University of Sheffield

About the University of Sheffield

The University of Sheffield (informally Sheffield University) is a public research university in Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. It received its royal charter in 1905 as successor to the University College of Sheffield, which was established in 1897 by the merger of Sheffield Medical School (founded in 1828), Firth College (1879) and Sheffield Technical School (1884).

Sheffield is a multi-campus university predominantly over two campus areas: the Western Bank and the St George's. The university is organised into five academic faculties composed of multiple departments. It had 18,975 undergraduate and 8,220 postgraduate students in 2014/15.

The university is widely recognised as a leading research and teaching university both in the UK and in the world. The QS World University Rankings 2015-16 placed Sheffield as the 80th university worldwide and 16th in the UK. In 2011, Sheffield was named 'University of the Year' in the Times Higher Education awards. The Times Higher Education Student Experience Survey 2014 ranked the University of Sheffield 1st for student experience, social life, university facilities and accommodation, among other categories.

It is one of the original red brick universities, a member of the Russell Group of research-intensive universities, the Worldwide Universities Network, the N8 Group of the eight most research intensive universities in Northern England and the White Rose University Consortium. There are five Nobel Prize winners amongst Sheffield alumni and academics.

• Faculty of Arts and Humanities

  The Arts and Humanities encourage us to reflect on what it means to be human, helping us to become active citizens in our communities. We reflect critically on all aspects of human society and culture, past, present, and future, and on the process of reflection itself. We investigate cultures near and far, their ideas, languages, texts and artefacts. Working individually and collaboratively, we continue to develop innovative methods of enquiry within and across discipline. Created when the University restructured in 2008, we are one of five faculties within the University of Sheffield. The faculty hosts the following departments:

• Faculty of Engineering

  We are one of the biggest and best providers of engineering research and education in the UK, with over 5,000 students and an annual research income of over £65m. Our expertise is extensive, with seven academic departments and two interdisciplinary programme areas covering all the engineering disciplines.

  We ensure we have the world’s experts undertaking research and teaching our students. This is underpinned by a firm commitment to growth and excellence, delivering the best facilities for our students to become the world-class engineers of tomorrow.Through cutting-edge research and strong partnerships with industry leaders globally, such as Boeing, Siemens and Rolls-Royce, our academics tackle the biggest challenges facing the modern world through an increasingly collaborative and multidisciplinary approach. We have already experienced great success as a faculty and we intend to build on that. Our vision is to compete to be the best engineering faculty in the UK and to be amongst the best in the world.

• Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health

  The Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health is one of the major UK centres for education and research in health and related subjects. With origins dating back to 1828, the faculty has a long-standing tradition of excellence in clinical education and research. For clinical medicine, we are in the top 10 of the UK Russell Group for combined world leading and internationally excellent outputs. Biomedical research from our Faculty and the Faculty of Science was ranked No 1 for world-leading quality in the UK

• Faculty of Science

  The Faculty of Science is the home of science at the University of Sheffield. It is made up seven departments that span the classical science subjects of biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics and psychology. We are dedicated, through our research, to understanding ourselves, our world and its place in the universe. At the same time, we are training a new generation of experts to find solutions to the problems that science can solve.

• Faculty of Social Sciences

  The Faculty of Social Sciences has a longstanding reputation for delivering world class research. Our research addresses the major challenges facing society and our ideas are leading academic debates internationally and shaping policy and practice across the globe. Consistently over the last twenty years our departments have been ranked at the very top in UK research assessments. The work of our academics is highly cited; the Faculty of Social Sciences is currently ranked in the top ten for citations amongst the UK leading research intensive universities. The impact of our research is exemplary and is recognised by national research council prizes and international awards.

  We are working extensively with non-academic organisations and joining forces with a network of international partners. We are also developing innovative new research methods and our work is at the leading edge in the co-production of knowledge and in exploring the potential of big data.This excellence underpins all that we do as a Faculty; our world-class research drives and enhances our teaching. We strive to make an impact, to further and discover knowledge, and to develop research and graduates to be proud of.  

