HOUSE MESSAGING 2023-2026

HOUSE MESSAGING 2023-2026

Faculty, School and course messaging 2023

A collection of key messages you can use in your communications with our external audiences, from students and prospective students to teachers and our community partners.

WELCOME

Clear and consistent wording about who we are and what we stand for is essential if we are going to build our reputation and raise our profile with our external audiences. This guide will help you to do this when you are writing, presenting or talking about the University of Bedfordshire.

It is also there to help you if you are writing/presenting about the University and find yourself ‘lost for words’, offering a starting point or opening sentence from which to build.

This booklet comprises three sections:

• Our house (whole-University) messages, built around the nine Goals of our Transforming Bedfordshire Strategy 2021-2026 and offered in seven versions, to meet the needs and reflect the priorities of seven key audiences.

• The key messages that our Faculties, Schools and – in some cases – courses would like you to use when communicating about them to our external audiences.

• A guide to the current stats and facts about the University as a whole including its green credentials, research standing and success stories.

OUR HOUSE MESSAGES

There are nine University-wide house messages, developed from the nine Strategy Goals we have set ourselves. The Goals themselves are reflected in our Vision of ourselves as:

OUR NINE GOALS: MESSAGING AIMED AT STAFF

Goal 1: We will be a values-driven university, with a high-performance culture, providing an excellent student and staff experience in a vibrant and diverse academic community.

Goal 2: We will be a leading university for students’ opportunity and success, supporting students to achieve their best outcomes and preparing them for successful graduate-level employment.

Goal 3: We will enable students to thrive academically and personally, providing support for their needs and aspirations

Goal 4: We will deliver inspiring, expert and innovative teaching that is student focused, inclusive, provides challenge and leads to quality improvement.

Goal 5: Our research and innovation will enhance our reputation and make a positive impact on our teaching and our economic and civic role.

Goal 6: We celebrate the global community of the university, delivering a global perspective in our courses and an excellent experience for our international students.

Goal 7: As an anchor organisation, we will embrace our civic and economic role, taking pride in our positive engagement in the communities and sectors we support.

Goal 8: Our strategic partnerships will deliver mutual benefit in enhancing our teaching, research and wider engagement.

Goal 9: Environmental sustainability and the UN Sustainable Development Goals will inform our strategy and actions.

MESSAGING DEVELOPED FOR A GENERAL EXTERNAL AUDIENCE

We are committed to providing our students with a transformational University experience within a vibrant, diverse academic community.

Our students want to make their mark on the world. We put them on the path to success, supporting them to make the most of every opportunity.

Our students have high aspirations. We support them academically and personally to realise their dreams for the future.

Our expert academic teams are committed to delivering quality, student-focused teaching which nurtures talent, builds skills and prepares our students for graduate-level employment.

Our academics’ pioneering research has a direct impact on what our students learn, placing them at the leading edge of their subject. Our communities and the wider world also benefit from its impact.

With a student population from over 100 countries, we celebrate our diverse, inclusive cultural community and the global perspective we bring to our students’ education.

We are proud to be at the heart of our towns and communities, supporting local ventures and building strong relationships with our community partners. Our research has a lasting impact on our communities, driving growth and change.

We engage with our communities and widen our students’ opportunities through our network of partnerships

We are proud to be a ‘green’ University, committed to environmental sustainability and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

A vibrant, ambitious academic community, celebrating diversity and the transformative power of education.

HOUSE MESSAGING FOR SPECIFIC AUDIENCES

STUDENTS / PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS

1. We are committed to giving you a transformational student experience as part of our vibrant, diverse community.

2. You want to make your mark on the world. Whatever your dreams, we will support you on the path to success so you can make the most of every opportunity.

3. You want your degree to transform your life. We have high aspirations for you, too. We think you could change the world.

4. Our expert academic teams are committed to delivering quality, student-focused teaching, which will develop your skills, nurture your talent and prepare you for graduate-level employment in a job you love.

5. Our academics’ pioneering research has a direct impact on what you learn, placing you at the leading edge of your subject. Their research has a positive impact locally, nationally and in the wider world.

6. With students from over 100 countries, we’re an international community, able to build your global perspective as well as enriching your understanding of other cultures and communities.

7. We are proud to be at the heart of our towns and communitiessupporting local ventures, driving research initiatives and building strong relationships with our community partners - which add to your opportunities while at University and into the future.

8. We widen your opportunities, hone your skills and develop your potential through our wide network of partnerships.

9. We care about the world you will inherit and are proud to be a ‘green’ University, putting environmental sustainability at the heart of our planning and actions.

