We have been providing students with the opportunities presented by a first class education for over 180 years. With over 500 courses to choose from delivered across our 18 Schools and Institutes, the University of Wolverhampton's attractive offering to students from around the world includes 96% graduate employability (Destination of Leavers of Higher Education survey 2016), teaching informed by world-leading research, strong business links, and state-of-the-art facilities.
The roots of the University of Wolverhampton lie in the 19th century growth of Mechanics Institutes, which provided vocational and general education for working men. The Wolverhampton Free Library also developed technical, scientific, commercial and general classes. Teaching first began in 1851 at the School of Art, and the study of art became a key focus – with new buildings, and a new name for the Municipal School of Art in 1885.
By 1903, an educational foundation had firmly been established with over 1,300 students studying courses including coach building, house painting and pattern making. In 1905, the first student scholarships were awarded. As student numbers continued to grow, expansion became necessary. In 1920, the original Deanery House was demolished, making way for the iconic Wulfruna building you see today in Wulfruna Street.
The foundation stone was laid by HRH Prince George in 1932 and in 1933 the Wolverhampton and Staffordshire Technical College was born. With further education traditionally accessible only to the wealthy, the College vowed to ensure that even the most under-privileged men and women would have the opportunity to study a higher education – an ethos nurtured and sustained to the present day. Courses included science and engineering, and with the creation of a Women’s Department, over a third of the College’s students were women, bucking the traditional all-male trend typical of higher education establishments. Research was also on the increase, with the College welcoming graduates from universities as honorary members.
The post-war ‘boom’ in education led to a growing demand for a variety of subject areas and in 1945 a music department opened, enrolling an unprecedented 135 students in the first year. In 1957, the College was awarded one of the earliest digital computers in the UK. Renamed WITCH – Wolverhampton Instrument for Teaching Computation from Harwell – it was the first computer to ever be used at the College and remained a central teaching tool until 1973.
By 1966, with student numbers at over 6,000, the College began to provide Bachelor’s degrees with options in English, Geography, History, Music, Economics and Computer Technology and the first ever degree ceremony was held. Nearby, at Walsall, a new West Midlands College of Education was created in 1963. The College was linked to the Walsall local education authority but had a governing body nominated by a cluster of local authorities. It quickly expanded from its first four-story teaching block and student residences to a site with a substantial number of buildings, including a study block, library, hostels, refectory, physical education facilities and music centre, and over 1,000 teacher trainees by the early 1970s.
On 1 September 1969, the College was officially designated a Polytechnic. Comprising five Faculties: Applied Science, Art and Design, Arts, Engineering, and Social Sciences, a further Faculty of Education was established in 1977. The seventies also saw Wolverhampton develop into a truly international community with students from Iran, Malaysia, and Nigeria, and the delivery of Wolverhampton courses internationally beginning to flourish.
In 1983, a second Royal visit, this time from HRH The Duke of Kent, officially opened Wolverhampton Polytechnic as a stage VIII Polytechnic institution, and this was followed by a period of rapid expansion over the next ten years. A merger with the West Midlands College of Education in 1991 led to the creation of what is now Walsall Campus, and further mergers with Teacher Training Colleges in Wolverhampton and Dudley led to the construction of an ambitious third campus in Telford.
In 1992, Wolverhampton Polytechnic was granted university status and became the University of Wolverhampton. Today our four Faculties offer courses in over 70 different subjects and over 4,000 students graduate from Wolverhampton each year. We continue to invest in our students, staff, alumni and in the local and international community. We have invested more than £125 million on campus developments and teaching facilities, including £50 million on improving our facilities at Walsall Campus; the innovative Performance Hub; new and refurbished Students’ Unions and further modernisation of our Learning Centres.
Our Access and Outreach teams are based both in academic faculties and within the Office of the Dean of Students. These teams work closely together to ensure that your school or college’s subject-specific and general access and outreach needs are met. Whether it is a single subject talk, presentation, or a more complex day involving different events delivered by a number of Faculties, our teams will be able to meet your students’ needs.
