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Nearby Universities
- Ashridge Business School 13.4 kilometres away in Berkhamsted
- Cranfield University 14.2 kilometres away in Cranfield
- University of Hertfordshire 18.1 kilometres away in Hatfield
- London Institute of Technology 32 kilometres away in London
- Middlesex University 34.5 kilometres away in London
- Brunel University 37.7 kilometres away in London
- Royal Veterinary College 42 kilometres away in London
- University of West London 42.6 kilometres away in London
- Bucks New University 36.3 kilometres away in High Wycombe
- University of Buckingham 41.8 kilometres away in Buckingham
University of Bedfordshire
Institution Info
The University has a growing global reputation. The number of applications to the University has nearly doubled in two years (UCAS) and our popularity makes us the most ‘upwardly mobile’ university in the country according to the Times Higher Education.
This year alone our UCAS applications were up 54.5 per cent, plus the total number of international students taught on our UK campuses has more than doubled.
We maintain an excellent academic reputation – high-quality teaching, academic support and personal development were just some of the University’s key strengths to come out of the National Student Survey 2010, with a number of courses scoring 100 per cent on a number of aspects related to quality of teaching.
What's more, the University of Bedfordshire has been awarded top marks – a ‘confidence’ rating – in a recent Quality Assurance Agency (QAA) audit 2009, which checks how UK universities maintain their own academic standards and quality.
We have just opened a new, state-of-the-art £34m Campus Centre, as part of a major £89m redevelopment project to enhance our Luton campus. This massive investment will also include the building of brand-new £40m en-suite student halls located on campus, on track for completion in 2011-12, and a new £15m Postgraduate and Continuous Professional Development Centre, scheduled to be ready in 2013.
To top it all, we have also completed a £51m investment in our campuses over the past four years, and were delighted when His Royal Highness, the Earl of Wessex, opened the new facilities at our Bedford campus.
These include a £6m Campus Centre which houses a £4.5m 280-seat theatre, and an £8m Physical Education and Sport Science Centre which will be used to support 2012 Olympic athletes.
Our Luton campus has seen a total of £1.4m ploughed into our business facilities including a new Law Moot Court and unique 'Business Pods', and £12m which is being invested in our Media and Computing facilities. We have also spent £1.5m on an award-winning new site for healthcare students at Butterfield Park, Luton and at Oxford House, Aylesbury.
In the Government’s recent UK-wide Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) 2008, much of our research was described as 'world-leading' and of 'international significance'. As a consequence, our research funding more than doubled.
We were awarded a £1.1m grant and have set up a major centre for social work research, the Tilda Goldberg Centre, in addition to our nine Research Institutes.
We work closely with employers on our curriculum whilst forging close links with more than 5,500 UK companies to provide a broad range of training and industry accredited courses.
We are proud of our excellent track record on employability, with 92 per cent of graduates in work and/or further study within six months of graduation (Destination of Leavers from Higher Education 2009).
The University continues to value diversity and takes pride in its student-centred learning experience. We stand for high-quality teaching, outstanding student support and excellent personal, career and professional development.
Facts and Figures
| No. of students: | 23,000* |
| No. of Academic staff: | 1,200 |
| Funding type: | Public |
Master's Programmes
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Faculty of Creative Arts, Technologies & Science
- Applied Computing and Information Technology (M.Sc.)
- Business Information Systems (M.Sc.)
- Computer Animation (M.Sc.)
- Computer Networking (M.Sc.)
- Computer Science (M.Sc.)
- Computer Security and Forensics (M.Sc.)
- Information Management and Security (M.Sc.)
- Master of Science By Research (M.Sc.)
- Art and Design (M.A.)
- Art, Design and Internet Technologies (M.A.)
- International Cinema (M.A.)
- Media Arts (Mass Communications) (M.A.)
- Documentary (M.A.)
- Media, Culture and Technology (M.A.)
- New Media and Internet Technologies (M.A.)
- Biotechnology (M.Sc.)
- Master of Arts By Research (M.A.)
- MSc International Tourism Management (M.Sc.)
- Dance Performance and Choreography (M.A.)
- Community Dance Leadership (M.A.)
- Dance Science (M.Sc.)
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Faculty of Education and Sport
- Education (M.A.)
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Faculty of Health & Social Sciences
- Enhancing Quality Through Patient Safety (M.Sc.)
- Health Studies (M.Sc.)
- Leadership in Healthcare Practice (M.Sc.)
- Medical Education (M.A.)
- Public Health (M.Sc.)
- Public Health (Distance Learning) (M.Sc.)
- Health Psychology (M.Sc.)
- Psychological Approaches to Health and Management (M.Sc.)
- Social Work (M.Sc.)
- Advanced Nursing Studies (M.Sc.)
- Advanced Practice (M.Sc.)
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University of Bedfordshire Business School
- Applied Linguistics (TEFL) (M.A.)
- Business and Management (M.Sc.)
- Finance and Business Management (M.Sc.)
- Human Resource Management (M.Sc.)