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS

1. We want to give you a life-changing UK learning experience within a community of students from over 100 countries.

2. Whatever your dreams for future success, we will help you make the most of every opportunity.

3. You want your degree to transform your life. We have high aspirations for you, too. We think you could change the world.

4. Our expert teaching focuses on you. We support you and challenge you so you can build your skills and confidence, ready to step into graduate-level employment.

5. Our academics’ pioneering research ensures your course offers the most current thinking in the field. Their research has a positive impact locally, nationally and internationally.

6. We celebrate the fact that the University is an international community, able to offer you a global course perspective and a supportive, culturally enriching life experience.

7. We are proud to be at the heart of our towns and communities, building strong partnerships to help you find your place in your UK home. Our research has a wide impact on our communities, driving growth and change.

8. When it comes to widening your employment opportunities, we think globally with international partners across the world.

9. We care about the world you will inherit and are proud to be a ‘green’ University, putting environmental sustainability at the heart of our planning and actions.

ALUMNI

1. We are committed to giving our students a transformational experience, within a vibrant, diverse community that includes our strong global network of alumni.

2. We are proud of our alumni and how they make their mark on the world. We are there to celebrate your successes and support you, wherever your journey takes you.

3. You took a degree to change your life. We have high aspirations for you, too: we think you could change the world.

4. As a visiting expert, you could inspire and challenge our students, developing their skills and preparing them for a graduate-level job they will love.

5. The pioneering research of our academics and postgraduate alumni ensures our students learn at the leading edge. Our research also has a positive impact locally, nationally and in the wider world.

6. With students from over 100 countries and a worldwide network of alumni, we are able to build our students’ global perspectives and opportunities as well as enriching their understanding of other cultures.

7. We are proud to be at the heart of our towns and communities, supporting local ventures, driving research initiatives and building strong relationships with our community partners, many of whom are alumni.

8. We engage with our communities and widen our students’ opportunities through our network of partnerships. We are proud to count many alumni among our partners.

9. We care about the world our students will inherit and are proud to be a ‘green’ University, putting environmental sustainability at the heart of our planning and actions.

PARENTS AND GUARDIANS

1. We are committed to giving your child a happy, transformational student experience within our supportive and diverse community.

2. You want your child to make their mark on the world. Whatever your dreams for them, we will support them on the path to success so your child can make the most of every opportunity.

3. You want your child’s degree to transform their life. We have high aspirations for them, too. We think they could change the world.

4. Our expert academic teams are committed to delivering quality, studentfocused teaching that will develop your child’s skills, nurture their talent and prepare them for graduate-level employment.

5. Our academics’ pioneering research has a direct impact on what your child learns, placing them at the leading edge of their subject. Their research has a positive impact locally, nationally and in the wider world.

6. With students from over 100 countries and a worldwide network, we’re able to build your child’s global perspective and opportunities as well as enriching their understanding of other cultures.

7. We are at the heart of our towns and communities, building strong relationships with our local partners that add to your child’s opportunities while at University and into the future.

8. We widen your child’s choices, hone their skills and develop their potential through our wide network of partnerships.

9. We care about the world your child will inherit and are proud to be a ‘green’ University, putting environmental sustainability at the heart of our planning and actions.

EMPLOYERS

1. We are committed to offering our students a transformational experience: we develop their skills, prepare them for employment and give them the confidence to fulfil their dreams.

2. Our students want to make their mark on the world. We put them on the path to success, preparing them to hit the ground running in the graduate-level job of their dreams.

3. Our graduates have high aspirations - for themselves and your company/ business/ organisation etc. Their skills could change your future.

4. Our expert academic teams are committed to delivering quality, studentfocused teaching which nurtures talent, builds skills and prepares students for graduate-level employment.

5. Our academics’ pioneering research has a direct impact on what our students learn, placing them at the leading edge of their subject. Our communities, partners and the wider world also benefit from its impact.

6. With students from over 100 countries, we are an international community, able to build our students’ global perspectives as well as enriching their understanding of other cultures and communities.

7. We are proud to be at the heart of our towns and communities, supporting local ventures, driving research initiatives and building strong relationships with our community partners.

8. We engage with our communities and widen our students’ opportunities through our wide network of partnerships.

9. We care about the world your children will inherit and are proud to be a ‘green’ University, putting environmental sustainability at the heart of our planning and actions.