The Office of the Dean of Students has a focus on long-term engagement with schools and colleges, including children in primary schools and young people from care backgrounds who are under-represented within higher education. Our long-term approach, using a clear ‘progression framework’, enables us to help build the self-confidence of learners over a longer period of time and to work carefully to increase their motivation to learn, achieve and progress.
Please do not post:
Thank you once again for doing your part to keep Edarabia the most trusted education source.
Worst place to study, teachers are useless and dont bother with students. Also the best teachers leave after the first year and keep having to change teachers who are even worse, the level of education the below satisfactory. Also the teacher stab you in the back and are out to get you by grading you low and pretend the system has marked the work. Also when there is a group task how can someone be graded lower than the other person, not right. This uni is useless, wasn't worth wasting time and money here.
By Alkhabra (Aug, 2018) |
The sad thing is that the lecturers and the educational side of things are pretty good. When it came to the actual studying, I quite liked this uni. The problem is that they do no care about the students. They care about the money. . Even though the Uni is a good place to study, the way they treat their students is not very good. A lot of people from my block received fines and just couldn't understand why. Honestly starting to regret choosing this University.
By Krishan Rajeendran (Sep, 2017) |
Good place lecturers have all been good, new business school building is great, student union is poor and doesn't have much of a presence, sense of community is also rather weak but for studies it provides everything you need ..
By Nathan Donny (Sep, 2017) |
Going to this university was the biggest mistake of my life. They do not care about you as a student, you will literally just be a number/ seat. All they care about is the money that they receive from the government. I studied English Literature at the University of Wolverhampton and after enduring two dreadful years, I was unfairly graded by a particular module leader called Rosie. I was humiliated in front of a ton of students while she handed out everyone else's work bar mine and indirectly faffed on about referencing. I had no choice but to withdraw from the university and I retook my second year at Newman university which was the best thing that I have ever done. Seriously consider all of your choices before choosing this university.
By Shauna Mac (Sep, 2017) |
The worst university, do yourself a favour and stay away. Spend more money and go to a better university where the establishment actually cares about the bags of money that walk around its buildings. So many problems with this university from everyone I speak to.
By sparko sparks (Sep, 2016) |
Great place to study - my personal experience has been a positive one - varied module choices and knowledgeable, friendly staff. City centre campus handy for all amenities and plenty of pubs! I'm now on my PhD and hope to teach here which shows the opportunities are there if you're prepared to work for them. There are also plenty of open days so you can check out the facilities and meet the staff
By Evelyn Price (Sep, 2016) |
Amazing and very supportive staff, great facilities. Definitely would recommend it to anyone who's doing Educational Studies. Both the Walsall and City campuses are great and the libraries are excellent! I'm currently on level 5 and WLV makes me happy and exciting to learn. I would recommend everyone to try the different workshops they have to offer- totally worth it. I just totally love the University life and I am definitely coming back here if I ever want to study another course or do a Master Degree.
By Sandra Rynkiewicz (Oct, 2015) |
An excellent university with modern teaching and learning facilities and I consider Wolverhampton university as a home for international students
By Gambo Uba (Sep, 2015) |
Having had experience of more than one university, I would say that the facilities at Wolverhampton Uni is pretty good by comparison. The lecturers here are also less snobbish than the other places I have been, and seem more willing to help. Of course, it is not the best place in the world, there are groups of students who look and behave more like the local mafia than university students. While most of the lecturers are pretty good and enthusiastic, others looked like they wish they weren't here.I am enjoying my course and have made some great friends.
By Mike Lee (Sep, 2013) |
Twitter
At the University of Wolverhampton, the exceptional staff and dynamic curriculum have truly unlocked my son's potential, and I couldn't be happier with the progress he's making in West Midlands!
By Fatima Al-Khalifa (Jan, 2024) |