- Human Resource Management (CIPD Accredited) Part-time (Grad.Dip.)
- Intercultural Communication (M.A.)
- International Business and Management (M.Sc.)
- International Finance and Banking (M.Sc.)
- International Tourism Management (M.Sc.)
- International Commercial Law (LL.M.)
- Logistics and Supply Chain Management (M.Sc.)
- MBA Executive (MBA)
- MBA (MBA)
- Managing Business Creativity and Innovation (M.Sc.)
- Marketing Communications (M.Sc.)
- Marketing and Business Management (M.Sc.)
- Project Management (M.Sc.)
- Information Systems and Business Management (M.Sc.)
Services & Facilities
The University of Bedfordshire was established in August 2006 by order of the Privy Council, following the merger between the University of Luton and De Montfort University’s Bedford campus.
Putteridge Bury Campus
Putteridge Bury is a magnificent neo-Elizabethan country mansion set in thirty acres of landscaped gardens. The history of Putteridge Bury can be traced back to Edward the Confessor's time and has links to the Domesday Book. It was built in the style of Chequers by architects Sir Ernest George and Alfred Yeats and completed in 1911, having undergone renovation and reconstruction over the centuries.
It is home to the postgraduate Business School and the University’s Conference Centre. Putteridge Bury Campus is located a few miles outside Luton town centre on the Hertfordshire-Bedfordshire border.
Luton Campus
In 1908, the Luton Modern School was established. Luton Technical Institute was founded in 1937 and, after various changes of name, became Luton College of Technology in 1958.
In 1976, the college merged with Putteridge Bury College of Education to become Luton College of Higher Education.
In 1993, the college became the University of Luton after receiving university designation.
Luton campus is located in the town centre and is home to a £5.5m Media Arts Centre and £7.8m state-of-the-art Learning Resources Centre.
Bedford Campus
The Bedford Campus has academic roots that go back to the founding of Bedford Training College for Teachers in 1882 and Bedford Physical Training College in 1903. The campus is now home to around 2,900 students and has excellent facilities, a friendly atmosphere and a proven track record of exceptional teaching and graduate employment.
The campus is located 20 minutes by foot from the town centre in a self-contained leafy setting and has undergone a £34 million redevelopment programme which includes two brand new, fully-equipped gymnasiums and state-of-the-art sports science labs.
In 2007 construction was completed of a new campus centre with 280 seat theatre, catering facilities and social spaces for students. In addition, a £20 million student accommodation block which containing over 500 residences opened in July 2007.
Butterfield Park campus
Students based at Luton & Dunstable and Bedford hospitals moved in to new teaching facilities at Butterfield Park campus in early 2008.
Butterfield Park is a 85-acre business and technology zone providing dedicated teaching and learning facilities to ensure that students have plenty of opportunities to develop and refine their clinical skills. Future developments will include simulation laboratories complete with fully functional theatres, ward, and clinic environments.
Buckinghamshire campus
The majority of teaching and research takes place in Luton and Bedford, however many of our health courses are delivered at both our Butterfield Park and Buckinghamshire sites. Oxford House has state-of-the-art facilities for healthcare subjects including a fully equipped skill lab, which is set up to replicate a working hospital ward.
All University students and staff from both Aylesbury Vale and High Wycombe Education Centres relocated to the new Buckinghamshire campus at the start of the second academic term in January 2009. The move has helped to consolidate the University of Bedfordshire’s presence in Buckinghamshire and our commitment to delivering highly-commended quality courses.
The County of Bedfordshire
Luton and Bedford are situated in the country of Bedfordshire in the midst of the north Chiltern Hills, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and are ideally placed between Oxford and Cambridge, London and Birmingham at the centre of the UK’s transport network.
Bedfordshire itself is booming. By 2012, the county will have benefited from a £3.2 billion ‘facelift’. Massive development projects are already underway or in the pipeline, including:
* a £1.3 billion expansion development at London Luton Airport (just two miles from the Luton campus)
* a £0.25 billion National Institute for Research into Aquatic Habitats (mid-way between Luton and Bedford)
* a £0.3 billion science park at Butterfield, Luton
* a £0.4 billion retail and housing development at the former Vauxhall site in Luton
* a £0.2 billion widening to the M1 motorway
* a further £1 billion development is planned before 2012, to include a bypass north of Luton, and a further £4.5 billion is planned for investment by 2030. Together, these projects will transform the county – its community, economy and landscape.
The University itself contributes some £200m to the local economy each year, according to independent research.
The town of Luton
The foundation of Luton is usually dated to the 6th century when a Saxon outpost was founded on the river Lea. Luton is recorded in the Domesday Book (1086) as 'Loitone' with a population of around 700.
The town of Bedford
The Borough of Bedford was awarded Charter status by Henry II in 1166. The Borough includes the county town of Bedford, the urban area of Kempston and 43 rural villages - an area of around 120,000 acres. The town’s historic significance dates back to Saxon times, and was important in the reign of King Alfred before the Danes attacked it in 1010.