EDUCATORS AND STUDENT ADVISERS

1. We are a vibrant, diverse community, committed to giving your students an academic experience that will engage their minds, excite their imaginations and transform their lives.

2. Like you, we want our students to make their mark on the world, whatever their dreams for the future. At Bedfordshire, we can put them on the path to success so they make the most of every opportunity.

3. You have high aspirations for your students, We do, too, and will support them academically and personally to realise their dreams for the future.

4. Our academic teams are committed to delivering quality, studentfocused teaching which nurtures talent, builds skills and prepares your students for graduate-level employment.

5. Our academics’ pioneering research has a direct impact on what your students will learn, placing them at the leading edge of their subject. Our communities, partners and the wider world also benefit from its impact.

6. With a student population from over 100 countries, we celebrate our diverse, inclusive cultural community and the global perspective we can bring to your students’ education.

7. We are proud to be at the heart of our towns and communities, supporting local ventures, driving research initiatives and building strong relationships with our community partners, which include over 500 schools across our region.

8. We engage with our communities and can widen your students’ opportunities through our network of partnerships.

9. We care about the world your students will inherit and are proud to be a ‘green’ University, putting environmental sustainability at the heart of our planning and actions.

COMMUNITY AND OTHER STAKEHOLDERS

1. The University is a vibrant, diverse community, committed to offering our students a transformational experience that will engage their minds, excite their imaginations and give them the confidence to fulfil their dreams.

2. Our students want to make their mark on the world. We put them on the path to success, supporting them so they can make the most of every opportunity.

3. Our students have high aspirations so we support them academically and personally to make their dreams a reality.

4. Our expert academic teams are committed to delivering student-focused teaching which nurtures talent, builds skills and prepares students for graduate-level employment.

5. Our academics’ pioneering research has a direct impact on our communities, partners and the wider world. It also ensures our students learn at the leading edge of their subject.

6. With students from over 100 countries, we are an international community, able to build our students’ global perspectives as well as enriching their understanding of other cultures and communities.

7. We are proud to be at the heart of our towns and communities, supporting local ventures and events, driving research initiatives and building strong relationships with our community partners.

8. We widen our students’ opportunities, hone their skills and develop their potential through our wide network of partnerships.

9. We care about the world our students and your children will inherit, and are proud to be a ‘green’ University, putting environmental sustainability at the heart of our planning and actions.

FACULTY AND SCHOOL MESSAGING

On the following pages, you will find the key messages (also sometimes called unique selling points or USPs) that Faculties and Schools wish to communicate externally about themselves. These messages celebrate the excellence of a Faculty or School’s provision, courses, academics, research, partnerships, awards and so on. They have been provided by the Faculty or School itself and are updated regularly.

We have used colour coding to help you find the Faculty/School you are looking for: purple for Business; orange for Creative Arts, Technology and Science; dark green for Education, English and Sport; and blue for Health and Social Sciences.

If you read your Faculty and/or School messaging and find something that is out of date, or you would like a message added, please contact: Erika Harvey, ROAM Copywriter, at erika.harvey@beds.ac.uk.

UNIVERSITY OF BEDFORDSHIRE BUSINESS SCHOOL

• Our expanding global community of academics and students encompasses some 5,000 students on campus and over 4,000 students studying for a University of Bedfordshire degree worldwide, across our 14 partner institutions.

• We are recognised for our economic, societal and educational impact, delivering degrees across four continents and through 14 educational partnerships developed over a 15-year period.

• We are the first UK Business School to be recognised internationally for our impact on the world around us, as measured by BSIS (Business School Impact System).

• We are recognised by the European Foundation for Management Development (EFMD) for our global impact.

• We are signatories of the United Nations Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME), aligning with the six major principles of management and meeting sustainable development goals.

• We are proud of our state-of-the-art learning facilities including a business analytics suite; Harvard Business Publishing providing access to advanced business and aviation simulations; and a trading room with live ‘stock market’ data.

• Our courses are designed to provide opportunities for involvement on live projects, with regular engagement with industry.

• Our courses are accredited by professional, statutory and regulatory bodies including the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD); Association of Practising Accountants (APA); Association of International Accountants (AIA); Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT); Association

of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA); Chartered Institute of Marketing (CIM); Association of Project Management (APM).

• In 2018, we were re-awarded Small Business Charter accreditation which recognises our continued work with small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

• We enrich our students’ experience and provide challenge via student societies; placements and internships; field trips to companies such as Airbus and Emirates Airline; and opportunities to enter national competitions.