• International Faculty - City College, Thessaloniki

  The University of Sheffield International Faculty, CITY College, is one of the six faculties within the University and the only one operating overseas. Bridging the UK with the South East and Eastern Europe, the International Faculty offers to students the unique opportunity to study for a top class British degree of the University of Sheffield in their region. Stretched across borders, the International Faculty embraces internationalisation and gives to its students the experiences, curricula and traditions of the University. We aspire to transfer knowledge, in-depth research and academic excellence across the region through our education hubs.

  With its main campus located in Thessaloniki, Greece, the International Faculty consists of four academic departments - the Business Administration & Economics Department, the Psychology Department, the Computer Science Department and the English Studies Department - and offers a wide range of undergraduate, postgraduate and Research degree programmes in the disciplines of Business Studies, Psychology, Computer Science and English Studies. Today, apart from Thessaloniki, the Faculty also offers the University’s programmes in a number of other locations across South East and Eastern Europe, namely Sofia (Bulgaria), Belgrade (Serbia), Bucharest (Romania), Kyiv (Ukraine) and Yerevan (Armenia) and is continuously expanding, dedicated to its outreach mission.

  Academic research represents the backbone of our philosophy and practice. The International Faculty fosters and promotes cutting-edge interdisciplinary research and innovation, providing a supporting environment for the academic staff’s research activities within all academic departments. To further promote research, we have established the South East European Research Centre (SEERC), which carries out substantial research within the region. The dynamic international environment of the University of Sheffield International Faculty comprises students and highly qualified faculty members from more than 15 countries. This unique mixture adds even more to the overall learning experience in a truly unique international environment.

History of the University of Sheffield

Origins

The University of Sheffield was originally formed by the merger of three colleges. The Sheffield School of Medicine was founded in 1828, followed in 1879 by the opening of Firth College, which developed out of the Cambridge University Extension Movement scheme, by Mark Firth, a steel manufacturer, to teach arts and science subjects. Firth College then helped to fund the opening of the Sheffield Technical School in 1884 to teachapplied science, the only major faculty the existing colleges did not cover. The Sheffield Technical School was found to arouse local concern about the need for technical training, particularly steelmaking in Sheffield, and the school moved to St George's Square in 1886. The three institutions merged in 1897 to form the University College of Sheffield by Royal Charter. Sheffield was the only large city in England without a University. Steelworkers, coal miners, factory workers and the people of Sheffield donated over £50,000 in 1904 to help found the University of Sheffield.

Royal charter

It was originally envisaged that the University College would join Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds as the fourth member of the federal Victoria University. However, the Victoria University began to split up as independent universities before this could happen and so the University College of Sheffield received its own Royal Charter on 31 May 1905 and became the University of Sheffield. In July 1905, Firth Court on Western Bank was opened by King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra. St George's Square remained the centre of departments of Applied Science, and the departments of Arts, Medicine and Science moved to Western Bank. Sheffield is one of the six red brick universities, the civic universities founded in the major industrial cities of England.

Development since 1905

In 1905, there were 114 full-time students, and the first Hall of Residence (Stephenson Hall) and library (Edgar Allen library) had been established by then. The number of students increased to a short-lived peak of 1000 in 1919. During World War I, some of the academic subjects and courses were replaced by teaching of munitions making and medical appliances production. Rather than from a single centre, the university has expanded since the 1920s from two ends, the Firth Court on Western Bank and the Sir Frederick Mappin Building on the St George's site.

In 1943, the University Grants Committee announced that universities in the UK should look forward to expansion in the years after the World War II. Sheffield predicted a 50% increase in student population but the university was unprepared for such growth. There was pressure on the university to expand since the student numbers had increased from around 1000 to 3000 by 1946. The university announced proposals for development in 1947, which emphasised the need for new departments, medical school, library, administration building, halls of residence, as well as the completion of the Western Bank Quadrangles and the extension of the Students’ Union.

The university then grew slowly until the 1950s and 1960s when it began to expand rapidly. Many new buildings (including the Main Library and the Arts Tower) were built and older houses were brought into academic use. Student numbers increased to their present levels of just under 26,000. At the same time in the 1950s, the university was expanding at other sites, including the St Georges area. From the 1960s, many more buildings have been constructed or extended, including the Union of Students and St George's Library. The campus master plan proposed in the 1940s was completed by the 1970s, and the university required a new development plan.

