Northumbria scores full marks in National Student Survey

Northumbria University students have given five key courses top marks in the latest National Student Survey.

Students on the University’s Architecture, French Studies, Human and Social Geography and Mathematics and Statistics programmes gave a resounding 100% satisfaction rate, while Nursing at Northumbria was ranked the best in the sector with a score of 93%.

Initial Teacher Training, Information Services and Planning (Urban, Rural and Regional) and Iberian Studies were rated within the top 10 and Physical Geography and Environmental Sciences were rated in the top 15. Overall, half of the University’s programmes achieved satisfaction ratings of 90% or above.

In total, 86% of Northumbria students were satisfied with the quality of their course, with nine out of 10 saying they would recommend Northumbria to a friend.

The National Student Survey asks final year students at all UK universities and further education colleges to give honest feedback on what it’s been like to study on their chosen course.

Natalie-Dawn Hodgson, President of Northumbria

Students’ Union, said: “The National Student Survey offers our students the chance to reflect on their years at Northumbria. The fact that 91% of students would recommend our University as a place to study speaks volumes about the fantastic student experience here at Northumbria.”

More than 80% of Northumbria students felt that their programmes gave them the communication skills, confidence and personal development needed for their future careers. This is in line with recent figures which show Northumbria places the largest number of graduates from the North East into professional employment – helping rank Northumbria inside the top 10 universities in the UK for professional graduate employment.

Professor Andrew Wathey, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive of Northumbria University, said: “Investment in the student experience is delivering positive and visible benefits at Northumbria. We are continuing to combine academic quality and a real-world focus with leadingedge teaching and research.”

This success in the National Student Survey follows the most successful recruitment period in Northumbria’s history. In 2013, the university received a record breaking number of applicants, with more high-achieving students accepting places on courses than ever before.

Northumbria University has invested heavily in recent years in academic staff, many of whom have won awards for the quality of their teaching and research.

The University also has more employer partnerships than almost any other university in the country with more than 560 employer-sponsored courses and

60 programmes accredited by professional bodies.

Professor Wathey added: “This is a strongly encouraging result for Northumbria which shows the University moving forward with an increasing number of programmes achieving student satisfaction of over 90%, and positioned within the top quartile results in a larger number of disciplines.

“It is encouraging to see these results reflecting the University’s emerging position as an institution of choice for the best students from the North East and as the regional university with the highest percentage of graduates entering professional employment.”