• Our academics engage in impactful and responsible research with national and international consortiums and other educational institutions.

• Our specialist research directly benefits communities and informs policy development locally, nationally and internationally.

• Examples of our research impact include REAMIT, improving the resources efficiency of agribusiness supply chains by minimising waste using internet of things sensors; AWARE, supporting women’s entrepreneurial activity in the European agri-food sector; and a project examining the role of business analytics and environmental scanning in strategic decision making.

• Working with the University’s Research and Innovation Service, we offer comprehensive development packages to businesses, from start-ups to established corporations, to assist them in up-skilling and innovating.

• Companies that have benefited from our business development packages include Vauxhall; Drax Technology; the Royal Air Force; Luton and Bedford Borough Councils; and a range of national charities.

LAW

• Our Law courses cover all the Foundations of Legal Knowledge subjects and allow you to progress to the professional stage of Bar training.

• We are one of only seven Universities partnered with the National Association of Licensed Paralegals (NALP), offering a dual qualification: LLB (Hons) Law and Higher Diploma in Paralegal Studies.

• As a Bedfordshire Law student, you benefit from our unique partnership with the University of Law, who provide SQE preparation workshops, a streamlined application process, bespoke networking opportunities, employability events, an exclusive £250 fee reduction and other scholarship opportunities.

• Take up the opportunity of six months’ guaranteed qualifying work experience, counting towards your qualification as a solicitor, when you complete our new Legal Practice unit.

• Gain hands-on experience of real legal work, helping those in need, through our community Law Clinic, our Family Law Project and our award-winning Refugee Legal Assistance Project.

• Practise court proceedings in an authentic setting with our simulated modern Moot Court at the Luton campus and Harvard-style rooms at the Bedford campus.

FACULTY OF CREATIVE ARTS, TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE

SCHOOL OF ARTS AND CREATIVE INDUSTRIES ART AND DESIGN

• We pride ourselves on running inspirational courses that keep pace with fast-developing technologies in the field and develop creative thinking as a key to the world of work.

• Our courses are designed with employability in mind, building in real-world projects; meeting and learning from industry professionals; and opportunities for professional practice and preparation.

• Our students work on live briefs, submit for national competitions and participate in collaborative projects with leading art and design practitioners.

• We hold weekly World of Work guest talks from creative-industry professionals, who share their insight and knowledge into working as an artist or designer.

• All three years of our courses include opportunities for visits to artist and design studios, galleries, museums and exhibitions.

• All our courses have a four-year option to include a Foundation Year.

• We work collaboratively across courses, encouraging wider creative thinking and ideas.

• All Arts course tutors are practising and exhibiting artists and photographers.

• Our BA (Hons) Photography students benefit from high-spec facilities and equipment including a professional darkroom and photo studio; a digital darkroom for industry-level post-production; excellent analogue and digital cameras; a wide range of camera formats; and large-scale inkjet printers.

• Students have the opportunity to gain real work experience projects for the University and local businesses as well as Guildford Street Press, our professional design studio.

• We are members of the British Fashion Council, The Association of Fashion and Textiles Courses, the Council for Higher Education in Art and Design, the Association of Illustrators and AA2A (Artists Access to Art Colleges), enhancing students’ opportunities to make creative industry connections and build employability.

• Interior Architecture and Interior Design students benefit from the courses’ professional connections with the British Institute of Interior Design (BIID) and BREEAM (the world-leading certification system for sustainably built environments).

• Students develop their practice using our spacious studios and facilities in Alexon House, the previous home of the Alexon and Eastex fashion company.

MEDIA AND CULTURE

• Learn your craft from an experienced team of industry professionals, with input from visiting experts currently working at high levels in their fields, using our high-spec, multi-camera television studios; industry-standard radio facilities; specialist make-up studios; newsroom; and a variety of quality equipment.

• Our courses give you the chance to develop your skills by making or contributing to your own programmes or events; working within the local community; contributing across courses to work in industry-style collaborations; and developing individual transferable skills.

• Graduates have gone on to work on or in top TV shows, films and stage productions such as The X Factor, Gogglebox, The Apprentice, Dr Who, The Graham Norton Show, Game of Thrones and My Fair Lady, and have won awards in different fields.

• We bring the creative industries to you, with regular, exciting opportunities to meet visiting, industry-active professionals, from TV producers and make-up artists to published writers and key performers.

• We run an award-winning community radio station and have award-winning lecturers - such as Terry Lee and his award-winning Fantastic Noise podcast.