The 1980s saw the opening of many new buildings and centres, such as the multi-purpose Octagon Centre and the Sir Henry Stephenson Building. The university's teaching hospital, Northern General Hospital, was also extended. In 1987 the University began to collaborate with its once would-be partners of the Victoria University by co-founding the Northern Consortium; a coalition for the education and recruitment of international students.

1990s onwards

The university continued to expand in the 1990s. New premises were opened for School of the Clinical Dentistry, the Division of Education, and the Management School. In 1995, the University took over the Sheffield and North Trent College of Nursing and Midwifery, the St George's Hospital was extended and a new building at the Northern General Hospital has been constructed, which greatly increased the size of the medical faculty. In 2005, the South Yorkshire Strategic Health Authority announced that it would split the training between Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University – however, the University decided to pull out of providing preregistration nursing and midwifery training due to "costs and operational difficulties".

In the 21st century, the University opened many more major buildings, such as the Jessop Building, the Soundhouse, Jessop West and the Information Commons. The Arts Tower building, the Students' Union and University House buildings, the Sheffield Bioincubator and University Health Centre were also refurbished. A new six-storey building, the Diamond, was opened on 28 September 2015. In February 2016, the university started to work with Sheffield City Council to transform public spaces around the campus. The £8 million project includes building and improving pedestrianisation, crossings, cycle routes, as well as greening the campus.

Accreditation

• Institutional Accreditation or Recognition - Privy Council
• Year of first Accreditation - 1905

Rankings

• The university has been described by The Times as one of the powerhouses of British higher education.
• The University is a member of the Russell Group, the European University Association, the Worldwide Universities Networkand the White Rose University Consortium.
• The QS World University Rankings 2015-16 placed Sheffield as the 80th university worldwide and 16th in the UK.
• The university has won Queen's Anniversary Prizes in 1998, 2000, 2002 and 2007.
• In 2011, Sheffield was named 'University of the Year' in the Times Higher Education awards.
• The latest Times Higher Education Student Experience Survey 2014 ranked the University of Sheffield 1st for student experience, social life, university facilities and accommodation, among other categories.
• The university is also in the UK's 9-17 bracket of universities according to the Shanghai Jiao Tong University's ranking of the top 500 universities worldwide. 
• The university's business school is one of only five Russell Group business schools to have the internationally recognised Triple Crown accreditation.

Student Life @Sheffield

We love the fact that although Sheffield is a major city, and developing all the time, it has kept its sense of community. This is a friendly, safe and affordable place to make your home. Most University buildings are within walking distance from each other and the campus is a very short walk from the city centre.
In Sheffield you can enjoy sophisticated fast-paced city life and yet in 20 minutes you can be in the middle of beautiful countryside.

Entertainment

Music

Every night, the pubs and clubs of Sheffield vibrate to the sounds of up and coming new bands and star DJs. The larger stadium-style venues here attract many of the biggest stars in the world. Sheffield loves pop, rock and dance music. The University itself is a key venue for touring bands and DJs. Prestigious classical performances by orchestras and groups are also a regular event on campus and in the city.

Cinema

The Showroom Cinema is the biggest independent cinema outside London and the centre for serious film fans in Sheffield. The programme covers modern, classic and world cinema every week. There are a number of multi-screen cinema complexes in the city, showing all the latest Hollywood blockbusters.

Theatre

The heart of the city is home to the largest and arguably the most important theatre complex outside London. The Crucible, Lyceum and Studio theatres have won awards for their groundbreaking productions which include drama, dance, comedy and music. Affordable student tickets are available.

Eating out

There are restaurants to suit every taste and pocket from Michelin-award winning restaurants to independent cafes designed with a student budget in mind.

Within minutes of the campus you will find food from around the world including Chinese, Indian, Italian, Thai, Spanish, Japanese, Mexican and Lebanese. Vegetarian and Halal food is widely available.

Art

Across the square from the theatres is the award-winning Millennium Galleries complex, linked to the Tate and the V&A in London. Other attractions include the Graves Art Gallery and the Site gallery for contemporary art.

Shopping in Sheffield

Shopaholics will be in their element. The city centre has all the well known High Street names and department stores, or you can wander through the street market and pick up a bargain or two.
One of the more popular areas is Devonshire Quarter, where you will find boutiques and the more alternative, individual shops from urban street style to designer labels.

