Stay in touch with us
Birmingham City University
since 1843
City
Birmingham
Ranking
THE
:
601-800
Ranking
QS
:
1001-1200
-
![]()
About
-
![]()
University Ranking
-
![]()
Facilities and Services
-
![]()
History and Notable Faces
-
![]()
Gallery
-
![]()
Application steps
-
![]()
Courses
-
![]()
Comments
About
University Ranking
Facilities and Services
History and Notable Faces
Gallery
Application steps
Courses
Comments
Birmingham City University (BCU) has a long and rich history of education in the city, dating back to its beginnings as the Birmingham College of Art in 1843. By 1971 it had become a polytechnic university, and in 1992 it was granted full university status. In 2007 it was rebranded as BCU.
BCU offers courses in art and design, business, the built environment, computing, education, engineering, English, health care, law, social sciences, technology and the performing arts across its four faculties and three campuses. Their academic staff maintain close links with their respective industries, and many have achieved prominence in their fields; for example, the UK’s leading criminologist and the first female president of the Royal Institute of British Architects.
The university's greatest strength is arguably its creative and performing arts programmes. It houses the Birmingham Government School of Design, which was the first college of design to open outside of London in 1843, as well as the Birmingham School of Music (now the Birmingham Conservatoire, opened in 1886). This puts BCU in a leading position within the UK’s higher education landscape.
BCU's student body of 25,000 undergraduate and postgraduate students includes half from the West Midlands, the majority of whom come from ethnic minorities. BCU was the first university in Europe to launch a Black Studies undergraduate degree to study the history, social movements and contributions of people of African descent.
Library Services
BCU has nine million books and nine thousand print and electronic journals spread across seven enormous libraries on its campuses. The institution has several libraries, including Vittoria Street, Curzon, Mary Seacole, and Margaret Street. The BCU administration continually makes investments to renovate the different libraries and make them modern, high-tech, and technologically cutting edge.
Health and Medical Services
Students can seek mental health, medical, and wellness services from BCU's health department, which firmly believes that students' ability to succeed and achieve in life is determined by maintaining proper health and ensuring overall well-being. Counseling services are thus, provided by the university's Health Department. Additionally, students may ask their assigned Personal Tutor for support if they are dealing with personal issues that are affecting their ability to study.
Employer Services
Birmingham City University's Career Development department provides support to students so they can be successful in both their academic and professional endeavors. Through one-on-one counseling sessions and assistance with career decisions, the university offers career support to its students. Counselors assist students with creating their resumes and conducting job searches. Students are provided with interview strategies as well as details on available internships and jobs. The career support division collaborates closely with students in a number of areas, such as networking and self-promotion skills.
On-campus Accommodation
Eight residence halls, both inside and outside the City Center campus, are available to students at Birmingham State University for on-campus housing. Student accommodations on campus include support for those with disabilities. A lobby, laundry, shared kitchen, TV, vending machines, gym, Wi-Fi, study rooms, pool table, tennis table, iron, ironing board, 24-hour security, bike storage, vacuum cleaner, microwave, toaster, and other amenities are available in the university's residence halls. Beds, carpeted floors, dressers, desks, chairs, closets, pinboards, under-bed storage, and other amenities are all included in the fully furnished rooms of the on-site lodging.
Research Opportunities at the University
The educational philosophy at Birmingham City University places a strong emphasis on research and innovation; consequently, more than 70% of BCU's published research is 'formally acknowledged as an international standard' in fields such as Business and Management Studies, English, Social Policy, Social Work, and Town and Country Planning.
Notable alumni include singer Laura Mvula, comedian Frank Skinner, author Jim Crace and chairman of Morrison’s supermarkets Andrew Higginson.