• Our Ofcom-licensed local community radio service, RadioLaB, is run by students for students and the local community, and is available on FM as well as online.

• You have the opportunity to work on BedsTV, our in-house TV station, and can take a threemonth internship as station manager after the course has finished.

• Our Radio and Audio BA (Hons) expands with the medium, bringing in podcasts, social media and independent content producers.

• Our Creative Writing BA (Hons) course is open to a wide range of writing forms and genres, with specialist pathways in speculative genre writing (especially, though not exclusively, fantasy and horror); innovative writing; and scriptwriting for the screen.

• Students of our BA (Hons) Sports Journalism can work for our in-house sports TV channel Bulls TV and provide coverage for our Bedfordshire Bulls sports teams.

• Our BA (Hons) Media Performance equips you for screen and stage acting; voice artistry; presenting for TV and online; scriptwriting; directing; radio producing and podcasting; and production management for stage and screen.

• We have a strong track record in getting our MA Television Production students work in the industry. Our alumni have gone on to work for programmes such as Britain’s Got Talent, Married at First Sight, The Jonathan Ross Show, Strictly Come Dancing and Game of Thrones. They have also entered the film industry, including James Bond: No Time To Die and Mission: Impossible 7.

• On our FdA Media Make-up and Character Design course, you learn up-to-the-minute make-up and hair for all ethnicities and genders, producing multi-skilled, industry-ready professionals.

• Our BA (Hons) Make-up for Fashion and Media (top up) allows you to work towards professional briefs with experts in the fields of trauma, fashion, special effects, stage and media make-up and hair. Experts include former BBC directors, theatre company producers, London Fashion Week artists, and TV drama make-up artists.

PERFORMING ARTS

• The Performing Arts cluster at the University of Bedfordshire ranges across acting, dance and performing arts degrees at undergraduate level and dance, performance and choreography at postgraduate level.

• Be inspired and learn your craft with our highly experienced teaching team and visiting directors, artists, choreographers and performance companies.

• Develop your skills and creative practice while realising your performance work in our professional-standard performing arts spaces: four fully equipped, spacious dance studios; an 80-seat black-box theatre; and 280-seat professional theatre.

• Learn key employability skills, enabling you to navigate the performing arts industry and create your own opportunities as a freelance artist/practitioner.

• Our courses emphasise wellbeing in and through creative and performance practices, nurturing you to become a skilled, independent creative who shapes their own career.

• Our graduates run their own companies and work as performers, creatives, producers, teachers and community practitioners. They have also used the transferable skills they have gained to build careers in the fitness and wellbeing industry; in children’s entertainment; and as arts administrators, fundraisers and researchers.

• Our courses sustain high levels of satisfaction in the NSS, scoring over 90% in many areas, including 97% for teaching and 98% for learning opportunities (Dance NSS 2022)

• As a BA (Hons) Acting student, you work with visiting professional directors whose companies draw down substantial Arts Council funds - so they become the people who will form the backbone of your professional network.

• Students on our Dance and Professional Practice degree course have significant performance opportunities both within the course and as part of extracurricular projects with staff, partners and visiting artists.

• On our BA (Hons) Performing Arts, you work with industry professionals and learn entrepreneurial skills that will help you find, apply for and create your own opportunities in this exciting and diverse field.

• Our MA Dance Performance and Choreography has a unique emphasis on your development as a dance artist in the context of dance science, somatics and health.

• All MA students join the repertory performance company and learn works by leading choreographers; undertake a performance and teaching tour; and have the opportunity to develop their own choreographic practice.

• Master’s courses emphasise practice as research and the informed, reflective, curious and healthy dancer in action as a performing artist and teacher.

SCHOOL OF COMPUTER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

• Our courses look to the future with use of artificial intelligence, automotive engineering and robotics equipment.

• Our computing courses are accredited to the British Computer Society (BCS).

• Our electronic engineering course is accredited to the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).

• Our Construction courses score highly for teaching; academic support; organisation and management; and overall satisfaction (NSS, 2022), with a 100% satisfaction rating for academic support.

SCHOOL OF LIFE SCIENCES

• Our academics are involved in real-world research, leading the way in areas such as COVID-19 testing technology, autoimmune disease, obesity, cancer pathways and global food security.

• Our staff’s research expertise feeds directly back into their teaching, creating a vibrant, practice-based learning environment.

• Our graduates are employed by leading-edge pharma-biotech, food and health companies such as Glaxo Smith Kline, AstraZeneca, MSD-Merck, Dettol, Cytiva-GE Healthcare, and the Medicines & Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency as well as NHS Trusts and universities in the UK and internationally.