Student Life
Want to know what University life is like? Well, look no further. Simply watch the video above to get the inside scoop on what our students think about Bedfordshire, our accommodation and how they rate our other facilities. You can also find out about our undergraduate courses and our diverse social scene. So, what are you waiting for?
You can also see how Bedfordshire stacks up against other universities by taking a peek below to get the latest on our league table successes. Check out our exciting investment plan – which will provide you with even more fantastic facilities to use during your studies as well as finding out about all of the free cash that you can get, just by studying with us. Sounds too good to be true? Definitely not!
League table latest
The University of Bedfordshire has an excellent academic reputation. Recently runner-up for the prestigious title of University of the Year in the Times Higher Education awards 2007, the University of Bedfordshire has also been placed third in the country for Media courses and 12th for Sport (Guardian 2007).
More recently, the University has been successful in climbing up the league tables, according to the Independent ‘Good University Guide’ 2008, and our Hospitality, Leisure, Recreation, Sport and Tourism courses have been ranked 21st in the UK. And that’s not all. Our Dance courses have recently been rated 2nd in the UK, Journalism 6th, Marketing 11th, and Business 21st in the UK, and our Computer Science courses have been ranked among the top 25% of all UK universities, in the 2008 National Student Survey.
Brilliant new facilities
The University is investing a massive £130m into its main campuses in Bedford and Luton to provide a wide range of state-of-the-art facilities, including a brand new £34m Campus Centre and new £40m en-suite student accommodation at the Luton campus.
The investment has also introduced a £5.5m Media Arts Centre which is home to a broadcast television studio and two digital radio studios, a £7.8m Learning Resources Centre, £20m en-suite student halls of residence at the Bedford campus, £1.2m pioneering ‘Business Pods’ which resemble modern offices, an £8m Physical Education and Sport Science Centre that is set to train athletes for the 2012 Olympics, and a £6m Campus Centre which houses a 280-seat theatre, a fair trade restaurant and social spaces for students. Students coming to Bedfordshire can rest assured that they will have access to some of the best facilities in the country.
Generous Bursaries and Scholarships – Up to £4,262 available
Bedfordshire offers the best financial support in the south of England and the second best support in the whole of the UK. Most UK/EU students that are starting full-time degree courses will be able to receive up to £4,262, and at the very least every student can receive £319.
Eating and drinking
Places to eat at Luton campus
Being situated right in the heart of the town centre means that you are never far from a cafe, pub, restaurant or fast food place. What's more, all of our halls of residence are no more than 5 to 10 minutes away from the campus, so you can always pop home in between lectures for a bite to eat.
But if you decide to stick around the Park Square campus for a snack, you won't be disappointed. There’s a wide variety of food options to choose from at the Pavilion Restaurant, the main catering site at the Luton campus.
Places to eat at Bedford campus
Similar to the Luton campus, the Bedford halls of residence are located a stones throw away from the campus, meaning you can always pop home to your flat to whip up some grub. However, if you don't fancy doing the cooking then why not check out our new Campus Centre, which has a great new restaurant, The Unity, offering a wide range of tempting, tasty treats within a modern, stylish setting.
Town Life
Whether you prefer to dance the night away, or kick back and relax in the beautiful countryside, Bedfordshire has something to suit everyone.
Luton and Bedford are lively, student-friendly towns with thriving social scenes, surrounded by tranquil, rural villages where you can truly embrace country life.
Luton
Luton is the largest town in Bedfordshire, and is surrounded by the beautiful north Chiltern Hills.
It has excellent transport links to the rest of the UK and Europe, and lies just 50km north of London, so the capital is only a 30 minute train journey away.
In addition, London Luton airport is only 5km from the Park Square campus.
Luton boasts a wide collection of pubs, clubs and restaurants as well as the Galaxy Leisure complex, which offers an 11- screen cinema, 16 bowling lanes, a bingo hall, an arcade and much more.
Bedford
Bedford is an idyllic riverside town, located 40 minutes from Central London by train. It has excellent transport links to the rest of the UK as it sits between the M1 and the A1, and the rest of Europe can be easily accessed, as London Luton and Stansted airports are near by.
Centrally located between London, Oxford and Cambridge, Bedford is a lively cosmopolitan town with a rich heritage, celebrated in a programme of events and festivals throughout the year.
Bedford is home to a diverse music scene and offers a vast assortment of bars, pubs and clubs, and live music to meet the needs of its diverse student population.
The town itself is safe and student friendly, with a lively mix of traditional town pubs, bars and restaurants, modern nightclubs, high-street and niche shops, heritage and history in addition to first-class sports facilities.
Bedford’s surrounding area has a wealth of parks and open spaces including Bedford Park near the Bedford campus which is ideal for walks, cricket, tennis and basketball. Slightly further a field there are 206 acres of open country for lake and river walks, angling, wildlife and conservation areas. Also close by is Woburn Abbey and Safari Park, and the famous RSPB nature reserve at Sandy.
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