The University of Northampton Profile
History
•It was founded from the marriage of Northampton's colleges of art, technology and education, which formed Nene College of the Higher Education in the year 1975.
•In 1999 it became University College Northampton.
•Gained the university status and power to award its own research degrees in the year 2005 and became University of Northampton.
Location and transport
•Northampton is in the heart of England, within an hour's travel of London, Birmingham, and Oxford.
•The University consists of the two campuses which are close to Northampton town centre. There is a free bus service in the campuses.
•The main line trains and motorway system near-by.
Entry standards
•260–300 UCAS tariff points for most courses.
•The University is focused to encourage and widen the participation.
Student mix
•More than 14,000 students presently study at University of Northampton on a mixture of the postgraduate, undergraduate, and further education programmes.
•The gender mix is currently 62 per cent female, and 38 per cent male.
•Nearly 98 per cent of students which enter onto undergraduate courses at University previously attended a state school.
•87 per cent of all students are from UK, 2 per cent are from Europe, and 11 per cent are from rest of the world.
Course flexibility
•Range of the course and learning options including part-time, full-time, distance learning, two-year fast track and the four-year extended degrees.
•The Joint Honours programme is student centered with its inbuilt flexibility and accommodation of student choice at levels. It encompasses 44 subjects and all subjects avaliable are now provided as minor, major, joint or single honours awards.
Teaching standards
•In the year 2010 Ofsted judged the University to be an Outstanding Provider of the Initial Teacher Education in the Primary and Early Years
•The National Student Survey presented that 82 per cent of students were satisfied with the overall quality of their course. Strong performing subjects with high satisfaction levels are: History, Education, Finance and Accounting, Nursing and Initial Teacher Training .
•In the latest National Student Survey, satisfaction levels of students for the ‘Teaching on my course’ were above the sector as a whole with some particularly strong performing subjects such as: Historical and Philosophical studies, Geographical Studies, Nursing, Finance and Accounting , and Initial Teacher Training .
Research standards
•The University of Northampton submitted nine units of assessment for the RAE 2008. As a result the University's research profile shows that 93% of the research undertaken within the University is both nationally and internationally recognised for its originality, significance and rigour, with 18% achieving the highest levels of international excellence. Furthermore, a proportion of this research is regarded as world-leading in History, Education (including Children & Youth), Health and Business & Management.
Academic strengths
•A member of staff from the School of Health holds a Learning and Teaching Award from the Higher Education Academy Health Sciences and Practice Subject Centre. The award recognises their ‘exceptional contribution to teaching and student learning’.
•Two members of staff are National Teaching Fellows, their teaching excellence being recognised through the Higher Education Academy National Teaching Fellowship Scheme.
•In 2009 the QAA gave a confidence judgement for the University’s management of its academic standards, there was also a comment on good practice for the provision of readily accessible support for student learning through the Centre for Academic Practice
Student facilities, including library and computing
•Access to over 500 PCs, laptops and Macs and over half a million print and online publications.
•24/7 access to IT facilities including the high speed internet and fully wireless enabled campuses.
•Libraries proving flexible, accessible, student-centred learning and study spaces open 7 days a week during term time.
Students' union
•Students' union buildings on both campuses catering for all students living both on and off campus.
•There are a wide range of University societies.