• We work with leading employers including Glaxo Smith Kline, Medicines & Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, Nelson’s Natural Healthcare and Cellmark Forensics to make sure our forward-thinking courses are aligned to both the needs of industry and society.

• We host an annual STEM Careers Expo, bringing together employers and students through presentations, workshops and networking sessions.

• Our academics are involved in real-world research, leading the way in areas such as enhanced robot technology; nano-robotics in cancer cell exploration; carbon emission reduction; and digital health initiatives.

• Our staff’s research expertise feeds back into their teaching, creating a supportive learning environment and practice-based training.

• Our specialist facilities include computer networking suites; games, animation and graphics studios; high-spec laboratories for engineering, IT security, telecommunications, robotics, and laser and optics; and a machine and product design workshop.

• By combining different disciplines, many of our postgraduate courses – such as Microbiology in Public Health, Pharmacology with Data Analytics and Biotechnology with Project Management – are designed to meet industry and employer needs.

• Our links with organisations and employers across a range of sectors ensure our postgraduate students develop practical workplace skills and opportunities to grow.

• Our students’ postgraduate study is led by teaching staff who are experts in their fields, actively involved at the cutting edge of research.

• Our BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science course is accredited to the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS).

• Our BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science students have won the Microbiology Society Award for ‘Scholarship in Microbiology’ four years in a row.

• Our students have won Best Performing Student by both the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) and the Royal Society of Biology (RSB).

SCHOOL OF PSYCHOLOGY

• Our science-focused undergraduate and postgraduate courses are accredited by the British Psychological Society.

• Our staff’s research and practice expertise directly informs their teaching, creating a vibrant, supportive learning environment focused on helping all our students thrive and flourish.

• To help support the journey into higher education, many of our psychology courses offer a Foundation Year which helps you develop academic skills and guarantees entry to the degree course.

• If you choose to include a Professional Practice Year in your course, our links with organisations across a range of sectors ensure you have the challenging and enjoyable prospect of applying your psychological knowledge and skills in practice while gaining valuable workplace experience.

• As an undergraduate student, you have numerous opportunities to develop your professional research skills throughout your course. These include working on cutting-edge research projects with our academic staff through our Junior Research Institute, and presenting your supervised research to your peers and psychology professionals at our annual Student Research Conference.

• We offer an accredited postgraduate conversion course for those who have achieved an undergraduate degree in a different subject but wish to pursue a career in psychology. The course provides the opportunity to gain an accredited qualification in psychology, enabling students to continue their professional psychology training.

• Our postgraduate taught courses equip you with the knowledge and skills needed to achieve the recognised first stage of training to become a practitioner psychologist.

• Our courses are reviewed and developed in conjunction with industry professionals from the NHS, mental health support and commercial organisations to ensure they are aligned with the needs of a range of employers, opening up a variety of career pathways.

• Our graduates have chosen a variety of career paths with some working in human resources; running their own coaching consultancies; or employed within the private and public sectors (including the NHS, police and probation service) in roles including health, counselling and forensic psychologist; assistant psychologist; research assistant; counsellor; psychotherapist; psychological well-being practitioner; mental health nurse; and academic.

• Our academics and postgraduate research students work on ground-breaking research including brain processes and memory; adolescent alcohol consumption; somatic pain and acupuncture; and fear of crime among parents with young children.

• We have high-spec, modern equipment to aid your learning such as eye-tracking software; a driving simulator; KAT Walk omnidirectional VR slide mills; EEG recording equipment; and a video-editing suite.

FACULTY OF EDUCATION, ENGLISH AND SPORT

SCHOOL OF EDUCATION AND ENGLISH

• Our courses are situated at the University of Bedfordshire’s Bedford campus, a small, thriving academic community where academic staff get to know you well and provide individual academic support.

• We offer small groups and personalised learning that is highly student centred.

• Benefit from being taught by research-active academics who are experts in their field, many of whom have published widely in their respective areas.

• If you study English with us, you have access to the Hockliffe Collection, a unique collection of 18th- and 19th-century children’s books, as well as our Cinderella archive of books, scripts, designs, theatrical memorabilia and ephemera relating to the Cinderella story.

• If you are studying an Early Years, SEND or Primary course, you benefit from access to our on-campus Forest School and specialist sensory centre as well as other bespoke teacher facilities.