Student societies

The Students' Union supports a wide range of national, cultural and religious societies that are open to all students at Sheffield.
These celebrate the diversity on campus through national and religious holidays and festivals and representation at major events including food and cultural evenings.
They give you the opportunity to learn more about other cultures and campuses as well as enjoying your own during your time with us in Sheffield.
Getting involved in any of the Student Union activities and societies enables you to meet other people as well as helping to run the Students' Union and having your say on issues that matter to you.

University Chaplaincy

There are many organisations which provide support and fellowship within the city of Sheffield and you can be sure of a warm welcome!
The University is also served by chaplains representing the major Christian traditions, Islam, Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish and other faith communities.
The multi-faith Chaplaincy Service provides information and advice for all students and is available to everyone within the University, offering care and support as well as opportunities for worship, prayer and spiritual exploration.
The city of Sheffield has many places of worship.

Services of the University of Sheffield

Students' Union

The University of Sheffield Students' Union was founded in 1906 and consists of two bars (Bar One – which has a book-able function room with its own bar, The Raynor Lounge – and The Interval); three club venues (Fusion, Foundry and Studio); and coffee shops, restaurants, shops, and the student run cinema Film Unit. There is also a student radio station called Forge Radio and a newspaper called Forge Press, which are run under the umbrella of 'Forge Media'. The Union has nearly three hundred student societies and nearly fifty sports teams. Sheffield University Football Club has been established for many decades and has previously competed in the FA Amateur Cupand FA Vase.

In November 2009 a development project began to redevelop the Students' Union building, funded by £5m by the HEFCE, which was completed and re-opened in September 2010. Works centred on improving circulation around the building by aligning previously disjointed floors, improving internal access between the Union building and neighbouring University House, and constructing a new entrance and lobby that incorporates the university's traditional colours of black and gold. During 2012–13 the Students' Union went under a further redevelopment costing £20 million which led to the refurbishment of the University House. University House, which was one of the first glass curtain walled buildings in the world when it was completed in 1963, has now been integrated with the University's Students' Union in one single building.

Student accommodation

The University halls of residence comprises two separate sites, Ranmoor/Endcliffe, and City

Varsity sports

The annual "Varsity Challenge" takes place between teams from the University and its rival Sheffield Hallam University starting from 1996. Varsity is divided into winter and summer competitions. The University has 26 varsity sports (sports contested in varsity). The University sports colours are black and gold. The University of Sheffield won the Varsity competition in 2013, beating Sheffield Hallam University for the first time in ten years.It extended the new found winning streak to four years in a row; winning again in 2014, 2015 and 2016.

Why Sheffield?

Students choose Sheffield because of our international reputation for high quality teaching and research excellence and because of the outstanding student experience that we offer.

International leader in teaching and research

The University of Sheffield is a premier-league, research-led institution with a population of over 25,000 students including more than 6,500 international students from over 115 countries.
We have a world-wide reputation for quality, operating at the forefront of research and training.

Safest, friendliest, cheapest

Sheffield is one of the best value cities to live and study in the UK. Living costs are 10% lower than the UK national average and 25% lower than London.

Sheffield is one of the greenest cities in England with 150 woodlands and 50 public parks within the city. The greenery is throughout the city from the centre, where the Winter Gardens is Europe's largest city centre temperate glasshouse, to the countryside, where the Peak District national park is only ten minutes away from the University.

Government statistics rate Sheffield as one of the safest UK cities.

Student life

When you're not studying, there is plenty to see, do and explore in Sheffield. From the Students' Union to the city and beyond you will never be bored.
The city's cultural amenities include multi-screen cinemas, concert venues, leisure complexes and an arts scene to suit all tastes. Or you could enjoy the tranquillity of the city's vast parks and woodlands.

• Delhi Public School Society (DPS) Undergraduate Merit Scholarship
• GEMS Undergraduate Merit Scholarship
• International Baccalaureate Scholarship
• International School of Choueifat Undergraduate Merit Scholarship
• International Undergraduate Merit Scholarship
• International Undergraduate Scholarship
• NCUK Merit Scholarship