joint venture with the University of East Anglia, bringing together higher education provision in Suffolk under one roof in Ipswich, with the two universities validating all the degrees on offer. And a new campus opened in January in Southend-on-Sea. A range of business, entrepreneurship and performing arts degrees, including a BA in physical theatre, will be delivered there from next month. The Southend project is a collaboration with South East Essex College, which also has a campus in the town, and is expected to attract a high proportion of local students from nontraditional backgrounds.

Essex has channelled little money into academic scholarships (maths apart) and much into endowing a bursary scheme to ensure as many students as possible get their tuition fees fully covered. Those on maximum state maintenance grants get minimal assistance, but, as the state aid falls, so the Essex bursary rises, with students from families with a residual income below £25,600 getting all their tuition fees covered. There is a lower level of support for those on a state grant from families with a residual income of £25,600 to a maximum of £38,330.

A huge amount has been spent updating the 1960s fabric at the heart of the university. Rooms – which can house half those studying here – are all wired for the internet. Essex is strong in the social sciences and its recent record for teaching excellence ranks it among the top 10 in the UK.

Open days October 24 (Colchester).

Student view Rich Doughty, president of the students’ union:

USP You don’t just get a degree here, you get the whole experience.

Worst feature The “tin can”, a massive new lecture auditorium that looks like it’s covered in Bacofoil.

Location Wivenhoe Park is Constable country. There are three lakes, rolling hills, rabbits and hedgehogs on campus.

Social scene The students’ union has just invested £1.25m in a new venue.

Rated excellent (12) Economics; electrical and electronic engineering (electronic systems engineering); history of art, architecture and design; hospitality, leisure, recreation, sport and tourism (sport and exercise science); law; molecular biosciences; nursing; organismal biosciences; philosophy; politics (government); psychology; sociology.

Degree of student satisfaction: 74.8%

Sports Science 84.4; Politics 84.0; History and Archeology 80.3; Electronic and Electric Engineering 79.0; Sociology, Social Policy and Anthropology 78.4; Computer Science 78.3; Biology and related Sciences 77.3; English-based studies 76.8; Other Creative Arts 76.0; Other Languages and Area studies 75.9; Economics 75.1; Law 72.6; Psychology 72.1; Mathematical Sciences 70.0; Performing Arts 64.7; Media studies 62.3

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