• Our range of course options – which include part-time study, Foundation degrees and one-year top-up degrees – offer opportunities for flexible study, working around your work and family commitments.

• Our Centre for Research in English Language Learning & Assessment (CRELLA) is recognised nationally and internationally as a leading centre for research into language learning and assessment.

• Students of our BA (Hons) Early Childhood and Early Years Education benefit from University-organised placements: 80 days over the course of the degree in settings across the age range (birth to 7 years).

• Our Early Childhood Education course offers a DfE-recognised Graduate Practitioner qualification alongside the degree course.

• We have an International pathway in Early Years Education offering integrated teaching with home students.

• Our BA (Hons) Education and Sociology combines expertise from our School of Education and English and our School of Applied Social Sciences.

• With our BA (Hons) English, students have the opportunity to gain TEFLi status, which will help you start a career in language schools in the UK and worldwide.

• Our Certificate in ELT offers a professional initial TEFL teacher status qualification, comparable to CELTA (TEFLi status follows British Council regulations).

• With our MA Applied Linguistics (TESOL), students gain an advanced level, internationally recognised professional status as a fully qualified TEFL teacher (TEFL Q status follows British Council regulations).

• Our MA Education courses offer a range of full-time and part-time pathways to meet your career development needs while fitting around your family and work commitments.

SCHOOL OF TEACHER EDUCATION

• The University of Bedfordshire is one of the largest providers of teacher education in the region.

• The University of Bedfordshire has a long, successful history of teacher education going back to 1882.

• The University of Bedfordshire has a legacy in training physical education teachers going back to 1903.

• We have well-established links with more than 500 schools across the eastern region, a network that puts us at the forefront of educational developments.

• Our teaching courses are practice based: you complete your teacher training through classroom experience at placements in our partner schools around the region.

• Over 90% of our students are employed within the first six months of graduation.

• 80% of time on our Primary and Secondary PGCE courses is spent in placement schools.

• We can prepare you for teaching across the educational stages, from Primary 3-7 and 5-11 to Secondary.

• Our Bedford campus boasts bespoke modern facilities for teacher training including our Teacher Education Centre with realistic mock classrooms and a blended-learning, multimedia space for webinars and podcasting; a Forest School for training in outdoor learning and play; and a specialist sensory building for teaching SEND and Early Years courses.

• You learn with experienced tutors who have a wealth of experience in building trainee competence and confidence across all subjects.

• We provide trainees with excellent, experienced student support via personal tutors, subject and/or placement mentors, and coordinators.

• Develop leadership and management skills, along with an ability to communicate effectively with children, parents/carers, colleagues and other professionals.

• We not only offer PGCE routes into teaching but also England’s first Integrated Master’s in Physical Education with QTS.

• Our BA (Hons) Primary Education (with QTS) offers up to four ‘Broadening Experience’ placements in Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS); Key Stage 3; a placement related to your chosen elective; and a final personalised placement.

SCHOOL OF SPORT SCIENCE AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

• The University of Bedfordshire has a legacy in physical training going back to 1903.

• Our courses focus on building your employability: 97% of our graduates are in work or study six months after finishing.

• Our courses rank 12th for employability (The Guardian University Guide 2022).

• We rank 51st out of 122 universities for sport (The Guardian University Guide 2022).

• Most of our courses have either external accreditation and/or embedded professional standard qualifications.

• Our courses are accredited or endorsed by the British Association of Sport Rehabilitators and Trainers (BASRaT); the British Association of Sport and Exercise Sciences (BASES); the Association for Nutrition; and the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA).

• We increase the employability of our graduates by being a Higher Education Partner of the Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity (CIMSPA).

• Our students benefit from opportunities for placements with our official partners Luton Town FC and Bedford Blues RFC as well as other sporting organisations.

• Our BSc (Hons) Strength and Conditioning is one of the only degrees in the UK to embed into the programme gym instruction, personal training, S&C training, graduate S&C coaching and working with people who have long-term conditions – at no extra cost.

• Graduates of our BA (Hons) Football Studies, Business or Coaching courses have gone on to secure roles across the football sector including FIFA and professional football clubs in the UK and overseas.

• Our up-to-the-minute facilities include six BASES-accredited sport and exercise science laboratories; our Human Performance Centre; a nutrition research kitchen; two molecular and cellular physiology labs; and a sports therapy and rehabilitation centre with a sports injury clinic.

• Our Human Performance Centre helps train professional athletes including triathlete Lucy Charles Barclay and Team GB.

• The heat chamber at our Human Performance Centre is regularly used to acclimatise athletes taking on competitions and marathons in places with high temperatures.

• Our alumni include Maggie Alphonsi, world-class, award-winning rugby player, and Mallory Franklin, one of the first women to compete in the canoeing slalom C-1 event at the Tokyo Olympics.

FACULTY OF HEALTH AND SOCIAL SCIENCES

SCHOOL OF APPLIED SOCIAL SCIENCES

• Our School’s postgraduate research on forced migration, human trafficking and unaccompanied children has directly influenced policy-making and improved the protection of vulnerable migrants.

• Our academics publish frequently, including books and articles in world-leading academic journals, and also feature regularly in local and national media.

• Our BA (Hons) Professional Policing degree is licensed by the College of Policing, the professional body for the police service in England and Wales. Once you graduate, you can apply for a role as a police officer in England and Wales.

• Our brand-new mock-custody suite prepares you for real-life police settings and situations.

• Our BA (Hons) Childhood and Youth Studies ranked 7th for overall student satisfaction and 2nd for Graduate Outcomes (Prospects and On-Track), out of 49 higher education institutions offering the subject (Complete University Guide 2023).

• Final-year students studying BA (Hons) Childhood and Youth Studies can take on accredited training leading to a Certificate in Safeguarding.

• Our BSc (Hons) Criminology and BSc (Hons) Criminology and Sociology students have the opportunity to study at postgraduate level at the Vauxhall Centre for the Study of Crime.

• The #SASS Changemaker programme has seen our students engage with local community groups, policy makers, researchers and leading experts on topics including a conference to launch ‘Pathways’, a film produced by a PG criminology student; a discussion forum on policing and youth; a day celebrating and learning about the Windrush Generation; and a Women’s Day event around female health.

• The youth work pathway in our MA Childhood, Youth and Family Studies is validated by the National Youth Agency.

• Students who study on our MSc Integrated Healthcare and Strategic Leadership can achieve recognition with the UK Chartered Management Institute.

SCHOOL OF NURSING, MIDWIFERY AND HEALTH EDUCATION

• 100% of our graduates went into employment 2021/2022.

• We have state-of-the-art facilities including new simulation labs so you can tackle real-life scenarios in a safe and supported environment.

• All our nursing and midwifery courses are regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

• Our academic team are research active and have published widely in their fields, in journals including the British Dental Journal, British Journal of Nursing, Journal of Psychiatric Mental Health, Journal of Social Work and Nurse Education Today.

• Our courses are supported by visiting lecturers who are clinical specialists, providing you with the latest research and practice in their field.

• You spend at least 50% of your time in practice with our healthcare partners on the majority of our courses, building your skills and experience.

• Our strong links with healthcare providers mean you can secure a local practice placement in Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire or Berkshire.

SCHOOL OF SOCIETY, COMMUNITY AND HEALTH

• We have cutting-edge simulation suites that you will use to practise clinical skills and social-work interventions with adults, children and families.

• 95% of our professional course students are employed in their chosen profession, working in either health or social care settings.

• The majority of our students graduate with an additional professional qualification that will gain them entry to an allied health or social services profession.

• Our professional courses have small cohorts so you are able to build safe, supportive relationships with other students and your academic team.

• Our Paramedic Science BSc (Hons) has been developed in partnership with the East of England Ambulance Service and is accredited by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), along with all our allied health provision.

• Our Social Work courses are accredited by Social Work England.

• We offer social work students practice-learning opportunities through the Centre for Development of Social Care Practice, a joint venture with Luton Council aimed at recruiting and developing the next generation of social workers.

• Our BSc (Hons) Physiotherapy is accredited by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists and our BSc (Hons) Occupational Therapy is accredited by the Royal College of Occupational Therapists.

• In 2022, our BSc Social Work courses ranked first nationally for student satisfaction in The Guardian league table

• In 2022, our BSc Operating Department Practice received one of the highest student satisfaction NSS ratings in the University.

• Drawing on the popularity of our MSc Public Health, we have expanded our undergraduate provision to offer a BSc (Hons) Public Health from September 2023.

• All academic staff in the School are active in research or practice, ensuring the lectures they deliver are up to date and prepare you for the realities of the workplace.

• Relationships are at the heart of all we do in the School: we care about our students and work in partnership with them to ensure a positive learning experience for all.

BEST OF BEDS 2023

If you need to make an update to the Faculty, School or course key messages, please contact: Erika Harvey, ROAM Copywriter, at erika.harvey@beds.ac.uk